Making a difference with a US public health master’s degree

Early detection of illnesses. Control of disease outbreaks. Better life quality.

These are just some of the many ways public health professionals are helping and saving lives.

Indeed, health is a fundamental human right – as a public health professional, you ensure everyone of all socio-economic backgrounds does not miss out on basic healthcare. For those people without a voice, your job can raise awareness about their plight, and hopefully increase their overall wellbeing.

No two days are the same when you enter the public health profession. You will learn something new as you’ll be constantly promoting different health issues which may include campaigns, projects and roadshows.

More importantly, you will play an important role in reducing health inequalities and encourage better care for vulnerable communities such as children and those with disabilities.

That is why the demand for public health professionals in the US is now increasing. With a master’s degree in public health – depending on which US state you work in – your salary can range from US$89,623 to US$122,201.

If you are interested in making a difference, here are four US master’s programmes to consider:

University of Michigan School of Public Health

University of Michigan School of Public Health is among the top four in the US. Source: University of Michigan School of Public Health

Established in 1941, The University of Michigan School of Public Health began its fight for a healthier, more equitable world long ago. Today, the university is the #1 public research university in the US and Michigan Public Health ranks fourth in the nation among schools of public health. Little wonder why it effortlessly attracts new generations of changemakers — more than 500 public health heroes are produced here every year at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

They go on to join the University of Michigan’s expansive Alumni Network, a global powerhouse of over 640,000 graduates adding value in 179 countries — 17,000 of which owe their success to Michigan Public Health. Students who wish to follow in their footsteps benefit from their guidance exponentially. Most thriving graduates are ever-willing to serve as mentors, connect learners to job opportunities, or help them pinpoint communities that can benefit from their expertise.

Several pathways provide access to these connections. Michigan Public Health is home to seven graduate-level academic departments (Biostatistics; Environmental Health Sciences; Epidemiology; Health Behaviour and Health Education; Health Management and Policy; Nutritional Sciences; as well as Population and Health Sciences, which offers fully online graduate degree programs). Together and separately, they offer a vast array of specialised graduate-level degrees.

The school offers Master of Public Health degrees in each department,  six Master of Science degrees, including the customisable, online Master of Science in Population and Health Sciences; a Master of Health Services Administration; two bachelor’s degree programs; a Master of Health Informatics (jointly offered by the University of Michigan’s School of Information and the Medical School); dual degrees that comprise coursework from the university’s Ross School of Business, College of Engineering, and School of Social Work, amongst others; and a broad range of hybrid degrees for career-advancing professionals.

All programmes were conceptualised with the same goal in mind: to produce public health professionals ready to address the biggest challenges of our time. If you’d like to become one of them, click here to learn more about admissions.

City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy

CUNY SPH delivers rigorous and affordable in-person and online graduate education that prepares students for success in all domains of public health. Source: CUNY School of Public Health & Health Policy

Ranked #16 out of 123 public schools and programmes (US News and World Report 2022), the City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) is well-known for its strong commitment to health equity and social justice in all their education, research, and advocacy programmes. CUNY SPH ranks in the top position among public schools for public health in both New York State and the tri-state area as well.

Their nine master’s degree programmes are very much in tune with the ever-changing public health landscape. Besides the traditional Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master of Science in Public Health (MS), CUNY SPH has introduced several cutting-edge programmes that focus on some of the most urgent issues of our time – for example, the MS in Population Health Informatics; MS in Health Communication for Social Change; and MS Global and Migrant Health Policy. MPH degrees are offered in both hybrid and online formats, whereas all MS degrees are online only, with the exception of the MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences.

Whichever mode you choose, expect excellence, flexibility and affordability.

Online programmes are priced at the subsidised in-state tuition rate regardless of your location, which means you get even more value for your money.

As the programmes are highly flexible, you can choose to attend full-time or part-time, and even switch between the two if you want. Add outstanding student services, including the pioneering Career Skills Academy, and you have all the help you need to forge a successful career in this dynamic field.

To meet the public health challenges of the 21st century, apply today to CUNY SPH.

UC Berkeley School of Public Health

UC Berkeley School of Public Health is housed within the world’s best public university: UC Berkeley. Source: UC Berkeley School of Public Health, Facebook

UC Berkeley School of Public Health is housed within the world’s best public university: UC Berkeley. Source: UC Berkeley School of Public Health, Facebook

With almost 80 years of experience in educating changemakers, UC Berkeley School of Public Health, as part of the world’s best public university: UC Berkeley, offers groundbreaking research and a world-class education. In particular, this School – ranked eighth best public health school by the US World and News Report – is famous for their community-engaged action on urgent public health issues.

Through the Online Master’s of Public Health Programme (Online MPH) – which follows structured timetables and deadlines, mid-career professionals with busy schedules can upskill themselves without any disruption. WIth access to the exact same resources and tools that on-campus students use, online learners can easily participate in team collaboration projects.

Since this programme is flexible and interdisciplinary, students can choose and combine their preferred courses from these study areas: Health Care Management; Health Policy and Economics; Global Health; Epidemiology, Infectious Disease, and Regulatory Science; Community Health Sciences; Spatial Data Science for Public Health; and Public Health Nutrition. An entire concentration in Health Policy and Management, Epidemiology and Biostatistics or Public Health Nutrition can be selected as well.

An applied practice (practicum) allows students to gain practical public health experience too.

Emory University Public Health

Students here can enjoy close access to major health centres since their campus is located within the Public Health Capital of the World: Atlanta. Source: Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Facebook

Students here can enjoy close access to major health centres since their campus is located within the Public Health Capital of the World: Atlanta. Source: Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Facebook

As a leading research university – located in beautiful Atlanta, Georgia, Emory University is a proud member of the Association of American Universities. Established in 1836, Emory is famed for medical breakthroughs and innovative drug therapies among other research discoveries.

Emory’s deep-rooted sense of social responsibility and open academic discourse attracts nearly 14,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from all 50 American states and over 100 countries to study there. In fact, Emory is placed #9 in the Top Colleges in the South for Diversity ranking (The Wall Street Journal 2021).

Their Rollins School of Public Health is ranked fourth across the nation (US News and World Report 2021). That’s not to disregard their strategic location in what’s known as the Public Health Capital of the World either – Emory enjoys close proximity with many state and regional health agencies and centres such as the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here, students can earn their Master of Public Health within two years, specialising in areas such as Behavioural, Social, and Health Education Sciences; Global Environmental Health; and Health Policy. Students with a particularly solid background in Mathematics and/or Science can opt for the Master of Science in Public Health.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International