Chronic Disease Prevention - MPH
The Chronic Disease Prevention program launches in Spring 2027.
The mission of the GW Master of Public Health (MPH) Chronic Disease Prevention program is to train graduate students to integrate principles of the biological, behavioral, social, exercise, and nutrition sciences into the core of public health practice to address biological, environmental, commercial, and social drivers of chronic disease. This program is designed to train students both as public health scientists and practitioners who are well-versed in program development and evaluation to advance behavioral and policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies for chronic disease prevention and management across the life-course.
Our program is designed for students who are committed to improving public health. Students will have achieved the following core competencies in Chronic Disease Prevention practice at the completion of the degree program:
- Access and interpret U.S. and global surveillance data pertaining to chronic disease trends.
- Examine the joint contributions of genetic, lifestyle, social, commercial and environmental factors to chronic disease etiology.
- Examine sociodemographic drivers contributing to disparities in chronic disease occurrence.
- Apply statistical and epidemiological methods to develop and test hypotheses pertaining to the independent and combined roles of nutrition and physical activity in the etiology of chronic diseases.
- Synthesize and evaluate scientific research related to the role of nutrition and physical activity in chronic disease prevention and management.
- Design and evaluate community-based behavioral and PSE strategies for chronic disease prevention across the life-course.
Flexible Programming
To help students fit graduate school into their daily life, the Milken Institute SPH provides flexible course offerings, which allows Chronic Disease Prevention students to take up to 15 credits online.
Program Directors: Loretta DiPietro and Karina Lora
EXNS Advisor: Michelle Stevens
Additional School Advising Info
- MPH Core Requirements
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 6009 | Fundamentals of Public Health Program Evaluation (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 Leadership & Practice 1 (1 credit)
PUBH 6022 | Essentials of Public Health Leadership & Practice 2 (1 credit)
PUBH 6023 | Interprofessional Education Experience (IPE) (0 credits)
PUBH 6015 | Culminating Experience (2 credits)CORE TOTAL: 19 CREDITS
- Program-Specific Requirements
EXNS 6204 | Biostatistical Methods and Research Design (3 credits)
EXNS 6208 | Physical Activity in Public Health (2 credits)
PUBH 6237 | Chronic Disease Epidemiology (2 credits)
PUBH 6514 | Preventing Health Disparities (2 credits)
PUBH 6619 | Fundamentals of Nutrition Science (3 credits)
PUBH 6620 | Design of Health Communities (2 credits)
PUBH 6630 | Physical Activity and Nutritional Drivers of Cardiometabolic Disease (2 credits)
PUBH 6631 | Experiential Outreach in Community Chronic Disease Prevention (2 credits)PROGRAM-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS TOTAL: 18 CREDITS
- Electives
8 credits from any GW graduate (6000 or higher) level course.
A list of suggested courses can be found in the program guide.ELECTIVES TOTAL: 8 CREDITS
- Non-Academic Requirements
Professional Enhancement
Students in Milken Institute SPH 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 department.
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.
Students in the GW MPH programs gain practical skills and knowledge through their Applied Practice Experiences (practicum). It is important for MPH in Chronic Disease Prevention graduates to feel confident in their skills and gain real-world experience during their studies. Students in the Chronic Disease Prevention program complete both an Applied Practice Experience and a Culminating Experience to practice their knowledge and skills in real-world settings.
Applied Practice Experience
In the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, the Practicum is designed to engage students in an Applied Practice Experience (APEx)—a planned, supervised, and evaluated experience in a public health organization. The APEx can be related to either primary research public health practice. It might include activities such as conducting literature reviews, writing proposals, designing ad campaigns, and collecting and analyzing data.
The APEx for the MPH in Chronic Disease Prevention may not be directly related to the student's day-to-day work. This is to ensure that students learn and apply new skills in the context of public health. If the student does conduct the practicum at their place of employment, it must be work for which the student is not remunerated (separate and distinct from the student’s regular work responsibilities). Students interested in completing their practicum requirement at their current place of employment should speak with their advisor.
