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If nothing else, the past few years have underscored the importance of public health policy. Considering the shifting perspectives on vaccines, misinformation, and the looming questions about long-term health outcomes (e.g., long COVID), society has an urgent need for professionals who can understand and communicate complex problems related to human health. Read on to learn more about online master’s in public health programs as well as the top 15 online MPH programs.

Why Get a Master’s in Public Health Online?

In some ways, it’s no surprise why people are seeking out a master’s in public health online. To be sure, interest in public health didn’t start with COVID-19. During the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 90s, interest in the Master’s in Public Health (MPH) degree skyrocketed. According to the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, the number of MPH degrees conferred has grown since 1992. What’s more, there are also four times as many institutions granting MPH degrees. Thankfully, the population of people seeking an MPH is also diversifying. The percentage of non-white graduates jumped from 25 percent in 1992 to 47 percent in 2016. In that same time span, the number of women earning an MPH jumped from 63 to 73 percent. 

With its growth in popularity, it’s no wonder that there would be an uptick in demand for accessible ways to study public health. Credible, online options for students to earn a Master’s in Public Health have emerged in recent years, giving people the option to study from anywhere and earn their degrees while (hopefully) remaining in the communities they wish to serve. 

Master’s in Public Health — What Do You Study?

MPH students might study the following: 

• Biostatistics
• Epidemiology 
• Public policy 
• Community education
• Maternal health 
• Global health
• Environmental health 

If you pursue a Master’s of Public Health online, you’ll learn how to communicate health issues within a community, how to help diverse groups work together to solve health problems, and how to educate the public when a need emerges. You might also help your community develop better health practices based on current scientific knowledge and best practices while also promoting healthier lifestyles.

How Do You Choose an Online Master’s in Public Health Program?

If you’re considering studying public health and you want the flexibility of an online program, the following things should be on your list of criteria to consider when choosing a school: 

• Accreditation 
• Overall cost 
• Available financial aid 
• Synchronous vs. Asynchronous vs. Hybrid Delivery
• Program focus 
• Faculty research 
• Connections with agencies for internships  
• Job placement record for graduates 

Who Accredits Master’s of Public Health Programs?

The (CEPH) is the accrediting body that creates the guidelines and ensures the quality of public health education programs. The council’s vision is “Excellence in public health education for a healthier world.” The are available on the CEPH website, but suffice it to say, it’s the council’s mission to ensure a high quality of public health education. When you find an accredited school, you can trust that you’re headed in the right direction. 

Synchronous vs Asynchronous vs Hybrid Delivery — What’s the Difference?

You probably know these terms from the pandemic, but if you’re new to online learning, it’s worth considering whether your program is synchronous or asynchronous. 

Synchronous means that you will attend your classes “in-sync” with the professor—and everybody else in the class. You’ll show up on Zoom (or some other video call system) and sit in your seminars, lectures, and discussions, just as you would at an in-person university. This is great for people who want or need the social structure of appearing in front of others to maintain focus, generate creativity, or simply enjoy their studies. It’s also great if you have a schedule that allows you to show up online when your classes are held. 

That being said, if you bartend during the evenings, and all your synchronous classes are held after the traditional 9-5, you might consider attending a program that allows you to structure your own time. 

Best Master’s in Public Health Online Programs (continued)

Asynchronous delivery is out of sync with the clock. In other words, all the content you need will be provided for you, and you progress through the program at your own pace. You watch recorded lectures, read content, and finish assignments whenever is best for you. This is great if you have to work or take care of a family while you attend school and you don’t want to worry about showing up late to lecture or having to sit in discussion when your kids need to go to soccer practice. It means you’ll have to be a bit more self-directed, and some students might find this challenging, especially when the temptations of “working from home” are always looming. You can always do another load of laundry before you watch that recorded lecture, after all. 

That being said, any well-structured asynchronous program is going to build in modalities that help to keep you on track. 

Hybrid delivery means that there will be some online elements to your degree program and some in-person components that will require you to show up on campus. The word “l�Ƿ�-����������Գ���” is also a clue to look for how much time you’d be expected to show up in person. 

With any delivery system, you should look for and apply to programs that meet your specific needs. Don’t worry about fitting yourself into a program that will stress you out just because it seems credible. The beauty of an online education is that you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to time and space, and you should maximize what’s possible to make the most of your experience. 

To keep things tailored toward online learning, we’ve kept this list focused on only fully online programs. 

Which Online MPH Is Right For You?

• Cost: $32,604 per year (2-year program)

The online Master of Public Health program at Brown features a case-based curriculum. During this 24-month program (16 months accelerated), you’ll “build data analysis capabilities, hone leadership skills, think critically and communicate effectively.” In addition to your coursework, the MOPH program at Brown requires a 145-hour practicum, during which you’ll put what you’ve learned to use at a local government agency or non-profit.

• Cost: $38,500 per year (2-year program)

While the curriculum of Columbia’s Advanced MPH online resembles the in-person MPH, the former focuses on “implementation science.” In other words, students in Columbia’s online MPH program focus on “introducing, institutionalizing, and sustaining public health policies, programs, and activities in complex settings. ” This program is geared toward students who already have advanced degrees.

