International Health

Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)

The Department's M.P.H. Program in International Health aims to provide its graduates with the technical skills to work as epidemiologists in any setting, domestic or overseas. Those skills, combined with the international content of the program, qualify the graduate for employment in international, national, and nongovernmental agencies involved in health research or health service delivery in developing countries. It is interdisciplinary, and provides training in both the health-science and social-science sides of the subject.

The M.P.H. in International Health is given in a 60-hour sequence. This program is intended to train students in the diverse skills required in the practice of epidemiology with a focus on developing countries. Applicants to the program should hold a bachelor's degree with a major in biology or a related area such as premedical or predental studies, nursing, zoology, or microbiology. Those with a major in social sciences such as psychology, sociology, or anthropology will also be considered. The 60 credit hour program is typically finished after 4 terms.

There are four major areas in the International Health MPH curriculum:

• School-wide requirements, including basic epidemiology and an introductory biostatistics course
• "Breadth-requirments" which are fulfilled by taking courses outside of the specific focus of epidemiology and
• Departmental requirements include courses in pathology, genetics, epidemiologic methods, infectious disease, computers for epidemiologists, and 3 advanced biostatistics courses.
• A capstone project includes doing an internship in a developing country between the first and second year, presenting a scientific poster at a departmental poster session and completing a data analysis project in the final term. For information regarding internship travel funds, please contact the department chair.
  

In addition to the core courses listed above, students in the Department may choose from a wide range of electives including courses within the Epidemiology Department or elsewhere in the School and University. Examples include courses in cancer epidemiology, social epidemiology, nutrition, reproductive health and molecular epidemiology.

Graduation requirements for all M.P.H. programs can be viewed by visiting the M.P.H. Graduation Requirements page.