- Degree Level
- Graduate
- Degrees Offered
- Dual Degree: MPH/DPT, Dual Degree: MPH/IPCR, Dual Degree: MPH/MAC, Dual Degree: MPH/PA, Master of Public Health
- Department
- Public Health Department
- school/college
- College of Health Sciences
Graduate Programs in Public Health
Our Master of Public Health (MPH) has a Community Health Concentration, and is offered through the College of Health Sciences. The MPH degree incorporates broad knowledge and action related to preventing disease and disability and improving individual and population-level outcomes. Public health is centered in achieving health equity and reducing disparities, including understanding and addressing the social and community context of disease, illness, disability and recovery, as well as health promotion and health research. Our MPH trains students to work effectively as public health professionals in local and global communities through a wide variety of health-related organizations.
Program Highlights:
- Program planning and evaluation;
- Healthcare and broader public health policy;
- Epidemiology, research methods, and biostatistics;
- Public health communication for the community;
- Capstone projects that integrate practice and research;
- Internships that give students first-hand experience in public health settings;
- Domestic and international service projects and internship opportunities;
- Interprofessional education experiences;
- Dual Degree Programs: Arcadia’s MPH program offers a variety of dual degree options including Physician Assistant; Physical therapy; Counseling; and International Peace and Conflict Resolution;
- The MPH program educates future public health professionals to promote the health of individuals, families, communities, and the environment;
- Our Program integrates education, research, and practice in a globally-minded environment.
Experiential Learning
“Arcadia’s focus on integrating a global learning lens was a unique feature of the school that I was not able to identify at many other institutions. Especially within the health field, this is vital for cultivating future professionals that lead with a sense of humility and respect.”
Featured Courses
Achieving Health Equity: From Individuals to Systems
Required Course
Survey the dimensions of health and disease from three perspectives: The U.S. historical experience with health and disease; the social context of health and illness, including the healthcare system and policy issues; and choices in healing, integrating conventional and complementary therapies. Learn the history, etiology, epidemiology, geographic mortality patterns of selected public health issues and disease entities. The coursework and research project will provide you with basic qualitative research skills, which are useful in clinical practice, applied research, program planning, development, and evaluation.
Effective Communication Strategies for Public Health Impact
Required Course
Explore the fundamentals of public health communication including communication theories that are the basis of health promotion campaigns. You will learn the vital role that public health communication in the success of new health promotion and the development of novel messaging to reach underserved audiences. Learn the latest public health communication innovations, tools, technologies, research and strategies. Through class assignments, you will learn and practice the skills of engaging communication with varying audiences including young, old, parents, caregivers, healthcare providers, community leaders, policy makers, and researchers. Build the foundation for improving and maintaining health and well-being through public health communications.
Introduction to Epidemiology
Required Course
Experience an introduction to the approaches and methods used in describing the natural history of disease in communities (descriptive epidemiology) and epidemiological study design, bias, confounding, and measures of risk used in the study of disease etiology (analytic epidemiology). You will embark into a critical review of the public health and medical literature using an evidence-based medicine approach to critical analysis. Take part in lectures and discussions that are supplemented with problem-solving exercises.
Prerequisite: For matriculated students only.
Developing Leadership and Practice Skills for Program Evaluation
Required Course
Over the course of the semester, you will gain experience in the design and conduct of real-world evaluation strategies for local non-profit organizations. Learn how to critically assess evaluations conducted by public health professionals both presented by guest speakers from non-profit organizations and students’ independent case study research. At the completion of the course, you should be able to both design evaluation strategies and contribute constructively to the design of evaluations conducted by others.
