Health Education & Promotion
Master of Public Health (MPH)
The Health Education and Promotion MPH degree emphasizes the behavioral, social and cultural factors related to individual and population health and health disparities over the life span. Learn to promote and sustain healthy environments and healthy lives for individuals and populations.
The USU Health Education and Promotion MPH in the Kinesiology and Health Science Department is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. This accreditation addresses the HEP MPH degree only. Other degrees and areas of study offered are not included in the unit of accreditation review. Please see the CEPH website to learn more about the applicant and accreditation process.
Potential Career Opportunities
Students who complete a MPH degree in Health Education and Promotion can seek out diverse positions in public health organizations that offer opportunities for leadership roles, professional development, and higher pay and benefits.
These organizations include:
- local, state, and federal health agencies,
- colleges and universities,
- health care organizations,
- community social service organizations,
- non-profit health organizations,
- international health programs and aid agencies,
- employee wellness programs,
- health coaching.
For more information visit the USU Catalog or USU Degree Finder.
Graduate Program Coordinator
Melissa Johnson
Coordinator of Programs III
Kinesiology and Health Science
Program Director
Julie Gast
Professor
Kinesiology and Health Science
Admissions
Prerequisite Requirements
Candidates for the health education and promotion program are expected to have completed an undergraduate degree in good standing. Students from any accredited undergraduate major are invited to apply. Applicants are expected to have strong written and oral communication skills.
Application Requirements
Students desiring to enroll in the health education and promotion program must be admitted to the Utah State University School of Graduate studies. As students start an application they will create a log-in that will allow them to come back in and complete their applications. The application has two parts, the initial application and the supplemental items. Students must complete the initial application and pay the application fee before you can access the supplemental materials.
The supplemental materials require the following:
- Official transcripts from all previously-attended colleges and universities to be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies:
- If by mail, transcripts can be mailed to:
School of Graduate Studies
Utah State University
0900 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-0900 - If by electronic clearinghouse, transcripts can be emailed to graduateadmissions@usu.edu.
- USU alumni do not need to provide USU transcripts; the School of Graduate Studies will pull them for you.
- If by mail, transcripts can be mailed to:
- Provide current resume or CV.
- Admission GPA of 3.0 or above. The admissions GPA is calculated based on the last 60 semester or 90 quarter credits taken, not the overall GPA.
- Three (3) letters of recommendation. All letters of recommendation should be professional references and at least two (2) letters should come from faculty members.
- Letters come directly from the referee, not the students. Students will include the contact information for referees in the application. The referees will then be contacted with instructions to submit the letters for the student.
- Include a statement of purpose in your online application to serve as a writing sample. For the statement of purpose, applicants should complete four essay prompts in total, including the three required prompts and your choice from the additional two prompts. Each writing prompt should be no more than 250 words. Please write each prompt at the start of each individual essay (these do not count as part of the 250 word maximum).
- Required Prompts:
- Prompt 1: Describe why you want to earn a graduate degree, and the experiences and qualifications that make you a strong candidate for advanced study.
- Prompt 2: In this program, you will be required to take a graduate-level biostatistics course and engage in research. Explain your background with research and statistics. If you do not have much experience or coursework in this area, please detail how you plan to be successful in this aspect of the degree.
- Prompt 3: Address your ability to meet the demands of an academically rigorous program that is writing and reading intensive, as well as online. Please explain any past academic weaknesses you may want to address here.
- Pick one of the following prompts:
- Prompt 1: In the HEP MPH degree program, we value diversity of thought, experiences, and background among our student body. Please explain how you might bring some aspect of diversity to the HEP MPH program. This could be in a number of ways such as your culture, travel experiences, life experiences, etc.
- Prompt 2: Please explain how your work experience helps you be prepared to excel in the HEP MPH degree. There is not an expectation that you currently work in public health, but overall work/volunteer experience may be addressed.
- Required Prompts:
- International students have additional requirements to meet
- Proof of English Language Proficiency
- Certified English Translations of Transcripts
Applicants are not required to submit graduate entrance exam scores (e.g. GRE, MAT, etc.). However, admissions to the HEP MPH degree is competitive. If you believe your test scores have the potential to strengthen your application, you may submit them as a supplement with your application and they will be taken into consideration along with other application materials.
For more information visit the USU Grad School website, steps to apply
Admission Deadlines
Fall semester (August start date)
April 15 - Early Priority Deadline
July 1 - Application Deadline
Spring Semester (January start date)
October 1 - Application Deadline
Application materials received by the deadlines listed above will be given full consideration. Late applicants will be considered for admissions on a space available basis or may be deferred to a later semester.
Estimated Cost of the Program
$20,090.88*
*Tuition and fees are affected by many factors including residency, student location (Zip Code), number of credits taken, student level (undergrad vs grad). In addition, the tuition and fee rates change each year. This estimate is based on a student studying in the Logan area finishing the program in 2 years (4 semesters), with Utah residency using the tuition and fee table from the current year.
USU Registrar Tuition & Payment 2023-2024 Tuition and Fee Table
Tuition & Financial Aid
Tuition costs at USU vary. They also plateau at 12 credits, so you pay the same amount for 12-18 credits. Some courses and programs have additional fees/costs. Student fees may differ depending on the campus location. Please see the Utah State University Tuition & Fees schedule for full information.
Financial aid generally comes in the form of scholarships, grants, and loans. Scholarships are awarded by the university and usually require applications. Scholarships from the admissions office are only awarded to students living in Utah. Grants are awarded by the government to students who fill out FAFSA. Loans can be awarded by various entities including the government and banks.
Assistantships
The KHS Department offers graduate assistantship (GA) opportunities for students based in Logan, Utah who have been accepted into one of the department's graduate programs.
