About

Do you want to make a difference in your community and beyond? Are you dedicated to improving public health?

ECU's master of public health program is rigorous and engaging. Public health consists of organized efforts to improve the health of communities. The operative components of this definition are that public health efforts are organized and directed to communities rather than to individuals. Public health practice relies on interdisciplinary training that bridges multiple areas of expertise to resolve population health questions. The definition of public health reflects its central goal—the reduction of disease and the improvement of health in the community.

The master of public health (MPH) program at East Carolina University expects each MPH graduate to possess a set of fundamental skills and knowledge for public health practice and research, as set forth by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPH). These skills and knowledge are referred to as competencies. Students must demonstrate competencies at three levels:

- Discipline-specific in five public health domains (core course work);
- Culminating experience: related to the professional paper and field practicum; and
- Concentration competencies

ECU Advantage

The mission of the Department of Public Health includes expanding a workforce that addresses contemporary public health challenges; teaching prevention and population health to medical students and resident physicians; engaging in community-based research with linkages throughout North Carolina; and developing leaders in long-term care planning and administration for the growing elderly population in North Carolina.

Students have an opportunity to collaborate with faculty and community leaders on a range of initiatives, including projects to improve the health status of minority and underserved populations through lowering risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. In addition, there are many opportunities for internships leading to promising public health careers.

What You Will Study

MPH Program Director: M. Bianca Hall (hallmarl14@ecu.edu)

Program Coordinators by Concentration:

The Master of Public Health (MPH) is offered through the Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine. Admissions is through the ECU Graduate School.

The MPH program offers concentrations in community health and health behavior; epidemiology; and health policy, administration, and leadership. Students complete 18 s.h. of required core curriculum. After completion of the core curriculum, requirements differ by concentration.

The degree requires a minimum of 42 s.h. as follows:

1. Core - 18 s.h.
  • BIOS 7021 - Biostatistics for Health Professionals I
  • MPH 6034 - Foundations of Rural Health
  • MPH 6041 - Principles of Epidemiology
  • MPH 6042 - Public Health Organization and Administration
  • MPH 6043 - Public Health Planning and Evaluation
  • MPH 6044 - Principles of Health Policy
  • MPH 6045 - Strategies for Public Health Communication
  • MPH 6046 - Environmental Public Health Principles
2. Applications - Integrative Learning Experience and Applied Practice Experience - 4 or 6 s.h.
  • Community Health and Health Behavior Concentration - 6 s.h.
  • Epidemiology Concentration - 4 s.h.
  • Health Policy, Administration, and Leadership Concentration - 6 s.h.
    Integrative Learning Experience
      a. Community Health and Health Behavior Concentration - 3 s.h.
      • MPH 6991 - Integrative Learning Experience Proposal
      • MPH 6992 - Integrative Learning Experience Implementation
      b. Epidemiology Concentration - 2 s.h.
      • MPH 6993 - Combined Integrative Learning Experience
      c. Health Policy, Administration, and Leadership Concentration - 3 s.h.
      • MPH 6991 - Integrative Learning Experience Proposal
      • MPH 6992 - Integrative Learning Experience Implementation
    Applied Practice Experience
      a. Community Health and Health Behavior Concentration - 3 s.h.
      • MPH 6904 - Introduction to Applied Practice Experience
      • MPH 6906 - Applied Practice Experience for Community Health and Health Behavior
      b. Epidemiology Concentration - 2 s.h.
      • MPH 6907 - Applied Practice Experience for Epidemiology
      c. Health Policy, Administration, and Leadership Concentration - 3 s.h.
      • MPH 6904 - Introduction to Applied Practice Experience
      • MPH 6905 - Applied Practice Experience for Health Policy, Administration, and Leadership
3. Concentrations and Electives - 18 or 20 s.h.
    a. Community Health and Health Behavior Concentration - 18 s.h.
    • MPH 6027 - Mixed-Methods Research
    • MPH 6500 - Quality Improvement in Public Health
    • MPH 6501 - Grant Writing in Public Health
    • MPH 6502 - Public Health Project Management
    • MPH 6750 - Advanced Public Health Planning, Implementation and Evaluation
    • Select 9 s.h. of 6000 level or higher courses in consultation with MPH academic advisor.
    • Select 9 s.h. of 6000 level or higher courses in consultation with MPH academic advisor.
    • Possible Electives: MPH 6620 - Community Nutrition, MPH 6670 - Public Health Perspectives on Maternal and Child Health 
    b. Epidemiology Concentration - 20 s.h.
    • MPH 6021 - Epidemiology of Chronic Disease OR
    • MPH 6022 - Epidemiology of Infectious Disease

    • MPH 6702 - Epidemiologic Research Process
    • MPH 7100 - Methods in Analytic Epidemiology

    • MPH 7150 - Introduction to Clinical Research OR
    • MPH 7200 - Fundamentals of Public Health Surveillance

    • MPH 7201 - Introduction to Survey Methodology
    • MPH 7202 - Introduction to Public Health Data Analysis
    • Select a 3 s.h. 6000 level or higher course in consultation with MPH academic advisor.
    c. Health Policy, Administration, and Leadership - 18 s.h.
    • MPH 6020 - Research Methods
    • MPH 6700 - Health Economics
    • MPH 6800 - Health Policy and Politics
    • MPH 6810 - Strategic and Financial Management of Healthcare Organizations
    • MPH 7010 - Human Resource Management and Leadership for Health Administration
    • Select a 3 s.h. 6000 level or higher course in consultation with MPH academic advisor.

    • Possible Electives: MPH 6620 - Community Nutrition, MPH 6670 - Public Health Perspectives on Materna
    • Select a 3 s.h. 6000 level or higher course in consultation with MPH academic advisor. 
For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
Request Revision