• Cost: $725 per credit hour (42-credit program)

Students at George Mason’s College of Public Health study Getting an online MPH at George Mason epidemiology, health program planning, health care systems, and public health management. At the end of their degree, students “are equipped to address the most pressing and emerging health problems.” Like most programs, GMU’s MPH degree requires 200 hours of fieldwork. Unlike most programs, GMU will accept up to 12 approved credits from other institutions.

• Cost: $1,890 per credit (45-credit program)

A consistently top-ranked school of public health, the Milken Institute “connects you with the epicenter of health policy.” Acknowledging the needs of working professionals, GWU’s online MPH offers a one-year accelerated program, an 18-month program, and a customizable part-time program. Students are able to pursue optional concentrations in health informatics, global health, climate health, or women, youth, and child health.

• Cost: $37,170 per year (2-year program)

Harvard’s online Master in Public Health program offers working professionals a world-class education to address current and future public health challenges. As a generalist program (Harvard offers a more specialized, hybrid MPH in epidemiology), the curriculum aims to establish broad competencies. Students will learn how to respond to a public health threat, investigate health inequities, and persuade stakeholders for public health action.

• Cost: $1,068 per credit (80-credit program)

Though some full-time students may be able to finish this online MPH in just one year, most students are part-time and complete the program in 2-3 years. An exceedingly flexible program, students can choose one of 12 specializations, ranging from food systems to infectious diseases. Hopkins also offers dozens of certificate programs for degree- and non-degree-seeking students.

• Cost: $1,946 per credit (42-credit program)

Offering a 1-year, full-time option or a longer, part-time option, Johns Hopkins’ MPH is a top-ranked program that boasts eight degree pathways and 70 full-time faculty. Whether you’re interested in biostatistics, rural health, or epidemiology, an MPH at Johns Hopkins will give you the “strategic and cultural competency needed to be impactful collaborators, innovators, and advocates.” Unique to Hopkins is the “Social Determinants of Health” concentration, which focuses on the racial and ethnic health disparities within the urban environment.

• Cost: $37,248 (total)

One of the more affordable options on this list, the online MPH at The Ohio State University is geared towards “experienced professionals.” As such, it is a part-time program that “emphasizes leadership and management in public health, equipping professionals with skills in planning, implementing, and evaluating health strategies to drive sustainable change.” The curriculum includes both research and theory as well as practical leadership opportunities.

• Cost: $950 per credit hour (42-credit program)

This practice-based professional degree offers five concentrations reflecting key public health disciplines: Applied Epidemiology, Climate Change and Health, Global Health, Health Behavior Health Promotion, and Health Services Administration. Geared toward working professionals, this program usually takes 2 years to complete. The University of Arizona also offers an online certificate in public health, as well as in seven other areas.

• Cost: $630 per credit hour (56 credit program)

A partnership between PSU and OHSU, this part-time program is designed to accommodate working students and professionals. This 2-year program “equips you with relevant, applied expertise in public health practice that you can use to guide health reform, exercise leadership, develop and evaluate programs, and better serve your community.” While you take the core classes common to most programs (i.e., biostatistics), this program also prepares you to develop policy and write grant proposals.

• Cost: $550 per credit (42-credit program)

UF offers two online MPH options — traditional and accelerated. Students in the traditional program choose from three concentrations: population health management, public health practice, or social and behavioral sciences. The accelerated MPH covers the same content at the same speed (full- or part-time). However, the latter program is limited to health professionals who possess a terminal degree in their field(s).

• Cost: $700 per credit (42-credit program)

Through its Edwards campus, KU offers a Master of Public Health online degree as well as three graduate certificates in public health practice, policy and management, and epidemiology and essentials of public health. Like many of the MPH programs on this list, this program caters to more experienced students — a minimum one year of experience in a public health or healthcare setting is preferred.

• Cost: $656 per credit (42-credit program)

Aimed at current public health professionals, this program consists of six public health core courses, three research-based courses, a practicum, and a final capstone. Students are also able to choose five electives from over forty options. UMass Amherst also offers certificate programs in global health, public health, and population health for health professionals.

• Cost: $50,000 (Michigan resident) / $55,000 (non-Michigan resident)

The School of Public Health offers an online MPH in Population and Health Sciences. Students will complete 23 credit hours in core course material (19 didactic / 4 experiential learning) and choose from 7 elective series options. The University of Michigan’s MPH program emphasizes skills for public health practice and emphasizes courses in health education, health management and policy, and leadership and communication. Like most of the programs on this list, UM’s online MPH is geared toward working professionals. Notably, the majority of UM’s students have 3+ years of professional experience and continue to work full-time while enrolled in the program.

• Cost: $959 per credit (63 credits)

Offering a full-time track and a part-time track, students can expect to complete their MPH in 2-3 years. At the University of Washington, students will develop disciplinary competencies in biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, health management and policy, and social and behavioral health. UW’s online MPH program includes a practicum and capstone course.

Best Master’s in Public Health Online — Final Thoughts

Choosing to pursue an MPH speaks to a desire to explore the way society can respond to public health issues. Whether you’re interested in rural medicine, epidemiology, or public policy, an MPH is a step toward making the world a more just and equitable place. 

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