Students interested in these positions complete the GA application, submitted directly to the department. This is separate from the admissions application, submitted to the Graduate School. The deadline for both applications is March 1 to be considered for a GA position. Positions are awarded for the coming Fall and Spring semesters.
More information: KHS Graduate Assistantships
Program Requirements
New Graduate Student Orientation
The HEP MPH program organizes an orientation session for its incoming students. Upon acceptance into the program, students can expect to receive an email from the program director containing comprehensive details, including the confirmed date and other essential information about the orientation event.
Advising
Students in the KHS department are are advised by both the department graduate program coordinator (GPC) and their Major Professor (Faculty Advisor/Mentor). Both roles can and will help students to successfully fulfill program and graduation requirements and navigate through the process of getting a degree.
Graduate Program Coordinator
Graduate Program Coordinators (GPCs) are a critical link between the School of Graduate Studies (SGS), departments, and graduate students. GPCs can assist graduate students with deadlines, degree completion, registration errors and restrictions, and all graduate school related paperwork (e.g. supervisory committee approval form, program of study, & graduation check request). Frequently, the student's first contact when they have questions or concerns is the GPC. If a student is unsure who to contact with questions, their first contact should be the GPC.
Major Professor/Faculty Advisor
A student's faculty advisor will help advise students on the courses to take to better prepare them for careers they are pursuing and on successful completion of the program requirements (research/internship requirements, etc). Faculty advisors are assigned to the students by the program director as students enter the program. These faculty advisors will typically continue to serve in this role for a student through the completion of their degree, though changes can be made if needed. Until a student has a faculty advisor in place, students can contact the program director with questions.
Practicum Experiences
An important part of the HEP MPH program will be the Applied Practice Experience (APE) and the Integrative Learning Experience (ILE). These components of the program provide hands-on professional experiences and real-world engagements for the student.
Integrative Learning Experience (ILE)
The Integrative Learning Experience requires the development of a high-quality written product (Capstone Paper) that is appropriate for the student’s educational and professional objectives. The Capstone Paper must show evidence of substantive, well-reasoned, professional-level writing that integrates both foundational and concentration competencies. Capstone Papers may take a variety of forms such as a: program evaluation, training manual, policy brief, white paper, literature review, research paper, etc.
An ILE may be the result of a data‐driven research project, the continuation or expansion of an Applied Practice Experience project, or an independent project developed in consultation with a faculty member based on shared academic and professional interests.
- The concept and form of the Capstone Paper is developed in conjunction with a faculty expert.
- The Capstone Paper is designed in a manner that is useful to external stakeholders, such as non-profit or governmental organizations.
- The Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) is completed by enrolling in HEP 6850: Capstone in Public Health during one of the final two semesters of the student’s program.
Detailed instructions for developing and completing of the ILE are available in the HEP MPH Student Handbook, and on the HEP/MPH Program Resources page in Canvas.
Applied Practice Experience (APE)
The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) requires that “all graduate professional public health degree students develop skills in basic public health concepts and demonstrate the application of these concepts through a practice experience that is relevant to the student’s areas of specialization.” As such, the Applied Practice Experience is an opportunity for students to:
- Integrate and apply knowledge and skills from coursework to a practical setting to strengthen public health,
- Work with public health practitioners to create at least two high quality final products, and
- Be fully engaged with a community-based practice site under the supervision of a preceptor who has advanced knowledge and experience in the field of public health.
Detailed instructions for developing and completing of the ILE are available in the HEP MPH Student Handbook, and on the HEP/MPH Program Resources page in Canvas.
Study Abroad
Students within the health education and promotion mph program have the option to participate in a study abroad opportunity. Opportunities are available every other year and students can use this experience to earn credits in HEP 6600: Practicum in Health Promotion.
Practicum in Health Education, Ecuador
Participate in an applied practice experience tailored to your specific needs and career interests! This program is designed to support graduate students in public health (MPH) by partnering with the District Directorate of Health in Manta, Ecuador to find engaging internships. Specific projects may target health surveillance and vector control, health education presentations for a variety of audiences, maternal and child health promotion, and health promotion site visits to individual homes.
Dates
May 7 to May 28, 2023 (tentative)
Academics/Credit
Earn 3 credits in HEP 6600: Practicum in Health Promotion
Requirements
This course is only open to graduate students who have completed at least 18 credits in the MPH program. If you need accommodations, contact the Disability Resource Center at drc@usu.edu.
Orientation
A Study Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation and corresponding Canvas course (a prerequisite for the study abroad program) will be held in the semester prior to the program start. Other program specific meetings will be arranged by the program leader.
Program Leader for Study Abroad
Steven R. Hawks, steve.hawks@usu.edu, Professor of Health Education and Promotion
Application
Apply at https://apply.studyabroad.usu.edu/
Acceptance to the program is subject to program leader approval.
General Program Requirements
The established curriculum is structured to meet both the professional standards of the program and accreditation guidelines.
- Must have at least 15 credits at the 6000 level or above. Coursework below the 5000 level should be in areas outside the student's graduate degree field, and must be approved.
- Courses students are expected to take as undergraduates or as prerequisites for graduate courses may not be included.
- Up to 12 credits taken prior to starting at USU may transfer towards a student's program with approval and should be communicated to the GPC.
- Credits in the following areas are not acceptable: foreign languages, continuing graduate advisement, individual home study, military science, and courses numbered below 3000.
| Total Credits | 45 |
| Minimum GPA* | 3.0 |
| Minimum Grade* | C- |
| Completion of ILE and APE | |
| Completion of all required Graduate School forms | |
*To earn a 3.0 GPA or better students need to receive grades of a B average or higher. While grades as low as a C- are permitted, a C- is lower than the required average and students will need to receive an A grade in two other courses (of equivalent credits) to offset the effects of the low grade on their overall GPA.