Summary
The Master of Public Health in Epidemiology (MPH-EPI) degree program is designed to prepare you for new levels of leadership in your career while fitting around your busy schedule. Individuals in the MPH-EPI program specialize in advanced quantitative methods and applications for clinical and population health research, policy, and programs.
Launched in 2015, the MPH-EPI program is a part-time, two-year, hybrid degree combining rigorous online, in-person, and in-the-field training. The MPH-EPI degree is ideal for global professionals interested in focusing heavily on data and population-based research.
Details
- Abbreviation: MPH-EPI
- Degree format: A combination of online and on campus
- Time commitment: Part-time
- Average program length: 2 years part-time
- Timeline: Students complete 3 mandatory weeks on campus each June, followed by online asynchronous classes July through May
- Weekly expectations: An average of 10–12 hours of coursework per week for online courses
- Estimated cohort size: 40–60 students
- Start term: Summer
Highlights
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- The MPH degree is the most widely recognized professional credential for leadership in public health.
- During the intensive, on-campus June sessions, the cohort model establishes a tight-knit community and builds the foundation for collaborative learning throughout the rest of the program.
- From July through May, asynchronous virtual courses and weekly assignments allow international and domestic students to learn at their own pace in a variety of time zones all over the world. Complemented with optional synchronous sessions, students are encouraged to learn from each other’s real-time work experiences and apply concepts throughout their courses.
- Under a combination of group and individualized mentorship by Harvard faculty members, each student designs and implements a research-based practicum proposal to gain field-based learning. The practicum provides students with the opportunity to apply their skills, address a health-related issue of interest, and showcase what they learned to the Harvard community at the on-campus symposium.
Career outcomes
Graduates of the MPH-EPI program will receive the advanced research and epidemiological skills needed to pursue senior positions in the following industries:
- Academic medicine
- Biotech/pharma
- Consulting
- Government
- Health care management
- Hospital/health care delivery
- Non-profit/Non-government organizations
- Other/for-profit
- Public health agencies
- Private practice
- Private sector institutions
- University/research
Many MPH-EPI graduates return to their roles as physicians with newly acquired knowledge in conducting research. Others use their MPH-EPI degree to pivot toward leadership roles in health organizations. Those interested in research occasionally move toward Principal Investigator (PI) positions in the public or private sectors.
Resources and community
Students in the MPH-EPI program are supported by the Harvard Chan School staff from day one of the application process through graduation. Throughout the program and practicum process, students are closely connected with faculty, administrative staff, and academic advisors to meet their educational and professional goals.
All Harvard Chan students have access to the Office of Career and Professional Development, other Harvard Chan faculty who may serve as professional mentors, and the extended Harvard Alumni Network.
Admission information
Eligibility requirements
Eligible applicants for the MPH-EPI must meet one of the following criteria:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree plus five or more years of relevant health experience.
- Hold a master’s degree in a health-related field—for example, MSN, MSW, MBA (the strongest applicants will have at least two years of relevant work experience following completion of the degree).
- A prior doctoral degree—for example, MD, DO, DMD, DDS, PhD, SD, JD—or equivalent.
Current medical and dental students are not eligible for the MPH-EPI program.
Application requirements
All applications must be submitted through SOPHAS – the centralized application for schools and programs of public health. In addition to the application, applicants must submit:
Application deadline
December 1
Applicants may apply to only one degree program for either full- or part-time status. Applications are reviewed in their entirety and decisions are released via email in late February/early March. Decisions are not released until all application components are received.