Public Health, M.P.H.

Healthy living, chronic disease, health system performance and costs, access to health care, environmental threats, health disparities - these are some of the pressing public health concerns facing Maine and the nation. The Public Health Program at the Muskie School of Public Service is a nationally-recognized academic and research program that is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, and is dedicated to improving health and health systems.

The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree prepares students with the practical knowledge and skills to address today’s complex population health and health services needs. Multidisciplinary in nature, the MPH delivers a broad population health and health systems perspective. Graduates work in the public and private sectors to apply evidence based practices and state-of-the-art knowledge and skills to improve population health.

The MPH program offers many opportunities for experiential learning. The program includes a summer Field Experience, providing hands-on exposure in a public health or healthcare organization in Maine or beyond. Field Experience opportunities are available at state and local health departments, community-based organizations, primary care and multispecialty physician practices, hospitals, and health and health-related agencies. During the academic year, many students do paid graduate and research assistantships with nationally recognized faculty and staff, engaging in additional projects addressing public health, health service, and health policy problems critical to improving health and health systems. Faculty and alumni offer strong connections with the practice community, creating opportunities for field placements, capstone projects, and career networking.

To meet the diverse needs of our students, all MPH courses can be taken online. All courses are accessible live-at-a-distance via two-way audio/video through Zoom or other technology or via asynchronous online modality. Most courses also have an in person option for students wanting the face-to-face educational experience. Class meetings occur once a week on the USM Portland campus (with an online Zoom option) and are scheduled in the late afternoon and evening for the convenience of working students.