Master of Public Health, Online

• Bachelor’s degree or higher, preferably in the sciences
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75
• Personal statement
• Dual degree applicants may transfer MWU healthcare professional application to M.P.H. 

Glendale full list of admissions requirements

Downers Grove full list of admissions requirements

The Master of Public Health program's mission is to provide public health education for healthcare professionals.

The Midwestern University Master of Public Health program is an interdisciplinary professional degree in public health. The curriculum emphasizes the interconnectedness of health among human, animal, and environmental systems and prepares students to address complex health challenges in a broad range of clinical and public health settings. A student enrolled as a dual degree candidate in any of Midwestern University’s health professional degree programs particularly enhances their medical knowledge, public health skills, and career options upon completion of this program. 
 

The 56 quarter-credit hour program consists of online coursework, an applied public health practicum, and a culminating project. Online coursework provides students with foundational knowledge in epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, social and behavioral health, and health policy. The focus on One Health provides students an opportunity to explore the implications and intersections of human, animal, and environmental health by taking coursework focused on each of these One Health domains.

Students in the M.P.H. program will apply what they have learned in courses in a range of public health clinical and research settings, and will complete a culminating project as a part of their public health training. Students pursuing a dual degree will take M.P.H. coursework primarily during the summer quarter, but some courses may be taken during other quarters concurrent with healthcare professional degree program courses.
 

The M.P.H. degree will help students become more competitive applicants for careers in clinical and public health practice, global health, government service, and more.

• Clinical & public health practice
• Global healthcare teams
• Environmental health
• Food safety
• Biostatistics
• Research
• Epidemiology
• Health services management
• Occupational health and safety
• Government
• Zoonotic disease and vector control

• Female: 74%
• Male: 26%
• Average Age: 25
• Average Overall GPA:  3.57
• Healthcare discipline:
  • D.O. 68%
  • D.V.M. 24%
  • D.M.D. 5%
  • O.D. 3%
• Top "Home" States:  Arizona, Illinois 

Midwestern University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission/A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC/NCA), 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604-1413; phone 312-263-0456.

Yes! Current or admitted Midwestern University students may submit their MWU healthcare professional application (using a transfer link in the student portal) to the M.P.H. Program for admissions consideration.

You can apply for the dual degree after you have been accepted to your primary professional program. On your student portal, use the transfer application link, which allows you to transfer your health professions application to the M.P.H. program for admissions consideration. Additionally, you will be required to submit a personal statement on how the M.P.H. degree fits into your professional goals. 

The application window opens on November 1st and admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. Applicants are encouraged to apply early but no later than April 15th.

One Health is the collaborative effort of multiple health science professions, working locally, nationally, and globally-to attain optimal health for people, domestic animals, wildlife, plants, and our environment.

One Health inspires Midwestern University faculty, staff, and students to work collaboratively as an interprofessional team.  Midwestern graduates understand the nature and interdependency of humans, animals, and the environment and strengthen their bonds as healthcare professionals through education and research to benefit the health, quality of life, and well-being of all species.

Midwestern University offers an M.P.H. degree. This degree prepares students to tackle increasingly complex public health issues through a One Health approach that integrates human, animal, and environmental health principles and practices.

The M.P.H. degree consists of 56 quarter-credit hours which includes online coursework, transfer credits, a practicum, and a culminating project.

It is estimated that, based on the credit load and online format, each course requires approximately 3 hours of student work per credit hour, per week during a 10-week quarter. This includes reading, virtual lectures, assignments, and assigned online discussion. 

A typical summer quarter course load for students is 12-15 credits, equating to approximately 36-45 hours of course work per week. Dual degree students will take most M.P.H. course work during the summer quarters when they are not taking courses in their primary professional program. Some electives, the public health practicum, and the culminating project will be completed concurrently with the third and fourth year clinical rotation schedule.

The dual degree program is designed to allow the transfer of up to 12 credits for approved courses completed in the primary program towards the M.P.H. degree. Typically, students take the M.P.H. degree requirements during two summer quarters and complete the practicum and culminating project during their third or fourth year. 

For a list of courses eligible for elective credit in the M.P.H. program, see the Midwestern University course catalog.

M.P.H. coursework is generally taken during the summer quarters. Certain courses, the public health practicum and the culminating project are completed during the third and fourth years of the primary program. Refer to the Midwestern course catalog for a sample course sequence.

The M.P.H. Program Specialist will be assigned as the academic advisor to assist students with academic concerns and program completion. Faculty and staff are available for professional advising. 

In addition to the faculty advisor, the Program Director, College of Graduate Studies Dean, Associate Deans, and the Dean of Students are available to assist students. Students will be able to choose additional faculty to work with for their culminating project.

The public health practicum is a planned, supervised, and evaluated practice experience that students complete later in the M.P.H. program. It is an opportunity for students to participate in experiential training in public health within healthcare settings and government-sponsored organizations. 

Students can expect to devote approximately 160 hours to the practicum and will produce two work products, such as a written assignment, multimedia presentation, public health educational material, etc. Example practicum sites include local and state health departments in the local geographic area or other more distant sites.

The culminating project applies knowledge attained in the program and provides students with an opportunity to synthesize public health knowledge and skills obtained during the program. It can take many forms and is completed in conjunction with the practicum or as an independent study. 

Examples of types of projects include developing or evaluating a public health-related program, conducting a community needs assessment, or conducting traditional hypothesis-driven research of a public health nature. Students will produce a formal written report and deliver an oral presentation of their findings to the M.P.H. program faculty and community stakeholders.

The Office of Student Financial Services can advise on the cost of attendance, financial aid options, and other questions related to attendance. Refer to the Paying for College pages for additional information.

The Midwestern University Library offers a variety of resources for students including many e-books for public health. Desk copies of required textbooks are also available in the reserved section of the libraries on both the Downers Grove, IL and Glendale, AZ campuses. 

Many of the required textbooks are also available at the library as e-books. Some allow for unlimited users while others are limited to one user at a time. See the Midwestern library website for further details.

Students enrolled in online courses are expected to have consistent access to a computer that is connected to reliable internet, installed with a word processing and a presentation program (e.g., Microsoft Office, Mac Pages/Keynote), and equipped with a microphone, speakers, and webcam.

The biostatistics courses in the M.P.H. Program utilize the SAS University Edition statistical software package. This software is available for download at no charge to students.