George Washington University MPH Program: A Comprehensive Overview

The George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health (GW Milken Institute SPH) offers a comprehensive online Master of Public Health (MPH) program designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become leaders in the public health field. GW Milken Institute SPH’s mission is to protect, improve and optimize the health of people on local, national and global levels. Ranked among the top public health schools, the program provides a flexible and customizable curriculum, allowing students to tailor their degrees to their specific career aspirations. The George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health connects you with the epicenter of health policy.

Program Structure and Curriculum

The online MPH program comprises 45 credits, an Interprofessional Education (IPE) Experience, and a 120-hour applied practicum experience (APEx). The program ends with a culminating experience. Students have numerous electives through which to tailor their degrees to their aspirations. The curriculum is designed to provide a strong foundation in core public health principles while allowing for specialization in areas of particular interest.

Core Components

Credits: The program requires the completion of 45 graduate credits.
Interprofessional Education Experience (IPE): Students are required to enroll and participate in an authorized IPE activity (PUBH 6023 Interprofessional Education Experience).
Applied Practicum Experience (APEx): A 120-hour applied practicum experience (APEx) is a mandatory component of the program. Upon completion of the 120 hour required Practicum, students will receive credit for PUBH 6022. In PUBH 6021 and PUBH 6022, the Applied Practice Experience (Practicum) will be introduced and guidelines and tools for fulfilling this requirement will be provided. Students are required to fulfill all requirements of the Applied Practice Experience (Practicum) to receive credit for PUBH 6000 MPH Applied Practice Experience.

Core Courses

The MPH program includes program-specific courses for the general MPH program including Practical Data Management and Analysis for Public Health; Comparative Global Health Systems; Planning and Implementing Health Promotion Programs; and Introduction to Public Health Communication and Marketing.

Electives

Students have access to a wide range of elective courses, enabling them to delve deeper into specific areas of public health. Study a variety of topics, such as epidemiology, global health or health policy, through our elective course options.

Concentrations

The George Washington University MPH program offers several concentrations designed to provide students with specialized knowledge and skills in specific areas of public health. These concentrations include:

Climate and Health: This concentration explores the intersection of climate change and public health, and learn how to mitigate the effects of environmental changes on human health. Concentration-specific courses for the Climate and Health concentration include Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology; Global Environmental and Occupational Health; Researching Climate Change and Health; Global Climate Change and Air Pollution; Sustainable Energy and the Environment; and Social Dimensions in Climate Change and Health. Students then choose five credits of electives.
Global Health: Examine the complexities of global health systems and how they impact population health. The optional Global Health concentration outlines critical global health challenges facing our world today. Explore the multifaceted challenges that span infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, health care access disparities and more. Concentration-specific courses for the Global Health concentration include Global Health Frameworks; Global Health Programs and Approaches to the Control of Infectious Diseases; Global Child Health; Global Environmental and Occupational; and Public Health and Complex Emergencies.
Health Informatics and Analytics: Learn how to utilize technology and data analysis to improve health outcomes. You can also customize your degree by adding an optional Health Informatics concentration. Developed by some of the nation’s foremost experts in health informatics, data and technology, this concentration gives you a holistic understanding of the evolving roles of IT and data in public health, health care delivery and a range of other disciplines. Concentration-specific courses for the Health Informatics and Analytics Concentration include Health IT, Informatics, and Decision Making; Population Health Analytics; and Health Systems and Health IT Applied Analysis Immersion. Students then choose two of the following electives: Predictive Analytics: Applying the Concepts to Predictive Modeling; Research Analytics: Applying the Concepts to Analytics; Health Law and Health IT; Design of Technologies for Health and Healthcare Settings; and Healthcare Delivery and Health IT.
Women, Youth and Child Health: Focus on the unique health needs of women, youth and children, and learn how to develop effective interventions and policies. The optional Women, Youth and Child Health concentration focuses on the unique health needs and challenges faced by women, youth and children globally. Explore topics such as reproductive health, maternal and child health, gender-based violence and adolescent health. Concentration-specific courses for the Women, Youth, and Child Health concentration include Maternal and Child Health I: Foundations; Women’s Health; Global Child Health; and Sexual and Reproductive Health Monitoring. Students in this concentration also attend eight hours of public health lectures, seminars, and symposiums. Students then select four of the following elective courses: Community Engagement and Advocacy; Researching Violence Against Women and Girls; Public Health and Law; Global Health Frameworks; Public Health and Humanitarian Settings; Preventing Health Disparities; Social and Behavior Change Communication in Middle- to Low-Income Countries; Evaluation of Nutrition Programs; and Global Vaccinology.

Time Limit Requirement

The degree must be completed within five years.

Transfer Credit Policy

With approval, up to 12 graduate credits that have not been applied to any previous graduate degree can be transferred to the master of public health program. External credits must have been earned from an accredited institution in the last three years with a minimum grade of 3.0 (B) in each course. Students in SPH graduate certificate programs can transfer as many credits earned toward the certificate to the MPH degree as meet MPH degree requirements, to a maximum of 18 credits. Graduate certificate students wishing to transfer to a degree program can apply to do so after completion of three or more courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 via the online change of concentration petition. A minimum grade of B is required for a specific course to be eligible for transfer.

Program Flexibility and Duration

The George Washington University MPH program offers various options for completion, catering to students with different schedules and commitments.

