Master of Public Health
The distinctive mission of the UCI M.P.H. program is to create a motivated cadre of public health professionals who are prepared to implement effective strategies for reducing the burden of disease and disability in culturally diverse communities, and who are primed to draw from their broad training in the global dimensions of public health principles to lead and work collaboratively on precise assessments of health-risk factors and on the management of evidence-based prevention strategies.
In addition to meeting all the training requirements in the core competency subjects recommended by the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health (ASPPH), students enrolled in the UCI M.P.H. program will have the opportunity for in-depth pursuit of one of four emphasis areas: Biostatistics, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, or Sociocultural Diversity and Health. The M.P.H. for the Environmental, Epidemiology, and Sociocultural Diversity and Health emphases is a 64-unit program. The M.P.H. in Biostatistics is a 63-unit program. A full-time student must enroll in at least 12 units per quarter. Part-time enrollment is also allowed upon approval from the department and UCI Graduate Division. To maintain residency, part-time students must enroll in four to eight units per quarter. All students are required to complete 240 hours of fieldwork at an approved public health practicum site after advancing to candidacy with UCI Graduate Division. The Program is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.
Further information may be obtained from the Public Health website, by calling 949-824-7124, or by sending an email to phgo@uci.edu.
The M.P.H. program accepts students for the fall quarter only. Students are encouraged to begin the application process early to facilitate the timely submission of the application. The deadline for receipt of all application materials for the M.P.H. program is December 15. There are no specific course prerequisites needed to enroll, and the program is open to students with bachelor’s degrees in a variety of disciplines. Individuals from diverse cultural, geographic, and socioeconomic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
To be eligible to apply for the M.P.H. program, applicants must meet certain minimum academic requirements. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited academic institution, have earned a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B average) in undergraduate course work, and possess strong verbal and quantitative skills as reflected by their prior academic record. Evaluations of applicant files for admission to the M.P.H. program will consist of an assessment of transcripts of previous academic work, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and other relevant qualifications. Applicants must choose one of the four available emphases at the time of application.
Applicants must submit both the UCI Application for Graduate Admission and the School of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) application to be considered for admission. For more information on admissions, visit the Public Health website or contact phgo@uci.edu.
Program Requirements
M.P.H. with Emphases in Environmental Health, Epidemiology, or Sociocultural Diversity and Health
The M.P.H. with emphases in Environmental Health, Epidemiology, or Sociocultural Diversity and Health, is a 64-unit degree program consisting of 16 courses taken over five to six quarters. Ten courses must be taken by all students. In addition, students take three courses in their emphasis and three elective courses. All courses required for the M.P.H. must be taken for a letter grade and if a minimum grade of a B is not achieved, they must be re-taken.
Required Courses. All students begin the program with the introductory course Foundations of Public Health (PUBHLTH 200). The six core competency courses are Probability and Statistics in Public Health (PUBHLTH 207A), Analysis of Public Health Data Using Statistical Software (PUBHLTH 207B), Introduction to Environmental Health Science (PUBHLTH 264), Principles of Epidemiology (PUBHLTH 206A), Health Policy and Management (PUBHLTH 222), and Health Behavior Theory (PUBHLTH 244). Students must also complete at least two quarters (2 units each quarter) of the PUBHLTH 291 series, and the capstone course Graduate Practicum and Culminating Experience in Public Health (PUBHLTH 295) (eight units).
Emphasis Courses. Upon applying, students choose an emphasis for their M.P.H. degree. Three emphasis courses (four units each, all within the same emphasis) are required:
| Environmental Health Emphasis | |
| Select three from the following: | |
| PUBHLTH 269 | Air Pollution, Climate, and Health |
| PUBHLTH 275 | Environmental Modeling and Risk Management |
| PUBHLTH 277A | Target Organ Toxicology I |
| PUBHLTH 277B | Target Organ Toxicology II |
| PUBHLTH 278 | Industrial Toxicology |
| PUBHLTH 279 | Special Topics in Environmental & Occupational Health |
| PUBHLTH 283 | Geographic Information Systems for Public Health |
| PUBHLTH 286 | Advanced Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Epidemiology |
| Epidemiology Emphasis | |
| PUBHLTH 206B | Intermediate Epidemiology |
| PUBHLTH 206C | Advanced Epidemiologic Methods |
| PUBHLTH 213 | Epidemiology in Global Health |
| Sociocultural Diversity and Health Emphasis | |
| PUBHLTH 245 | Health Promotion Planning |
| PUBHLTH 246 | Social Research Methods |
| PUBHLTH 247 | Program Evaluation |
Elective Courses. Three elective courses (four units each) are required. Students select electives in light of their educational and career goals.
