Master of Public Health Program

The master of public health (MPH) degree is the most widely recognized professional credential for leadershipin public health. The program emphasizes active, student-directed learning, problem solving, andthe acquisition of skills essential to the practice of public health.

The program is organized aroundseven career-oriented concentrations (seebelow). In addition to the common corecurriculum, each concentration offers specialtyelectives and a selection of areas ofinterest, allowing students to explore indepth one or more spheres of relevance totheir career goals. The concentrations andareas of interest enable students in theinterdisciplinary MPH program to establisha second "home" in one of the school'sacademic departments, such as HealthPolicy and Management or Global Healthand Population.

Coming from all parts of the world, MPHstudents bring a wide variety of backgroundsand experiences to the program.The majority of these students are healthprofessionals, with a minimum of three tofive years of work experience, who are preparing for advancement in their organizationsor for transition into new fields. TheMPH program is geared toward professionalswho hold a doctoral degree (or foreigndegree equivalent) in medicine, dentistry,veterinary medicine, law, or other fieldsrelated to public health—for example, biology,other natural sciences, behavioral sciences,or social sciences. Individuals with amaster’s degree in nursing, social work,business administration, or a field closelyrelated to public health (see above) andwho have at least three years of health-relatedwork experience may also be consideredfor admission to the program. Preference is given to applicants with clearly identifiedcareer goals relevant to the program and who demonstrate a strong academicbackground. Those without the requiredprofessional training or experience shouldconsider an 80-credit master of science programoffered by one of the HSPH departments.

Students currently enrolled in MD, DO,DMD, or DDS programs (and some lawstudents) who have a career interest in publichealth and/or preventive medicine arealso eligible to apply for admission to theMPH program. Medical and dental studentsundertake the MPH program while on leaveof absence between the third and fourthyear of medical or dental school. Theyreceive the MPH degree upon successfulcompletion of both programs and conferralof the doctoral degree. The MPH programserves as a required academic year for residencytraining in general preventive medicine,aerospace medicine, or occupationaland environmental medicine. 

Students accepted to Harvard Law Schoolmay simultaneously pursue an MPH underHarvard’s JD/MPH joint degree program.Prospective students should apply to thejoint program either concurrently with theirapplication to Harvard Law School or duringtheir first year of law school. HSPHcourse work begins in the summer followingthe first year of law school and continuesover the next two years. 

MPH students are required to complete aminimum of 42.5 course credits and mustfulfill core requirements in the fundamentalpublic health disciplines (see degree programs and requirements) and acourse on the ethical basis of the practice ofpublic health. Within their selected concentrationstudents choose a second tier of recommendedor required courses and completea practice course, which generallyserves as the required culminating experience,following concentration guidelines.Beyond the program and concentrationrequirements, students are encouraged toconsult with faculty advisers to choose electivecourses best suited to their needs. Requirements and concentration guidelinesare available from the Office for EducationalPrograms. 

MPH candidates may complete the degreerequirements on a full-time or part-timebasis (or may change from one status to theother). Full-time students normally completethe program in two consecutive semesters (September through May). Part-timestudents complete the requirements for thedegree over a period of two or three years.Students may elect to begin their coursework in July by enrolling in the SummerSession for Public Health Studies; thoseinterested in this option should contact theOffice for Educational Programs for guidance. 

A summer-only MPH program is also availablefor students in two concentrations:quantitative methods and clinical effectiveness.The program can be completed by takingcourses in three consecutive enrollmentsin the Summer Session for PublicHealth Studies; students in this programcan also take courses during the HSPHWinter Session. Students wishing to applyfor the summer MPH in quantitative methodsor clinical effectiveness must observethe same admissions deadlines as all MPHdegree applicants. 

Concentration goals and areas of interestare described below: 

Clinical effectiveness Concerned withidentifying the most appropriate, ethical,and cost-effective means of providing healthcare through prevention, early detection, ortreatment, the concentration is designed toprovide the analytic and quantitative trainingnecessary to evaluate clinical practices.Major areas of professional interest for concentratorsinclude clinical epidemiology andbiostatistics, cost-effectiveness analysis,medical decision analysis, health servicesresearch, quality improvement in healthcare, and measurement of health-relatedquality of life. The concentration is limited toclinicians enrolled initially in the SummerProgram in Clinical Effectiveness.

Along with the broad perspective the programoffers on general aspects of publichealth, this training provides a basis foridentifying the health policy implicationsand public health benefits of clinical investigations.The concentration prepares physiciansfor clinical research responsibilitiesand for leadership roles in evaluating andimproving all aspects of health care delivery.Most graduates hold positions in academicmedicine.

Family and community health This concentrationfocuses on the promotion ofhealth and the prevention of disease, especiallyin more vulnerable populations.Course work emphasizes strategies forneeds assessment and establishment ofhealth objectives, data collection and analysis, leadership skills, consultation, communication,advocacy, and policy formationin the public sector. Beyond the MPH corerequirements students are encouraged todevelop expertise in a focus area geared totheir professional interests. Areas of interestinclude maternal and child health,women and health, mental health, violenceand sub stance abuse, health disparities,community health, health promotion, anddisease prevention.

