Master of Public Health
Earn your Master of Public Health from the George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health — ranked the No. 11 best public health graduate school by U.S. News & World Report.
Our MPH program is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The program is designed to empower aspiring public health leaders to make a difference in local, national and global communities. The MPH program requires the completion of 45 credits. Coursework can generally be completed in 2.5 years as a full-time student or 4 years as a part-time student, though we offer flexible pathways to degree completion.
As an MPH student, you’ll:
- Establish connections with influential public health movers and shakers who are on the front lines of policy and advocacy in D.C.
- Learn to respond to the growing needs of your community, and society at large, through analytical research and in-person practicums at well-established health organizations.
- Gain unique perspectives from fellow students who are diverse, intelligent and dedicated professionals from a variety of backgrounds.
- Design your curriculum to reflect your specific public health interests and aspirations.
For students looking for a more flexible experience, we also offer an Online MPH program.
The following requirements must be fulfilled: 45 credits, including 17 credits in core courses, 10 credits in program-specific courses, 16 credits in elective courses, and a 2-credit culminating experience.
Course descriptions are available in the GW Bulletin.
- Core Courses
PUBH 6000 | MPH Applied Practice Experience (0 credits)
PUBH 6002 | Biostatistical Applications for Public Health (3 credits)
PUBH 6003 | Principles & Practice of Epidemiology (3 credits)
PUBH 6007 | Social & Behavioral Approaches to Public Health (2 credits)
PUBH 6011 | Environmental & Biological Foundations of Public Health (3 credits)
PUBH 6012 | Fundamentals of Health Policy (2 credits)
PUBH 6021 | Essentials of Public Health Practice & Leadership 1 (1 credit)
PUBH 6022 | Essentials of Public Health Practice & Leadership 2 (1 credit)
PUBH 6023 | Interprofessional Education Experience (IPE) (0 credits)
PUBH 6418 | Global Health Culminating Experience I (1 credit)
PUBH 6419 | Global Health Culminating Experience II (1 credit)CORE TOTAL: 17 CREDITS
- Program-Specific Courses
PUBH 6052 | Practical Data Management & Analysis for Public Health (2 credits)
PUBH 6442 | Comparative Global Health Systems (2 credits)
PUBH 6500 | Planning & Implementing Health Promotion Programs (3 credits)
PUBH 6503 | Introduction to Public Health Communication & Marketing (3 credits)PROGRAM-SPECIFIC COURSES TOTAL: 10 CREDITS
- Electives
Students take 16 credits of any SPH (PUBH, HSML, EXNS) graduate level course (6000 level or higher).
ELECTIVE TOTAL: 16 CREDITS
- Non-Academic Requirements
Professional Enhancement
Students in degree programs must participate in eight hours of Professional Enhancement. These activities may be Public Health-related lectures, seminars, or symposia related to your field of study.
Professional Enhancement activities supplement the rigorous academic curriculum of the SPH degree programs and help prepare students to participate actively in the professional community. You can learn more about opportunities for Professional Enhancement via the Milken Institute School of Public Health Listserv, through departmental communications, or by speaking with your advisor.
Students must submit a completed Professional Enhancement Form to the student records office.
Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Training
All students are required to complete the Basic CITI training module in Social and Behavioral Research prior to beginning the practicum. This online training module for Social and Behavioral Researchers will help new students demonstrate and maintain sufficient knowledge of the ethical principles and regulatory requirements for protecting human subjects - key for any public health research.
Academic Integrity Quiz
All Milken Institute School of Public Health students are required to review the University’s Code of Academic Integrity and complete the GW Academic Integrity Activity. This activity must be completed within 2 weeks of matriculation. Information on GWSPH Academic Integrity requirements can be found here.
- Past Program Guides
Students in the MPH in Public Health Generalist should refer to the guide from the year in which they matriculated into the program. For the current program guide, click the "PROGRAM GUIDE" button at the top of the page.
Students in the MPH in Public Health Generalist gain practical skills and knowledge through their practice experiences. It is important for MPH graduates to feel confident in their skills and gain real-world experience during their studies. Students in the MPH in Public Health Generalist complete both an Applied Practice Experience (practicum) and a Culminating Experience to practice their knowledge and skills in real-world settings.
Applied Practice Experience (APEx)
Students can choose to complete their practicum in your their community or study abroad. GW offers its established partnerships with more than 700 affiliated preceptors to help student achieve the perfect fit.
Examples of practicum settings include:
- Federal and state health agencies
- Health care start-ups
- Health service delivery organizations
- International development organizations
- Nonprofits
- Policy institutes
- Think tanks
- Volunteer health agencies
Students work with their advisor to determine the best practice experience.
Culminating Experience
The Culminating Experience (CE) is a credit/no-credit course in which students complete a capstone project that reflects an aspect of professional practice. It is through this CE that the faculty evaluate the extent to which the student has mastered the body of knowledge and can demonstrate proficiency in the required competencies. Students in the Public Health Generalist program may choose from several options for their CE project, all under the guidance of expert faculty.
Students pursuing an MPH in Public Health Generalist have access to a world-class faculty with relevant expertise and diverse experience in research, governmental, clinical, and educational settings. As a school-wide program, the MPH in Public Health Generalist relies on faculty from every department at the school.
Check out our faculty here.
Bringing together the fields of medicine, business and education, a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree can open the door to a breadth of career path options in many segments of the health care industry.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a growing demand for skilled health care professionals. Employment of health care occupations is projected to grow 14% from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations, adding about 1.9 million new jobs. An MPH from GW prepares graduates to meet this growing demand.
Potential job titles include:
- Health Care Policy Analyst
- Community Outreach Program Manager
- Project Manager
- Program Planner and Evaluator
- Infection and Injury Prevention Specialist
- Environmental Health Officer