M.P.H. with an Emphasis in Biostatistics
The M.P.H. with an emphasis in Biostatistics, is a 63-unit degree program consisting of seventeen courses taken over five to six quarters. Fourteen core competency courses must be taken by all students. In addition, students choose three elective courses. All courses required for the M.P.H. with an emphasis in Biostatistics must be taken for a letter grade. Any core competency course in which a minimum grade of B is not achieved must be re-taken.
Required Courses
| A. Complete the following: | |
| PUBHLTH 200 | Foundations of Public Health |
| PUBHLTH 264 | Introduction to Environmental Health Science |
| PUBHLTH 206A | Principles of Epidemiology |
| PUBHLTH 222 | Health Policy and Management |
| PUBHLTH 244 | Health Behavior Theory |
| STATS 201 | Statistical Methods for Data Analysis I |
| STATS 202 | Statistical Methods for Data Analysis II |
| STATS 203 | Statistical Methods for Data Analysis III |
| STATS 295 | Special Topics in Statistics (two quarters) |
| STATS 280 | Seminar in Statistics (at least two quarters - .5 units each quarter) |
| A course from the PUBHLTH 291 series (2 units) | |
| PUBHLTH 295 | Graduate Practicum and Culminating Experience in Public Health (8 units) |
| B. Complete three elective courses (4 units each). 1 | |
| 1 | Students select electives in light of their educational and career goals. |
Students in all M.P.H. Emphases
Comprehensive Examination - All M.P.H. students are required to pass the comprehensive exam in order to advance to candidacy. The comprehensive exam is the "Certified in Public Health" (CPH) examination which covers the core areas of knowledge offered in CEPH-accredited schools and programs, as well as cross-cutting areas relevant to contemporary public health. Students who complete all of their core courses are required to take the CPH examination at the beginning of the fall quarter of their second year. Students who do not complete all of their core courses during their first year will be allowed an alternative testing date. In addition, by special petition, students may be approved to take the CPH examination during the spring quarter of their first year. Students must pass the CPH examination before they can be advanced to candidacy for the M.P.H. degree.
Practicum and Culminating Experience. Students are required to complete a supervised internship of 240 hours while registered in the Graduate Practicum and Culminating Experience in Public Health (PUBHLTH 295). The practicum experience follows the completion of all core competency courses, the comprehensive exam, and advancement to candidacy. A compendium of approved practicum sites is available online to enrolled M.P.H. students. The student’s work at the practicum site culminates in a comprehensive written report, with a presentation at the departmental poster seminar at the the end of the academic year.
For students enrolled full-time, the normative time for completion of the M.P.H. degree is six quarters, and the maximum time permitted is nine quarters. For students enrolled part-time, the normative time is nine quarters, and the maximum is 15 quarters. Upon special petition, students admitted with advanced standing due to prior graduate-level training may receive credit for up to one-fifth of the total units required toward the M.P.H. degree. Students must be able to demonstrate competency associated with those courses. Such credits are not applicable to the graduate practicum and graduate seminar.
Program in Law and Graduate Studies (J.D./Ph.D./M.P.H.)
Highly-qualified students interested in combining the study of law with graduate qualifications in Public Health are invited to undertake concurrent degree study under the auspices of UC Irvine's Program in Law and Graduate Studies (PLGS). Students in this program pursue a coordinated curriculum leading to a J.D. from the School of Law in conjunction with a Master's or Ph.D. in Public Health.
Additional information is available from the PLGS Program Director's Office at 949-824-9217, or by email at plgs@law.uci.edu. A full description of the program, with links to all relevant application information, can be found in the Law School section of the Catalogue.
Graduates of the UCI M.P.H. program will find employment in both public and private agencies committed to preventing disease and promoting health and wellness in all aspects of society. Earning a graduate degree gives new professionals a competitive edge over students who complete their education at the bachelor’s degree level. In particular, the curriculum of the M.P.H. degree at UCI is designed to create students who can combine knowledge of the core disciplines in public health with leadership, communication, and problem-solving inter-professional skills to meet the needs of culturally-diverse communities locally and globally. Earning an M.P.H. will allow graduates to pursue supervisory positions and career advancement opportunities that may be unattainable without an advanced degree. Students may also wish to combine an M.P.H. with a medical or law degree to increase opportunities for employment.
Coursework and practicum experiences in the M.P.H. program can also prepare a student to pursue doctoral programs in public health. The Ph.D. is a research-based degree that prepares the candidate for research and teaching positions in institutions of higher education. The Dr.P.H. is a professional degree that prepares candidates for careers as practitioners in high-level administration or teaching. The UCI Program in Public Health offers a Ph.D. in Public Health with concentrations in Disease Prevention and Global Health. More information about careers and graduate school in public health can be obtained through the ASPPH and the Council on Education for Public Health.