If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact
the MPH Program Director, Dr. Heather Mavronicolas, by email mavronih@stjohns.edu or by
phone at (718) 990-8456.
Overview of Public
Health
What is public
health?
Why
should I pursue a degree in public health?
What is an MPH degree?
What are
the core study areas of public health?
What are the typical career paths for the community health and
global health concentrations?
What
salary range can I expect after graduation?
Program Information
How many credits hours are required to complete the MPH
degree?
Is it possible to work full-time while completing the MPH
degree?
When can students begin the program and how long will it take to
complete?
What is the difference between the global and community health
concentrations?
Where is the program
located?
Are classes available
online?
What
is the purpose of the fieldwork practice experience?
Where can I find more information about St. John’s graduate
policies?
What
is the accreditation status of the MPH program?
Admission Information
How do I
apply?
What
do I need to apply for admission to the program?
Do I need to submit GRE
scores?
When is the admission
deadline?
Is
financial aid available for MPH students?
What type of degree or background/experience do I need to enter the
MPH program?
Overview of Public Health
What is public health?
Public health is “the science and art of
preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through
the organized efforts of society” (C.E.A. Winslow); the focus is on
the health of populations. Public health professionals work
to improve and protect the health of populations by performing an
array of essential public health services, from evaluating
population-based health services, researching new solutions to
health problems, to educating a community about health
issues. Public health professionals work in a range of
rewarding career fields and disciplines.
The 10
Essential Public Health Services include the following:*
- Monitor health status to identify and solve community health
problems.
- Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in
the community.
- Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues.
- Mobilize community partnerships and action to identify and
solve health problems.
- Develop policies and plans that support individual and
community health efforts.
- Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure
safety.
- Link people to needed personal health services and assure the
provision of health care when otherwise unavailable.
- Assure competent public and personal health care
workforce.
- Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal
and population-based health services.
- Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health
problems.
* Core Public Health Functions Steering Committee,
National Public Health Performance Standards Program, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 2012.
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Why
should I pursue a degree in public health?
Public health is a rewarding career well suited for
individuals that are committed to improving the lives of
individuals and at-risk populations. The field of public
health is diverse and multidisciplinary in nature and offers a
variety of rewarding careers to suit many interests and
skills. For example, a public health professional may work as
an epidemiologist monitoring new epidemics or as a program planner
developing population health programs for the evolving needs of
communities.
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What is an MPH degree?
The MPH is considered the terminal professional
degree in public health. According to the Council on Education for Public Health
(CEPH), "A professional degree is one that, based on its learning
objectives and types of positions its graduates pursue, prepares
students with a broad mastery of the subject matter and methods
necessary in a field of practice; it typically requires students to
develop the capacity to organize, analyze, interpret and
communicate knowledge in an applied manner.”
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What are
the core study areas of public health?
According to the Council
on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the five core areas of
public health study include:
Biostatistics – collection, storage, retrieval,
analysis and interpretation of health data; design and analysis of
health-related surveys and experiments; and concepts and practice
of statistical data analysis;
Epidemiology – distributions and determinants of
disease, disabilities and death in human populations; the
characteristics and dynamics of human populations; and the natural
history of disease and the biologic basis of health;
Environmental health sciences – environmental
factors including biological, physical and chemical factors that
affect the health of a community;
Health services administration – planning,
organization, administration, management, evaluation and policy
analysis of health and public health programs; and
Social and behavioral sciences – concepts and
methods of social and behavioral sciences relevant to the
identification and solution of public health problems.
Additional fields of specialization include international/global
health, maternal and child health, and nutrition, to name a
few. CEPH, an independent agency recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education to accredit schools of public health and
graduate public health programs outside of schools of public
health, requires that “concepts and competencies from these five
areas must be integrated into all professional public health degree
curricula, including those offered at the master’s and doctoral
levels.” As such, St. John’s MPH program
helps students achieve these competencies through coursework and
the fieldwork practice experience, a real-world application of
public health practice.
For more information on the field of public health, visit the What is Public
Health? website.
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What are the typical career paths for the community health and
global health concentrations?
Public health graduates with a concentration in community health
may work in a variety of private and public settings (local, state
or federal health departments, community-based organizations, or
health advocacy, policy or research organizations) in diverse roles
such as program planners, community health educators, outreach
specialists, health promotion coordinators, or public health
advisors.
An MPH degree with a concentration in global health prepares
public health practitioners to work in diverse career settings
including disaster relief organizations, immigrant/refugee health
organizations, research or academic institutions, and international
or governmental agencies. Graduates with a specialization in
global health may work as in-field consultants, researchers,
program managers, program administrators, health educators, and
health policy analysts, to name a few.
For more information on prospective careers following
graduation, please visit the What is Public
Health? website.
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What
salary range can I expect after graduation?
The Bureau of Labor
Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, provides information on
salary ranges for various career fields in public health. The
following list highlights a few career fields in public
health. Click on the link for additional information.
Epidemiologists
(Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011 - Bureau of Labor
Statistics)
Researchers (Occupational Employment and Wages, May
2011 - Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Health Educators Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2012-13 Edition - Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of
Labor
Health
Managers (Occupational Employment and Wages, May
2011 - Bureau of Labor Statistics)
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Program Information
How many credits hours are required to complete the MPH
degree?
All students must complete a total of 45 credits to
satisfy the MPH degree requirements. This includes 18-credit
hours that cover the core public health competencies
(biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology, health
services administration, and social and behavioral sciences),
12-credit hours of concentration courses, 9-credit hours of methods
and evaluation electives, a 3-credit hour fieldwork practice
experience, and a 3-credit hour culminating experience.
