PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM
About the Public Health Program
Developing the next generation of leaders who will create healthy, equitable, and thriving communities locally and throughout the world.
The University of Delaware’s Public Health Program is an interdisciplinary program that combines faculty and resources from across multiple departments and colleges and focuses on preparing students for careers in both applied and research settings. The Public Health Program contributes to advancement and innovation in public health through actionable research, collaborative inter-professional education, and community engaged service by:
Expanding student capacity to understand, integrate, and use public health tools and methods in applied public health careers through engaging and innovative learning environments;
Conducting interdisciplinary research that contributes to reducing health disparities and improving the lives of individuals in resource-constrained communities; and,
Engaging in partnerships and collaborations to meet critical public health challenges.
Degrees
MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH
The University of Delaware Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program offers three concentration areas: Community Health and Behavior, Epidemiology, and Health Policy and Management. The MPH in Community Health and Behavior resides in the Department of Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences and the MPH in Epidemiology resides in the Department of Epidemiology in the College of Health Sciences. The MPH in Health Policy and Management resides within the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration.
The MPH requires 42 credits of graduate-level coursework, consisting of 15 credits of interdisciplinary core courses, 6 credits of applied and integrative learning experiences, and 21 credits of concentration courses.
- EPID 603: Biostats for Health Sciences I
- EPID 605: Epidemiology Methods I
- SPPA 620: Policy for Population Health
- SPPA/EPID 606: Environment and Public Health
- HBNS/EPID 820: Environmental and Social Determinants of Health
- EPID/SPPA 689: Applied Practice Experience
- EPID/SPPA 699: Integrative Learning Experience
- HBNS 605: Concepts of Chronic Disease Management
- HBNS 804: Advanced Health Promotion Program Evaluation
- HBNS 805: Health Behavior
- Health Policy and Management content courses and electives (12 credits)
- EPID 613: Biostats for Health Sciences II
- EPID 610: Epidemiology Methods II
- EPID 604: Epidemiologic Data Analysis in SAS
- Epidemiology content courses and electives (12 credits)
- UAPP 657: Health Policy
- SPPA 621: Health Systems, Policy, and Economics
- UAPP 697: Leading Organizations in Public and Nonprofit Sectors
- Health Policy and Management content courses and electives (12 credits)
Admission to the MPH program is facilitated independently by each concentration; however, the application and admission process are consistent across concentrations. The MPH Program currently utilizes the SOPHAS Centralized Application System for initial application. Applicants also complete a secondary supplemental application directly to the University of Delaware for consideration for admission. Students are admitted to the MPH based on enrollment availability, advising capacity, and applicants’ ability to meet entrance requirements set forth by the program and the university. To be admitted, all students must demonstrate attainment of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above (applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may be considered for admission based on other application factors). Required application materials for the MPH include: SOPHAS application form, official undergraduate, and/or graduate transcripts, at least two letters of recommendation, resume, and a personal statement that includes a description of the applicant’s prior experience, specific interest in public health, and career goals. Applications to the MPH are reviewed on a rolling basis for admission for fall semester. Admission to the MPH Program is determined holistically. Applicants who meet stated requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all the requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths as determined by the MPH Admissions Committee.
Public Health Program Staff
Jennifer Horney, PhD, MPH
Founding Chair and Professor, Epidemiology
Director, Public Health Program
Director, Partnership for Healthy Communities
The Tower at STAR – Suite 614
Lauren Camphausen, MS
Assistant Director, Public Health Program
The Tower at STAR – Suite 614
Public Health Program Committee
- Chair & MPH in Epidemiology Concentration Director – Jennifer Horney, PhD, MPH, CPH
- Assistant Chair – Lauren Camphausen, MS
- MPH in Epidemiology Representative – Amy Nelson, PhD, MPH
- MPH in Community Health and Behavior Concentration Director – Laura Lessard, PhD, MPH
- MPH in Community Health and Behavior Representative – Laurie Ruggiero, PhD
- MPH in Health Policy and Management Concentration Director – Alisa Moldavanova, PhD, MPA
- BSPH Program Director - Shannon Speed, PhD
- Partnership for Healthy Communities Representative – Kate Culhane-Suluai, MPS
Student and community engagement
A central focus of UD’s Public Health Program is community engagement, both internally and externally to the university. The program is fortunate to collaborate with UD’s Partnership for Healthy Communities. As part of the University of Delaware’s Community Engagement Initiative, the Partnership for Healthy Communities (PHC) is focused on mobilizing the University’s research, education, and service capacities to improve the health and well-being of Delaware residents, particularly those living in communities characterized by social and economic disadvantage.
Students also have a variety of mechanisms for getting involved in community engagement initiatives beyond their coursework. These include participation in graduate student organizations such as the Public Health Graduate Student Association (PHGSA) and Leaders in Public Health, as well as professional development and service activities coordinated through Delta Omega, Epsilon Zeta Chapter honorary society, Public Health Fellows, and Epi-Assist.
ACCREDITATION
The University’s Public Health Program has been accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The five-year accreditation recognizes that UD’s program, which includes a Master of Public Health in epidemiology and a Master of Public Health in community health and behavior in the College of Health Sciences and a master of Public Health in health policy and management in the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, meets the highest standards for public health education.
We encourage you to review the CEPH Full Report of our program as well as our accreditation self-study.