June 14, 2017

Why a New MPH?

Drexel Dornsife faculty have redesigned the school’s Master of Public Health degree to better prepare graduates to take on the public health challenges of the 21st century. Over the past two years, they considered feedback from students and alumni and developed the new degree with an eye to real issues and challenges in the field of public health. The aim is to serve the best interests of incoming students with a rich and relevant learning experience that will enable them to master an array of MPH capabilities – including understanding the systems that drive population health; gathering, analyzing and interpreting both quantitative and qualitative data; translating knowledge into action to improve the health of populations, and more. 

The new curriculum was built working back from actual public health challenges – asking what it will take to address the toughest problems. The result is a program designed across disciplines to promote cross-sector teamwork – exactly what is needed to tackle the challenges ahead. 

Whats In It For Me? 

A new and improved curriculum: Breaking down silos that can separate majors in an academic setting, the Dornsife New MPH takes an interdisciplinary approach to public health basics, to facilitate learning in an integrated and practice-based manner that will be relevant long after graduation.

More choices and lower credit requirements: The MPH degree can now be completed in five rather than six quarters, and is structured to allow for more discipline specific classes as well as greater flexibility in choosing electives. 

Reduced tuition costs: You’ll pay less for a richer, more cohesive experience. 

Graduate in March, enter job market early: Beat the graduation season stampede, and begin your career armed with both deep knowledge of public health as a field and practical experience to enhance your employability and value once on the job. 

What Are the Requirements? 

Foundational, interdisciplinary core courses: These required courses are the centerpiece of the degree. Team-taught by faculty from each discipline, the core courses are structured in a connected, cohesive way that will be valuable as you tackle real public health problems in community, research or other professional settings. 

Five discipline-specific courses: These classes will add depth in your chosen major, and support the development of discipline-specific knowledge and skills. 

Practical field experience: All students will engage in field work, ideally coordinated with their major field of study and master’s project. 

Integrative learning experience: This 4 to 6 credit course is the capstone to the MPH degree, and is intended as a vehicle for students – working individually or in groups – to demonstrate mastery of competencies within their major field of study. Deliverables will vary across majors, but must include a high quality written product, appropriate to the educational objectives of each student. 

PLUS: Opportunity to complete a variety of minors within and across disciplines, to build marketable skills in public health. The Minors are open to all Drexel graduate students in all schools and colleges, and are designed to complement students’ training by providing basic knowledge in topics outside their primary discipline. Minors will be offered in the following areas: 

• Environmental and Occupational Health
• Global Health
• Infectious Disease Prevention and Control
• Latino/Immigrant Health
• LGBT Health
• Maternal and Child Health
• Program Monitoring and Evaluation
• Public Health Ethics and History
• Substance Use and Abuse

Visit the MPH degree page 

More minors are under development and coming soon.