Master of Public Health
About the Program
MPH Application (PDF) | Rating Forms (PDF)
Majors and Concentrations
All MPH students complete a major in public health which provides a solid foundation for professional employment in community-based settings. The public health model, emphasizing health promotion and health protection, uses the key strategy of prevention. Incorporated in the curriculum are the five public health specialty areas. These include biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, health services administration, and social and behavioral sciences.
Each student is admitted to a specific concentration of study. The three concentrations are:
Each concentration includes required and elective coursework specific to the area selected. As a culminating event for the degree, students also complete a field internship closely related to the concentration of study. Alternatively, more experienced students may select the option of developing a master's essay, typically leading to publication in the professional literature.
Minors
Minors may be selected in statistics or in gerontology. The statistics minor requires nine semester credit hours and the gerontology minor requires twelve semester credit hours. MPH elective coursework hours may be used to partially satisfy credit hours needed for the respective minors.
Degree Completion
The MPH curriculum consists of 42 semester credit hours and is a non-thesis professional preparation degree program. To meet the educational needs of working students, the MPH degree can be earned on a part-time basis with most classes offered during late afternoons and evenings. Based on the experience of other part-time students, the degree program typically can be completed in two to three years.
Program Governance
The Public Health Academic Program Committee includes the MPH faculty and a student representative from each concentration of study. The Committee provides program governance, curricular direction and integrity, and academic policy development. Student representatives have full discussion and voting privileges with all academic matters except review of applications for admission. The MPH program is located in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.
Additional MPH Information
Contact the Department of Nutrition
1215 W. Cumberland Ave.
229 Jessie Harris Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-1920
Brenda Hart
bhart57@utk.edu
Phone: (865) 974-5445
Fax: (865) 974-3491