Master of Public Health

MPH Degree: Empower Others to Live Healthier

If you’ve been considering a degree in health care, West Chester University’s Master of Public Health (MPH) can help. While many health professionals focus on treating individual patients, careers in public health focus on keeping entire populations healthy.

Work in public health ranges from identifying diseases and reducing gun violence to fighting disparities in health care access and helping refugees integrate into communities.

The MPH at WCU is interdisciplinary and includes research, coursework, and a hands-on practicum. As a student, you’ll search for innovative solutions that improve health outcomes, life expectancy, and ultimately, quality of life.

WCU’s 46-credit MPH program will prepare you as an advocate for health as a human right through three concentrations:

Community Health
Environmental Health
Health Care Management

The concentrations in community health and environmental health are face-to-face programs, while our concentration in health care management is 100% online. GRE testing is not required, so you can apply as soon as you’re ready.

All focus areas include a 200-hour practicum experience to allow you to apply your knowledge and advance your skills. An MPH from WCU will give you a solid foundation for a rewarding career in public health.

Tracks in the Public Health Master's Program

Community Health Concentration

The community health concentration will train you for a career as a health educator, manager, leader, or researcher. You’ll build the skills necessary to conduct needs assessments, identify strategies for addressing unmet needs, design interventions for diverse communities, and clearly and effectively communicate health information to different target audiences.

Environmental Health Concentration

WCU’s environmental health concentration will prepare you to protect both humans and the environment by embracing sustainability through cooperation with nature and properly managing natural resources. You’ll gain the technical and professional skills to improve the quality of air, water, soil, and food by using technology to measure and control pollutants.

Health Care Management Concentration

Our fully online concentration in health care management will prepare you to succeed in highly regulated environments within health care organizations. Health care managers are crucial to the effective and efficient delivery of health services and programs and to ensuring an equitable public health system.

MPH Undergraduate Fast-Track Program

Start your graduate work as an undergraduate and earn your bachelor’s degree and your master’s in public health in five years instead of six.

Benefits of Earning Your MPH Degree at West Chester University

Small Class Sizes and Personalized Attention

Personalized attention is a hallmark of graduate work at WCU. Whether you pursue your MPH in-person or online, you’ll have small classes, faculty experts, and engaging conversations with your classmates.

Opportunities to Participate in Faculty Research Projects

WCU’s faculty experts are also practitioners who are immersed in the community. Each professor has their own broad range of experience and interests, giving you the opportunity to pursue your passion through research.

Post-MPH Degree Fellowships and Internships

As a graduate of WCU’s Master of Public Health program, you’ll be eligible for a variety of hands-on experiences that further your career. Organizations where our students have secured internships and fellowships include the Centers for Disease Control, the Rothman Opioid Foundation, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health

West Chester University’s MPH program is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). CEPH, established by the American Public Health Association (APHA), evaluates schools and programs of public health to ensure their quality.

What Can You Do With a Master’s in Public Health?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 16% growth for health-related occupations through 2030, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

A career in public health helps to ensure equity and contributes to advances in overall health care delivery through positions such as:

Health/nutrition educator—Assess community needs, provide information about healthy habits, and encourage wellness practices.
Social and community service manager—Design programs and manage projects that support public well-being.
Biostatistician—Apply research data to help answer pivotal questions that impact public health. For example, the expected life span of a person with a specific disease.
Clinical trials scientist—Conduct clinical research for a variety of applications, like the potential side effects and efficacy of a new drug.
Hospital administrator—Hire staff, oversee funding, and spearhead organizational policies that lead to efficient delivery of quality care.
Occupational health and safety manager—Coordinate a systemic approach to managing health and safety risks for workers.

Where are our graduates?

What Will You Study as a MPH Degree Student?

As a student in West Chester University’s MPH program, you’ll be taught as a practitioner by practitioners. You'll develop integral skills and apply knowledge across disciplines to promote and protect the health of entire communities through a variety of courses.

Working one-on-one with an advisor, you’ll select your focused concentration in our public health program. Each track is designed to provide you with cohesive, comprehensive knowledge of key areas. You’ll also participate in applied learning experiences to give you the hands-on practical opportunities you need to excel in any career in public health.