Public Health (M.P.H.)
Our community engagement and small classes prepare ESU M.P.H. graduates to take on community health challenges.
The Master of Public Health (MPH) in Community Health graduate program at ESU is an accredited 42-credit program that mixes classroom experiences with service learning and capstone experiences in practice and research that together enable graduates to address complex population health needs.
All About Public Health at ESU
What do students learn to do?
Our students learn to:
- Develop a strong foundation in epidemiology, biostatistics, and program evaluation.
- Be able to bring community partners together to address complex population health needs.
- Lead communities to better health in culturally sensitive ways.
- Be able to identify and address root causes of disease, not merely the most pressing external symptom of the present condition.
In-Person and Online Options
Traditional in-person courses are supplemented by hybrid and online course offerings to enhance flexibility in scheduling. Three approaches to MPH completion at ESU are listed below. Completion of each track is possible without ever needing to be on campus more than two days per week.
- A 12-month accelerated degree completion track is for highly qualified and motivated students. Begin with two online courses just before joining us on campus, take ~14 credits per term in the fall and spring semesters, wrap up your capstone experiences in May and June and have your degree before the year is out!
- Traditional full-time students (9-credits per term) can complete the program in two academic years.
- Part-time degree completion is also available.
Career Opportunities
Successful ESU graduates build rewarding careers as epidemiologists, program administrators, program evaluators, and prevention coordinators at state and local health departments; local, state, federal government agencies; hospital systems; health-related non-profit organizations.
Public health practitioners address specific health conditions including:
- Reproductive and sexual health
- Tobacco, alcohol, and other drug abuse
- Physical activity and sedentary behavior
- Poor nutrition
- Cancer control and prevention
- Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic diseases
- HIV, influenza, zika, and other infectious diseases
- Lead poisoning, asthma, and other environmentally-driven health conditions
- School health needs and community violence prevention
Internships and Research Opportunities
All MPH students complete a six-credit applied practice internship with one of our community partners in which they lead work on a defined public health project. Students have also worked with our non-profit partners (United Way, Street to Feet, PVEN Food Pantry), hospitals (LVHN, SLUHN), and local health departments in PA and NJ.
Additionally, service learning is included within required MPH courses. For example, every spring students in Applied Practice Seminar serve as grant reviewers for the Pocono Mountains United Way, gaining insight into non-profit administration and improving their grant writing capacity.
All MPH students complete an independent research capstone, the integrated learning experience, in which they partner with a faculty member to begin addressing an issue of importance in our community. Public Health Research Day provides students with the opportunity to present their work and their findings. It is held at the end of every semester and is open to the public. Other research opportunities include being hired by The Institute for Public Health Research & Innovation to collaborate on research projects funded by the CDC and PA Department of Health.
Professional Licensure Disclosures and Distance Learning State Authorization: Applicants who are applying to programs that may lead to licensure in states other than Pennsylvania must be aware of the various state professional licensure requirements. Please see ESU's professional licensure disclosures, Evaluation of Conduct Record, and check licensure requirements by occupation and state at CareerOneStop.
Contact Us
Contact Information
- Campus Address
- DeNike Center for Human Services
- Phone:
- (570) 422-3702
- Fax:
- (570) 422-3848 (Fax)
- Title of Department Leader
- Department Chair Health Studies
- Name
- Kim Razzano
- E:
- krazzano@esu.edu
- Phone:
- (570) 422-3693
