2020-2021 Samford University Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Graduate Public Health
|
|
Return to: School of Public Health
Go to Doctoral Public Health Programs | Go to Programs and Course Listings
Faculty
Melissa Galvin Lumpkin, Chair, Professor
Monique Ahinee Amamoo, Associate Professor; Director, Graduate Program
Rachel Casiday, Associate Professor; Director, Experiential Learning
Kimberly Davey, Associate Professor; Director, Undergraduate Program
Graduate Programs and Requirements
Degree/Major
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
Public Health (M.P.H.)
Public Health (M.P.H.) w/a Concentration in Community Public Health
Public Health (M.P.H.) w/a Concentration in Nutrition
Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Pathway Program
Fast-Track Master of Public Health (B.S./M.P.H.)
Joint Degree Pathway Program
Master of Public Health/Master of Social Work (M.P.H./M.S.W.)
The Department of Public Health offers the master of public health degree (M.P.H.) with two optional concentrations: community public health or nutrition. The department also offers a fast-track version that allows students to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in their selected major and an M.P.H. See the Samford University Undergraduate Catalog for more information.
The department also offers a joint degree pathway program in cooperation with the Department of Social Work, leading to both a master of public health (M.P.H.) and a master of social work (M.S.W.). Some credit sharing is allowed and overall credits of the combined programs are reduced.
Additionally, the department offers two coordinated degree options in cooperation with other Samford schools/departments: the master of public health/doctor of pharmacy (M.P.H./Pharm.D.) and the master of public health/dietetic internship (M.P.H./CRH). These degree combinations do not share credits.
The department now also offers a doctor of public health degree (DrPH). This 45-hour online degree is an interdisciplinary program drawing from all departments within the School of Public Health. Students will choose one of two concentrations: health management and policy or population health analytics and decision-making. For more information, see the Doctoral Department of Public Health section.
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
The master of public health (M.P.H.) degree program prepares students to become leading public health professionals capable of addressing current global health problems through multidisciplinary approaches that apply the latest scientific knowledge. The program is designed for health professionals who wish to expand their skills, knowledge, and expertise, and for students who wish to build a career in public health. The M.P.H. is online, which allows flexibility for working professionals and students concurrently enrolled in other programs at Samford. Two optional concentrations are available in community public health and nutrition.
Admission Requirements
- Possess a baccalaureate degree or higher from an accredited college or university (degree in any field).
- Obtain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale. If the applicant’s GPA is below a 3.00, a GRE or MAT score may be submitted for possible conditional admission (Minimum scores: Verbal: 153; Quantitative: 14; Analytical: 4.0).
- Achieve a “B” or better in all “major” courses.
- Submit three letters of reference through the application system. The three required references should be from a) current or previous professor, b) work supervisor, and c) professional colleague.
- International applicants or American citizens who learned English as a second language must score at least 550 (paper), 213 (computer) or 80 (internet) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
- Upon acceptance, a non-refundable fee of $500 is required to secure admission into the program. This fee is applied to the first semester’s tuition.
Academic Policies
Students in the M.P.H. program must maintain an overall 3.00 GPA in all graduate work. Graduate students who receive a grade below a B in any required course or who cumulative GPA falls below a 3.00 will be placed on academic probation.
Transfer Credit
Up to 12 semester credit hours of appropriate and approved graduate coursework completed at another accredited university may be substituted for program course requirements. Coursework requested to be transferred must have been completed with a grade of at least a B in each course.
M.P.H. Program Outcomes
Students who have completed the M.P.H. degree will be able to demonstrate broad knowledge and skills based in the core areas of public health and will be able to:
- Apply epidemiologic methods to the measurement of disease rates, prevention of infectious diseases, and the development and evaluation of health programs and policies.
- Apply statistical methods of estimation and hypothesis testing and explain the basics of correlation and regression for the purpose of analyzing the health of populations.
- Analyze how environmental contaminants (chemical, physical, and other exposures) interact with biological systems and their effect on human populations for the purpose of evaluating risk reduction strategies.
- Assess the impact on health policy options of social, political, technological, economic, and cultural forces, and apply basic management techniques to address organizational challenges to providing health care.
- Examine public health issues and responses from a social and behavioral sciences perspective and explain social, cultural, political, economic, and behavioral determinants of disparities in health status.
- Demonstrate knowledge and skills for effective practice in selected field of study.
Time Limit
All students must complete the M.P.H. within a period of five years from the academic session of first admission.
Joint Degree Pathway Program
Master of Public Health/Master of Social Work (M.P.H./M.S.W.)
The M.P.H./M.S.W. joint degree program, offered in collaboration between the Department of Public Health and the Department of Social Work, both within the School of Public Health, allows students to use credits from each department as part of the other department’s degree, thereby reducing the total number of hours for the two degrees combined. Because each program is able to accept courses from the other program to satisfy elective requirements, and because research and internship experiences are shared, time to degree completion is also shortened significantly.
ProgramsMasterCoursesPublic Health - Graduate
NOTE: See the Doctoral Public Health section or the MPH program tables for links to additional courses required for the master of public health.
Return to: School of Public Health
|