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.
This degree is 100% online. You can learn more about this degree at a glance on the USU Online website.
Admissions
To be admitted to a graduate program, you must meet these minimum requirements.
- Complete online application.
- Pay the $55 application fee.
- Provide transcripts for all college/university credits.
- Provide current resume or CV.
- 3.0 or higher GPA for the last 60 semester (90 quarter) credit hours.
- 3 letters of recommendation.
- 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.
Students from any accredited undergraduate major are invited to apply. Applicants are expected to have strong written and oral communication skills.
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.
Deadlines
Please reach out the HEP MPH director with application questions.
Application materials received by the deadlines listed below 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.
| Program Start Date | Early Priority Deadline | Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| January 2024 | None | October 1 |
| August 2024 | April 15 | July 1 |
Assistantship Deadlines
Logan-based students who are interested in applying for assistantships must do so by March 1st.
Careers
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
- International health programs and aid agencies
- Employee wellness programs
- Non-profit health organizations
- Health coaching
Courses
Forty-five (45) credits are required for this degree.
Course Syllabi
| Foundational Competency Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| HEP 6000 - Advanced Program Planning and Evaluation | 3 |
| HEP 6010 - Communication for Public Health | 3 |
| HEP 6020 - Introduction to Biostatistics and Epidemiology | 3 |
| HEP 6050 - Foundations of Public Health* | 3 |
| HEP 6200 - Health Administration, Organizations and Systems | 3 |
| HEP 6350 - Social Determinants of Health | 3 |
| HEP 6400 - Policy, Leadership, and Advocacy in Public Health | 3 |
| HEP 6550 - Qualitative Methods for Public Health | 3 |
| HEP 6850 - Capstone in Public Health | 3 |
| Concentration Competency Courses | |
| HEP 6120 - Foundations of Global Health | 3 |
| HEP 6150 - Global Maternal and Child Health | 3 |
| HEP 6450 - Research Methods in Population Health | 3 |
| HEP 6670 - Principles of Grant Writing in Public Health | 3 |
| HEP 6800 - Health Behavior | 3 |
| HEP 6600 - Practicum in Health Promotion | 3 |
*If the applicant has graduated from an accredited CEPH undergraduate program, the HEP 6050 class may be waived with approval from the HEP MPH director.
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.
Study Abroad
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.
Accreditation
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.