Our MPH students have worked at more than 50 sites in the U.S. and abroad. Students have completed their Practicum experiences in DC, Maryland, and Virginia at:
Federal/State/District Government Agencies
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
- USDA SNAP
- USDA Farmer Market
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- DC Department of Health – Nutrition and Physical Fitness Bureau
- DC Department of Health – Department of Aging and Community Living
- DC Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services - Age Friendly DC
- DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education
- Fairfax County Public Schools
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Food Access Organizations
- Brighter Bites (includes focus on families)
- Capital Area Food Bank
- DC Greens (includes focus on chronic illness)
- DC Central Kitchen
- FRESHFARM
- Johns Hopkins SPH Center for a Livable Future
- Mary’s Center – Senior Nutrition
- Food and Friends
Food Policy & Advocacy Organizations
- Center for Science in the Public Interest
- DC Hunger Solutions
- DC Food Policy Council
- Food Research and Action Coalition
- Share Our Strength
Food Sustainability
Nutrition Education & Advocacy
Culminating Experience
The Culminating Experience (CE) is a credit/no-credit course that integrates the knowledge and skills students acquire through their academic work and the APEx. Students complete a capstone project that reflects an aspect of professional practice. The CE requires students to identify and define a specific public health issue and formulate hypotheses to address that issue. It is through this course 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 Chronic Disease Prevention program may choose from several options for their CE project, including but not limited to, collecting and analyzing primary data or analyzing secondary data, conducting a systematic review of the literature, developing a white paper on a policy issue, or developing, implementing, and evaluating a program/project designed to address a chronic disease prevention-related practice issue. The CE culminates in a written report or manuscript and an oral presentation.
Students pursuing an MPH in Chronic Disease Prevention have access to a world-class faculty with relevant expertise and diverse experience in research, governmental, clinical, and educational settings. The many areas of interest and research experience for professors and lecturers in the Chronic Disease Prevention program include pathophysiology, chronic disease prevention, nutrition assessment, research methods, design theory, and policy advocacy.
We’re pleased to introduce you to these MPH faculty members:
Public health practitioners with specialized training in chronic disease prevention are employed in a variety of settings at the local, state, national, and international levels. Graduates are in high demand at governmental organizations, private health agencies and foundations, non-profit research centers, and educational institutions. Graduates find careers in teaching, research, and consulting. They also work for non-governmental agencies, foundations, and advocacy groups providing chronic disease prevention expertise. In the private sector, practitioners work in corporate wellness programs, healthcare organizations, food banks, and other health-related community organizations.
- Example Job List for Graduates
State and Local Agencies
- SNAP-Ed Educator or Director
- WIC Nutritionist or Director
- Extension Specialist, Educator
- Farm-to-school Coordinator
- Food Policy Director
- Built Environment Auditor
- Health Educator
- Physical Activity Program Coordinator or Evaluator
- Community Outreach Coordinator or Director
Federal Public Health Agencies
(such as USDA, FDA, CDC, NIH, HHS, USAID)- Epidemiologist
- Analyst
- Educator or Communication Specialist
- Specialist
International Public Health Agencies
- Epidemiologist (World Health Organization)
- Population Health Officer (USAID)
- Nutrition Officer (UN Food and Agriculture Organization)
Non-Government Agency
- Program Manager
Charitable Organizations
- Technical Advisor
- Director of Food or Nutrition Related Programs
Non-profit Organizations
- Program Officer or Director
- Project Manager
- Policy Analyst or Director
Health Care Industry
- Health Improvement Project Manager
- Worksite Wellness Director
Food Industry
- Food Labeling Specialist
Academia / Research
- Study Coordinator
- Research Assistant
Independent Entrepreneur
- Consultant
- Journalist or Author
- Analyst
- Example Organizations List for Graduates
International Organizations
- World Health Organization
- United Nations
- Pan American Health Organization
- Peace Corps
- World Vision
- International Food Research and Policy Institute (IFPRI)
Federal Agencies and State / Local Government
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- National Institutes for Health (NIH)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
- U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
- State and Local Departments of Health
- State Departments of Agriculture
Non-Profit Organizations
- DC Greens
- DC Central Kitchen
- Partnership for a Healthier America
- Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
- DC Hunger Solutions
- Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)
- Local Food Banks
- Environmental Working Group
- Food and Water Watch
- World Resources Institute
- National Resources Defense Council
- Winrock International
Consulting Groups
- Altarum Institute
- Abt Associates
- Mathematica Policy Research
- Center for Budget and Policy Priorities
- Urban Institute
- Bipartisan Policy Center