Accelerated 12-Month Track: Students can complete the program in an accelerated 12-month track, during which they are not allowed to work. This intensive, one-year program requires you to enroll on a full-time basis and take an average of 11.5 credits per quarter.
Accelerated 18-Month Track: The 18-month accelerated track allows students to work part-time while completing the program. GW offers an intensive 18-month, online MPH option that requires you to take an average of 7.5 credits per quarter. If you qualify, you will not be able to work on a full-time basis while enrolled.
Part-Time Options: Part-time options can be spanned from two to five years. In addition to the accelerated online programs, you can choose to earn your MPH online over the course of two, three, four or five years. The curriculum for each of these program options is the same - the only difference being the amount of courses taken per semester.

Program start dates are available four times per year, in January, April, July and September.

Online Learning Environment

The George Washington University MPH courses include live, online sessions of approximately 80 minutes per week, plus asynchronous coursework outside of class. GW uses Blackboard as its online course management system. Courses last 10 weeks each. No campus visits are required, and field experiences are completed locally.

Admission Requirements and Application Process

Milken Institute School of Public Health seeks motivated candidates with a history of scholastic excellence who are ready to become leaders in the public health field.

Statement of Purpose

You are required to submit a statement of purpose with your application at the time of submission. Please note that your statement of purpose should be original and in your own words.

Transcripts

Many schools issue transcripts electronically, either through their own web services or through vendors. Please note: To be considered an official transcript, the transcript must be sent directly from your institution(s) or through an electronic transcript vendor retained by that institution.

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required, and both must be written within one year of the date of submission.

GRE Scores

Given this, no GRE scores are required.

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English Language Proficiency

All applicants to the George Washington University must demonstrate excellent English language skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. institution are required to submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing Service) scores to be considered for admission. IELTS: 7.0 overall with no individual score below 6.0. Exceptions are granted to applicants who earned (or will earn before matriculation) a postsecondary degree from an institution in a country that qualifies for the English language exam exemption.

Holistic Review

At Milken Institute SPH, we believe in taking a holistic approach to the application review process and considering all aspects of an applicant’s submission.

Additional Requirements

CITI Training

All students are required to complete training regarding human subject protection regulation and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

Integrity Quiz and Plagiarism

All students are required to review the George Washington University Code of Academic Integrity and take the SPH Academic Integrity Quiz within their first semester of study.

Joint PA/MPH Program

The joint PA/MPH degree at GW was the first of its kind in the United States and began in 1986. Applicants with a strong interest in public health as well as clinical practice are encouraged to consider the joint PA/MPH program. This unique three-year program provides both clinical and academic preparation for careers in medicine and public health. Joint degree students receive advanced training in the design of health studies, epidemiological methods, health policy, implementation of health interventions, bioinformatics, community medicine, population health and/or health promotion. Students who join the PA/MPH program spend most of the first year in the School of Public Health, in one of the degree tracks below. Students complete ANAT 6215 Anatomy course, Evidence-based Medicine for PA-MPH Students and Health, Justice and Society II with PA students during year one. The program offers advanced placement for the PA 6111, Evidence-Based Practice for PA/MPH Students (1-credit). Joint degree students must request a waiver for PA 6111. If approved by the Director of PA/MPH, the student may enroll in PUBH 6242, Clinical Epidemiology and Decision Analysis (2-credits).

Tracks of Study

Although many students choose the Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC) track, there are four other options: Health Policy, Epidemiology, Environmental Health Science & Policy, and Maternal and Child Health. The following requirements must be fulfilled: 45 credits, including 17 credits in core courses, 10 credits in program-specific courses, 16 credits in elective courses, and a 2-credit culminating experience.

MPH in Epidemiology

The mission of the GW Master of Public Health (MPH) Epidemiology program is to educate individuals who are committed to making a difference by solving public health problems. Graduates from this program learn to apply critical and analytical skills to better understand disease and human health. Our graduates bring these skills into the world in order to develop, implement, and evaluate innovative health practices and policies. In addition, the MPH in Epidemiology degree coursework helps enhance students' capacity to think critically and creatively. At the George Washington University, we are proud to educate students who are committed to improving public health and engaging in and promoting public service. We emphasize these qualities in the MPH Epidemiology program because they are essential for future health professionals and public health practitioners.

Epidemiology graduates can:

Understand and adhere to high scientific standards for research.
Understand and follow guidelines for ethical treatment of research participants.
Communicate research findings to a lay audience.
Respect cultural diversity throughout all of the above.

Students may choose to focus on a distinct area of epidemiologic study, though concentrating in a specific area is not required. In particular students who already have advanced degrees or extensive experience may wish to focus on a specific area of methodological inquiry. A specific track of coursework can help you focus on areas such as the following:

Chronic Disease Epidemiology
Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Methods and Analysis
Nutritional Epidemiology
Environmental Epidemiology
Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology
Translational Epidemiology (Bench to Bedside)

Flexible Programming

To help students fit graduate school into their daily life, Milken Institute SPH provides flexible course offerings, which allows Epidemiology students to take up to 15 credits online.

Program Prerequisites

There are no specific pre-requisites for entering the epidemiology master’s program, other than a bachelor’s degree or higher degree. This program is a good fit for anyone with an interest in improving human health. Students who are especially interested in working with diverse populations and those who wish to study broad categories of health concerns are great candidates for this MPH in epidemiology.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Scholarships

Scholarships Available - Qualified applicants admitted to an upcoming cohort may be considered for scholarships of up to $15,000. Scholarships of up to $15,000 are available for qualified applicants admitted to an upcoming cohort. Contact your enrollment specialist to learn more about eligibility and next steps in the admissions process.

Test Prep Discount

You will receive a 15 percent discount on test prep services designed to meet different needs, budgets and schedules.

Accreditation

The George Washington University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

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