The concentration prepares students forworking in diverse spheres, including federal,state, and local government; advocacygroups; vol untary health organizations; andcommunity-based primary care settings inthe United States and other countries.Posts filled by graduates of this concentrationinclude state health director; medicaldirector of programs for child, adolescent,and women’s health; health policy analyst;and health educator. Other graduates havegone on to academic positions.

Global health This concentration emphasizesthe development of skills leading tothe ability to understand and evaluate specificpublic health issues affecting populationsin developing countries, explorestrate gic planning methods for both crisismanagement and the creation of policy initiatives,and examine their effects onnational health systems. Because of themultisectoral nature of health improvementin developing countries, students areexposed to a wide range of disciplines and ideas, including demography and epidemiology,the organization of health systems,the ethical basis of resource allocation, pol -itical economy, health economics and financing,and health and human rights andhumanitarian studies.

The program is intended to prepare healthprofessionals with relevant prior experiencefor leadership roles in the practice of globalhealth. Graduates of the program work innational ministries of health, international organizations, donor aid agencies, privatevoluntary organizations, research and academicinstitutions, and the private sector.

The program is intended to prepare healthprofessionals with prior international healthexperience for leadership roles in the practiceof international health, with a specialemphasis on the populations in developingcountries. Graduates of the program workin national ministries of health, internationalorganizations, donor aid agencies, privatevoluntary organizations, research and academicinstitutions, and the private sector.

Health care management and policy Thisconcentration offers training with either amanagement or a policy focus. In additionto fulfilling the MPH core requirements,students select from clusters of courses togain depth in their chosen focus area. Stu -dents choosing the management focus takecourses providing practical managementskills, such as accounting, finance, operations,marketing, information systems, qualityimprovement, management of people,and strategy determination. Students selectingthe policy focus take courses in healtheconomics, political science, and appliedpolicy in areas like payment systems, insurance,mental health and substance abuse,community health, and health promotionand disease prevention.

The concentration prepares students forleadership positions in health care organizationsthat provide direct care (such as hospitals,group practices, and home healthagencies), those that pay for and/or organizehealth care (such as governments,health insurers, and health maintenanceorganizations), and those that supply directcareproviders (such as pharmaceuticalcompanies and biotechnology firms). Pro -gram graduates fill many roles—from consultantsand staff analysts to middlemanagementand executive positions. 

Law and public health This concentrationintroduces lawyers to the science of publichealth, provides them with skills in analysisof public health problems, and allows themto design a curriculum that will meet theirparticular interests. Beyond the MPH corerequirements, which include law-relatedcourses, lawyers are encouraged to developan area of interest by choosing electivecourses in a specific field such as healthcare delivery or environmental health.

The concentration is designed to train leadersin the field of public health law. Graduates are prepared for careers in a varietyof settings, including health or environmentallaw work in a law firm, nongovernmentalorganization, or in-house counsel’s office;policy positions in local, state, and federalgovernment; or posts in academia. The concentrationis open to individuals who hold aU.S. or foreign law degree or who are pursuinga law degree at Harvard Law School(through the JD/MPH joint degree program). 

Occupational and environmental health This concentration focuses on workplaceand environmental hazards, the physiologicand biomechanical aspects of work, therisks posed by the interaction of geneticand environmental factors, and a practicalapproach to solving health problems in variouswork and community settings. The concentrationfeatures three areas of interest:occupational/environmental medicine,occupational health, and environmentalhealth.

The program is designed for physicians andother professionals who intend to practiceoccupational/environmental medicine or tohold responsible positions in occupationaland/or environmental policy and management.The occupational/environmentalmedicine area fulfills the first-year requirementsof the two-year Occupational andEnvironmental Medicine Residency. Thisarea is also intended for other physicianswho wish to satisfy the didactic requirementsof the American Board of PreventiveMedicine for certification in occupationaland environmental medicine. The requirementsfor the master of occupational health(MOH) degree are similar to those of theMPH in occupational medicine; physiciansmay elect either degree.

Quantitative methods In addition to astrong foundation in public health, the concentrationprovides students with the necessaryquantitative and analytic skills toapproach and solve problems in clinical andpublic health research and practice. Theconcentration emphasizes study design,data analysis, and the application of quantitativemethods. Major areas of interestinclude epidemiology, biostatistics, decisionsciences, demography, needs measurement,and program evaluation.

The program is geared toward health professionalsrequiring analytical and statisticalskills for successful public health practiceand research. It is designed for both midcareerhealth professionals and those in theearly stages of their careers. The programprepares graduates to take on leadershiproles in clinical and population-based healthresearch in government, health care institutions,and private industry. Many graduateshold positions in academic medicine.

Related Offerings

• Master of occupational health
• Occupational and environmental medicine residency
• Summer program in clinical effectiveness
• Summer session for public health studies

Contact information

For more information about the MPH programor the summer MPH in quantitativemethods or clinical effectiveness, pleasecontact: 

Roberta Gianfortoni
Assistant Dean for Professional Education
Office for Educational Programs
677 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: 617-432-0090
Fax: 617-432-3365
Email: roberta@hsph.harvard.edu
Web: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/mph