Mar 29, 2024  
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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. Through our nationally-recognized academic and research programs, the Muskie School of Public Service is dedicated to improving health and health systems.

The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree is an accredited program that prepares students with the practical knowledge and skills to address today’s complex population health and health services needs. Multi-disciplinary in nature, the MPH program delivers a broad population health and health systems perspective. The program offers hands-on field experience opportunities in a wide variety of public health and healthcare organizations in Maine and beyond including state and local health departments, community-based organizations, primary care and multispecialty physician practices, hospitals, and health and health-related agencies. 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. Through paid graduate and research assistantships with nationally recognized faculty and staff, many students engage in 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.

For More Information

For more information about the Public Health program, please contact Erika Ziller, erika.ziller@maine.edu

Program Requirements


The Master of Public Health (MPH) is a generalist curriculum that provides a foundation of knowledge and the opportunity to develop core skills for effective performance in public health fields, including management and leadership positions. Coursework includes both individual and team assignments, and is designed to build program competencies and to integrate learning across the curriculum. Oral and written communication skills are developed throughout the curriculum, along with competencies in informed decision-making (e.g. epidemiology, biostatistics), and leadership and management. The MPH is a 45 credit hour degree. The Graduate Program in Public Health was accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health in 2016, for the period 2013 through 2021.

Students have 33 credit hours of Required Core Courses. In addition, students must take an additional 12 elective credit hours of which at least 9 elective credits must be courses with the MPH designation. The remaining three credits may include a course from the MPH program or other programs.

No course with a final grade of less than B- will be accepted towards graduation requirements. To demonstrate satisfactory progress towards the MPH degree and be eligible for graduation, students must maintain a GPA of 3.0. In accordance with USM Graduate Studies’ policy, if a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on probation and must bring the cumulative GPA to 3.0 level within the next semester or s/he will be withdrawn from the program.

Recommended Course Sequence


Full-time MPH Students


Year 1, Summer - 6 credits:


Year 2, Spring Semester - 9 credits:


Part-time MPH Students


Year 2, Fall Semester - 6 credits:


Year 2, Spring Semester - 6 credits:


Year 2, Summer Semester - 6 credits:


Year 3, Spring Semester - 6 credits:


Year 4, Fall Semester - 3 credits:


  • Elective 4 (3 credits)