Public Health, M.P.H.

Faculty

• Katherine Isselmann DiSantis, Ph.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor and Department Chair/MPH Director
• Dejenaba Gordon, M.P.H., Instructor, MPH Internship Coordinator
• Margaret Longacre, PhD., M.S.H.E., Assistant Professor
• Heather deVries McClintock, Ph.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor
• Comfort Olorunsaiye, PhD, M.P.H., Assistant Professor
• Suzanne Redington, M.P.H., Dr.PH, Assistant Professor

Adjunct Faculty

• Brandon Becker, PhD, M.P.H., Epidemiology, Biostatistics
• Sarah McCool, M.P.H., Global Health and Diversity, Maternal and Child Health, Human Sexuality
• Natasha Patterson, M.P.H., Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Arteid Memaj, M.S.
• Gregory Benjamin, Ph.D., M.P.H.
• Lindsay McGann, M.P.H
• Kourtney Pulliam, M.P.H
• Mary Alice DiFilippo, MSHE
• Lidyvez Sawyer, M.P.H
• Janay Hawthorne, M.P.H
• Alexis Mraz, PhD, M.S
• Paul Turcotte, M.P.H., Epidemiology

About the Program

Community Health Concentration Competencies

Program Planning Skills/Policy Development

• Preparation for community public health professions
• Capstone projects that integrate practice and research
• Internships that gives students firsthand experience working in public health settings
• Domestic and international service projects and internships
• Option to incorporate more of an international focus in the degree with specific course selections and an international or global focus for the internship and Capstone project
• Four dual-degree programs: Physician Assistant; International Peace and Conflict Resolution; Physical Therapy; and Counseling

The M.P.H. degree is an entry-level graduate degree into the field of public health. The Master of Public Health in Community Health with a global perspective trains graduates to work effectively as public health professionals in a wide variety of health-related organizations.

The Master of Public Health degree provides training in the discipline of public health, which focuses on the health needs of communities and populations domestically and internationally. The core curriculum includes epidemiology, biostatistics, social and behavioral sciences, environmental health, health care policy and administration, and inter-professional training opportunities while the community health concentration supplements the core with courses that focus on the development, implementation and evaluation of public health programs. A required Internship and Capstone project prepares graduates to enter the field of Public Health as program planners, researchers, evaluators, and educators. The focus of the degree affords the student the opportunity to develop a general skill set that enables him or her to work in a variety of settings.

 The program trains students as public health professionals with an emphasis on community health. Students are encouraged to focus their coursework on a specific area of interest, choose an Internship experience that emphasizes their individualized interests, and plan a Capstone project focused in the same area. In this way, each student can develop a specialized knowledge base about public health issues related to his or her specific area of interest.

The dual-degree programs train health professionals in the core areas of community-based public health. The application of the public health skill set added to the skills learned within the clinical and behavioral primary degree instills a public health perspective into the classes taken in their primary areas of study.

The Master of Public Health program educates community public health professionals to promote the health of individuals, families, communities, and the environment. This is accomplished through a program that integrates education, research and practice in a global environment. The goals of the Public Health program are the following:

• Educate community public health professionals and develop the skills needed to promote health within communities.
• Provide an academic environment that integrates community public health education with research and practice.
• Enhance the understanding of the connection between health status and human rights.
• Translate knowledge into practice through collaborative service projects and internships, both domestically and internationally with community-based organizations, health facilities, government organizations, and local health departments.
• Employ scientific investigation to advance public health knowledge of the relationship between health and the structural environment within which individuals live and work.

The Public Health degree is offered through the College of Health Sciences.

Accreditation

Arcadia University’s M.P.H. program is an accredited public health program.  Accreditation was granted by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in June 2018.

Certification

Students are eligible to sit for the National Credentialing Exam in Public Health (CPH) after completing 21 credits in the MPH Program or after they complete the degree  and the National Certification for Health Education Specialists (CHES) exam administered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.

Admission Requirements

The following program-specific requirements must be met:

• A completed graduate application including personal statements, to be completed online at SOPHAS.org.
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a recommended GPA of 3.0 or better in the major course of study.
• Include one  official transcript from each college, university or professional school attended in your SOPHAS application Transfer credits included on a transcript must include grades earned; if not, an official transcript from the original school must be submitted. Transcripts must be sent from the issuing school in a sealed envelope and contain the appropriate signatures and seals to be considered official.  Do not send transcripts directly to Arcadia.
• Three letters of recommendation, at least one from a professor (if a recent graduate) and one from a health professional.
• Test scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) taken within the last five years. Test scores are not required for students with an earned graduate degree in a related field.
• Knowledge of the profession through work or volunteer experience.
• International applicants should visit www.arcadia.edu/international for detailed information on admission requirements and application procedures. TOEFL/IELTS results are required for all students for whom English is a second language or who have not earned degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English-speaking countries (e.g. the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand). A course-by-course evaluation of all transcripts by an independent evaluation service based in the United States is required.

Application Deadline

All students seeking admission to the M.P.H. program must apply through the centralized application system (www.sophas.org).  Applicants are required to complete all components of their application including essays, by the deadline April 15 as all students must enroll in late May. 

Course Schedule

Course schedules are posted on Self-Service 3-5 months prior to the semester starting (e.g. posted in early November for courses starting in January).  Students will likely only have one section to select from and thus must adjust work schedules to allow for enrollment in courses.  Courses will start as earlier as 3PM and are offered on Monday through Thursday.

Expenses

Note: Dual degree program expenses are listed under the specific programs.

2019-20 Tuition: $765 per credit

Fees:

• Registration: $50 per semester
• Technology: $100 per semester
• Parking: $55 per semester or $100 per year (Fall and Spring) before 4 p.m. No charge after 4 p.m.

Financial Aid

Graduate students who have been accepted into a degree program and are enrolled for at least 6 credits per semester are eligible to apply for financial aid. Please visit www.arcadia.edu/finaid for information regarding available aid options and visit www.arcadia.edu/gradfinaidapply to complete required forms online.

Graduate Assistantships/Graduate Student Employment

Graduate Assistantships/Graduate Student Employment may be available to graduate students registered for at least 9 credits per semester. Students may apply for assistantships/graduate student employment upon acceptance and registration. Questions regarding graduate assistantships should be directed to the Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies at 215-572-2925.

Federal Loans

Graduate students are eligible to borrow through the Federal Direct Stafford Loan and Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan programs provided they are taking at least 6 credits per semester (in the summer, 6 credits over all summer sessions combined satisfies this requirement). For more information, visit www.arcadia.edu/finaid.

Degree Requirements (42 credits)