Full-time students will complete 9 credit hours per semester and
can complete the degree in two years, including summer
matriculation between the first and second year. Part-time
students have up to five years to complete the MPH degree
requirements.
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Is it possible to work full-time while completing the MPH
degree?
Yes, it is possible to work full-time while pursuing
a MPH degree at St. John’s University! All classes are
offered in the evening to accommodate working professionals’
schedules. This allows a great deal of flexibility to students that
need to meet the demands of a full-time job or family
commitments.
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When can students begin the program and how long will it take
to complete?
Currently, all students begin the MPH program in the
fall semester. Full-time students will complete 9 credit
hours per semester and can complete the degree in two years
(including summer matriculation between the first and second
year). Part-time students have up to five years to complete
the MPH degree requirements.
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What is the difference between the community and global health
concentrations?
The community health concentration addresses
the wide range of health challenges in everyday communities.
This concentration will provide students with the knowledge and
skills needed to identify major behavioral, social and cultural
factors that impact the health of populations, as well as the ways
in which these factors influence the development and organization
of public health programs and service delivery to these
communities.
The global health concentration addresses global
health challenges related to a variety of socioeconomic,
environmental, and institutional factors. The concentration
examines the role that government, international institutions,
globalization, cultural and social factors play in determining
health status and disease burden with a particular emphasis on
developing countries. A high priority is placed on the
consideration of emerging global ecological issues and the design
of global health programs that promote health equity and global
sustainability. International/Global
Health addresses public health challenges that transcend
national borders and covers all of the core public health areas
(e.g., biostatistics, epidemiology).
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Where is the program
located?
Depending on the course, instruction is at Queens
campus or at the Dr. Andrew J.
Bartilucci Center in Queens, New York. The MPH program’s
administrative office is located at the Bartilucci
Center.
The 40,000-square-foot Bartilucci Center features modern
classrooms, laboratories, and computer laboratory, and is
easily accessible via car or public transportation. The
Center is also a venue for outstanding symposiums,
seminars, and continuing education courses.
Campus facilities include high-tech classrooms, laboratories and
our 1.7 million-volume Library. Our D'Angelo Center is a
five-story, 127,000-square-foot University and Student Center with
classrooms, lecture halls, a Starbucks café and full-service food
court.
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Are classes available
online?
No, the MPH program does not offer online
classes.
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What
is the purpose of the fieldwork practice experience?
The purpose of the fieldwork practice experience
(mentored internship) is to provide a practical application of
knowledge and skills outside the classroom. The Council on Education for Public
Health (CEPH), an independent agency recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education to accredit schools of public health and
graduate public health programs outside of schools of public
health, requires that MPH programs, “provide opportunities for
professional public health degree students at the master’s and
doctoral levels to apply the knowledge and skills being acquired
through their courses of study.”
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Where can I find more information about St. John’s graduate
policies?
Students who wish to learn more regarding academic
information and regulations should refer to the Graduate Bulletin. In
addition to providing information on admission policies, the Graduate Bulletin also
provides other key information such as transfer student admissions,
expenses, registration, grading system, and financial
aid.
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What
is the accreditation status of the MPH program?
The Master of Public Health Program is approved by
the New York State Education Department. The program will also seek
accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health
(CEPH), which is separate from the University’s regional
accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher
Education. CEPH is an independent agency recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education to accredit schools of public health and
graduate public health programs outside of schools of public
health.
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Admission Information
How do I apply?
Apply online through the Office of
Graduate Admission , or call (888)-9STJOHNS to request a print
application.
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What
do I need to apply for admission to the program?
Here is a checklist of materials to be submitted for
consideration to the MPH program:
- Complete a Graduate admission
application (including application fee)
- Provide official transcripts from all undergraduate and
graduate institutions attended
- Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae
- Provide official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores
- Submit three letters of recommendation
- Provide a personal statement
St. John's considers applicants' entire admission package when
evaluating them for admission, including letters of recommendation;
statement of professional goals; academic transcripts; GRE/GMAT
scores (if required); and any necessary writing
samples.
The Graduate Bulletin also
provides information on current admission policies and other key
information such as transfer student admissions, expenses,
registration, and financial aid.
International Students
Additional requirements may apply to international
students. According to current guidelines in the Graduate Bulletin,
applicants whose native language is not English and who have not
attended a post-secondary institution in which English is the
language of instruction must take one of the following:
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or
- IELTS (International English Language Testing
System).
Prospective international students should contact the Office of International
Student and Scholar Services.
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Do I need to submit GRE
scores?
Yes, students need to provide official Graduate
Record Exam (GRE) scores when applying for the St. John’s MPH
program. For more information on the GRE requirements, please
visit the Office of Graduate Admission.
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When is the admission
deadline?
Applications are accepted throughout the academic
year; however, it is highly recommended that the application and
supporting requirements be submitted to the Office of Graduate
Admission at least three months prior to the semester in which
the student wishes to begin the program of study.
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Is
financial aid available for MPH students
St. John’s University awards most of its financial
assistance to graduate students based on academic ability and
financial need. Please visit the Office of Student Financial
Services, or call (888) 9STJOHNS to learn more about financial
aid opportunities.
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What type of degree or background/experience do I need to enter
the MPH program?
The MPH degree is suitable for recent graduates with
degrees in a relevant discipline (e.g., social and behavioral
sciences, and the humanities) who want to develop essential public
health skills and competencies and obtain practical experience in
the field. The program is also designed for current working
professionals who may want to strengthen practical skills and
advance knowledge in public health in order to complement their
current training. The program offers all classes in the
evening to allow working professionals an opportunity to pursue
this degree.
All applicants should have a strong desire to improve and protect
the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
Strong preference is given to applicants with relevant public
health experience.
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