Public Health (M.P.H.)

Beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year, the Public Health M.P.H. is pausing admissions to the program. Current students will continue to have access to the same high-quality education and resources until they graduate.

The MPH curriculum meets the 22 CEPH accreditation competency requirements. This program can be completed in five semesters, and up to three years. During the final semester of the MPH Program, students complete a 100-hour professional field study experience applying public health principles and standards to professional projects within a public health organization. The final course in the curriculum is the integrating seminar in which students work in teams, bringing both their individual and joint perspectives, as well as their expertise together to address a specific public health problem for a public health institution.

To enter the MPH Program, an applicant must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. Applications are accepted for fall and spring semesters. Upon completion of the certificate program, students may apply to the MPH program. If admitted into the MPH program, the certificate credits will be applied to the MPH degree program.

Please visit the Graduate School website for detailed instructions about applying to the graduate certificate program.

Degree Requirements

The program requires 14 courses, (42 credits).

 Grading Policy: For the purposes of determining academic standing, grades below the “B­-” level in graded courses are considered failing grades. The MPH program director will recommend dismissal of a student  to the Graduate School when a failing grade occurs in six or more credits, either in two courses or in one course taken twice.  Repeating a course does not remove the original failing grade from the record. Students must have a cumulative grade­ point average of 3.0 (B), or higher, in order to graduate. Students admitted on a conditional or provisional basis must meet the conditions or provisions as stated in the letter of admission in order to remain in the Graduate School. 

CEPH Foundational Competencies:

Evidenced-based Approaches to Public Health

• Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice.
• Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate.
• Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice.

Public Health and Health Care Systems

• Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings.
• Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels.

Planning and Management to Promote Health

• Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health.
• Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs.
• Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention.
• Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management.
• Select methods to evaluate public health programs.

Policy in Public Health

• Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
• Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
• Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
• Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity.

Leadership

• Apply principles of leadership, governance and management, which include: creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration and guiding decision-making.
• Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges.

Communication

• Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors.
• Communicate audience-appropriate (i.e., non-academic, non-peer audience) public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation
• Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.

Interprofessional and/or Intersectorial Practice

• Integrate perspectives from other sectors and/or professions to promote and advance population health.

Systems Thinking

• Apply a systems thinking tool to visually represent a public health issue in a format other than standard narrative.

UNH Master of Public Health Program Competencies

• Use innovative problem-solving to impact complex public health issues.
• Strengthen leadership skills through reflection and observation to identify areas for personal and professional growth.
• Analyze the impact of determinants of health on public health issues using a social ecological framework.
• Apply basic principles of ethical analysis to improve health equity and policy relevance.
• Incorporate relevant theories to inform and create public health interventions.

Apply now

Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall: July 1
• Spring: December 15
• Summer: N/A
• Special: N/A

Campus: Durham

Application fee: $65

New England Regional: RI VT

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement

Applicants are required to submit a narrative which addresses five questions. Please submit an answer to each question separately in 250 words or less: Download Special Essay Questions.

Statements must be included with your submitted application.

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Additional Department Requirements

This program is designed for working professionals – classes meeting in the evenings at the Manchester Campus.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.