The Master of Public Health (MPH) is a multi-disciplinary professional degree program for graduate level practical training. It provides grounding in foundational public health knowledge and core competencies, as well as depth of training in concentration areas of specialized public health practice. The MPH with a concentration in Epidemiology focuses on the distributions and determinants of disease (or health-related outcomes) among populations and the methods employed to describe them. Students leave the MPH in Epidemiology program with the ability to understand and develop evidence-based public health research, policy, and practice.
The MPH in Epidemiology prepares students to:
- Select epidemiologic methods that are appropriate to address epidemiologic content areas.
- Analyze strengths and limitations of study designs for providing evidence for causal associations.
- Apply appropriate advanced data analysis and management techniques to analyze epidemiologic data.
- Assess and compare different reporting formats to communicate epidemiologic data to a variety of audiences.
- Explain the role of epidemiology in developing, implementing, and evaluating health policy.
The program has several major academic components:
- The introductory Integrated MPH Core classes, along with students of all MPH concentrations, for exposure to foundational principles and methods in public health practice.
- Required and elective concentration coursework in epidemiology theory and methods.
- The potential for additional public health related elective course work.
Though the MPH is a non-thesis degree program, it includes culminating experiences:
- A practicum that provides an applied practical experience with a field-based preceptor, for students to demonstrate overall public health and concentration focused problem-solving skills.
- A capstone integrative learning experience for students to bring together and apply foundational and concentration competencies, including production of a high-quality written professional product.
Effective public health professionals must work across multiple disciplines and systems to address population health problems. All MPH students are expected to participate in an interprofessional team practical activity during their degree programs. See the IPE Learning Opportunities at the Texas A&M Health Office of Interprofessional Education and Research.
An individual with a baccalaureate degree or a physician licensed to practice medicine in the United States may apply for admission to the program. No coursework prerequisites exist for making a successful application to this degree program.
For more details on the degree program see Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
This program is also approved for delivery via asynchronous distance education technology.