The Master of Public Health requires 45 credit hours and consists of 39 credits of course work and a 6-credit internship/practicum in a community setting. All required courses are offered in the evenings and meet once each week.  Students can enroll as a full-time (2 year, 4 courses per week) or part-time (3 year, 2-3 course per week) graduate student. The professional preparation program is for qualified students from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds who are interested in careers that involve the development and management of population-based health promotion and disease prevention activities within communities. The program’s approach to professional practice includes reflective practice, a theoretical base, network development, leadership development, and cooperation and collaboration with community health organizations. Throughout the curriculum, special attention is given to community involvement, effective communication, and uses of technology. The curriculum emphasizes the application of health education skills and knowledge with a variety of community populations, as well as the practical application of research findings to health problems and includes preparation in the core areas of public health. Special attention is also given to community engagement, social justice, and the root causes of health within society. The degree program prepares graduates for careers in public health and health care settings at local, state, regional, or national levels.

The M.P.H. program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and the professional requirements are based on the CEPH accreditation and the professional responsibility areas and recommendations of the Joint Commission of the Society of Public Health and the American Association for Health Education. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national Health Education Specialist credentialing exam for the profession and become a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), or with a qualifying experience, a Master’s Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES). Students are also eligible to sit for the national exam to become Certified in Public Health (CPH) credential.  By the end of the program students will have preparation in the Core Areas of Public Health and in the Seven Areas of Responsibility for Health Education Specialists (assessment, program planning, implementation, evaluation, administration and management, resource, and communication and advocacy).

For information regarding deadlines and requirements for admission, please see https://grs.uncg.edu/programs/.

In addition to the minimum admission materials required by the Graduate School, applicants should submit:

• A resume.
• A one-page statement of professional goals as related to the M.P.H. program. In your statement, include consideration of:
  • How the program will help advance your personal and career goals.
  • How you became interested in pursuing a career in public health generally and in community health specifically.
  • How your volunteer, educational, work, and/or personal experiences led to your decision to pursue a career in public health.
  • What specific areas of public health and community health education you are interested in.
  • What your vision is for your future career in public health or community health education.
  • Why you are interested in the M.P.H. program at UNC Greensboro.
• Three letters of recommendation. Your reference providers are required to write a letter on your behalf in addition to filling out the required form. We also recommend that at least one of your letters of recommendation come from a professor or course instructor.

Applicants can enroll as either full-time or part-time students. All required courses except the internship are offered in the evenings. Full-time students are expected to take four courses each fall and spring semester for two years. Part-time students usually take two courses each fall and spring semester, and one course each summer, over three years.

Degree Program Requirements

Required: 45 credit hours

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses (21 credits)
HEA 601	Foundations of Public Health	3
HEA 602	Epidemiology Methods	3
HEA 604	Quantitative Methods	3
HEA 607	Determinants of Health	3
HEA 619	Systems, Leadership, and Policy I	3
HEA 624	Systems, Leadership, and Policy II	3
HEA 621	Public Health Theories and Strategies	3
Required Professional Courses (9 credits)
HEA 618	Assessment and Program Planning I	3
HEA 623	Assessment and Program Planning II	3
HEA 625	Evaluation Methods	3
Electives (9 credits)
Select three courses (9 credits) of electives *		9
Capstone Experience (6 credits) **
HEA 650	Community Health Internship/Practicum	6
Total Credit Hours		45

*

Chosen in consultation with the student's advisor.

**

In addition to the field-based learning experiences in courses throughout the program, students are required to integrate and synthesize their acquired skills and knowledge in an applied situation that approximates some aspect of professional practice in community health education. This is done through an internship/practicum in a community health agency. Prior to the internship/practicum, students plan their work in an applied program planning class.