School of Health Sciences & Education

Online Master of Public Health

Introduction

Make an impact with a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Saint Francis University

 

Our accelerated MPH program, offering 100% online coursework, is designed to help you build leadership skills to advance population health through education, research, and service. You will gain a global perspective with a unique focus on rural health.  

 

Offered: Online

belltower illustration
accelerated 18-month program saves you time and money
belltower illustration

interdisciplinary collaboration with other healthcare programs

 

belltower illustration

joint research opportunities with faculty and collegues

 

stained glass window up close
The SFU Learning Experience

Master of Public Health the Saint Francis Way

A Master’s Degree in Public Health from Saint Francis will not only strengthen your leadership skills, but you will go on to touch the world in a positive way by embracing a vision of wellness, a spirit of compassion, and a promise to serve. Led by our Catholic Franciscan values, excellence that emphasizes an inter-professional learning environment, application of evidence-based practice, and experiential service initiatives that benefit all of humanity, our online program advances population health through education, research, and service. Graduates are expected to hold themselves to the highest ethical, professional, and scholarly standards while utilizing holistic, evidenced-based solutions in service to humankind.

Rural Matters!

Economics, education, and location are factors that create healthcare disparities for rural Americans. In this program, we rise together to meet the challenges and create public health leaders through advocacy, communications, education, and research.


 

Theory & Research: The MPH degree consists of 42 credits that include online course work and field experiences, which emphasize a rural health focus culminating in a capstone research project. 



Hands-On Learning: Students in the program will develop, implement, evaluate, and report upon a public health intervention at a self-identified rural field experience site. 



Online Learning: Allowing for ease of entry and completion for the working student or professional, the program is collaborative and incorporates current graduate course offerings from across the School of Health Science and Education, including the Master of Health Science and the Master in Nursing programs.



Self-Paced Learning: Although it is designed for completion within a year, students may take up to 3 years to complete the MPH program. Students are required to declare this intention with their academic advisor and work with them to develop a clear pathway towards graduation. 
 

 

CURRICULUM & COURSES

What You’ll Learn in the Master of Public Health Online Program

As a Master of Public Health student at Saint Francis, you will gain a global perspective, but with a unique focus on rural health. By examining the impacts of globalization on environmental health and developing an understanding of health disparities across global populations, you will learn to apply analytical skills to assess community health needs and design programs to improve community health both near and far. Our online courses will also help to prepare you for the Certified Health Educator Specialist (CHES) exam, setting you up for a successful career. 


Program Snapshot

  • 100% online coursework

  • 42 total credits
  • 18-months anticipated completion time
  • Rolling enrollment
  • Program Cost: Tuition Information

  • Degree Paths
  • Learning Objectives
  • Degree Awarded

    Master in Public Health (Online) 


    Curriculum

    The online program allows for ease of entry and completion appealing to the working student or professional. The program is collaborative and incorporates current graduate course offerings from across the School of Health Science and Education including the Master of Health Science and the Master in Nursing programs.


    Admission Requirements

    See FAQ section below.

     

  • As a graduate of our online Master of Public Health program, you will be able to:

    • Engage in evidence-based practice, using Public Health Sciences, to promote physical, mental, and spiritual wellness rooted in environmental health.
    • Exercise leadership in Public Health, grounded in an ecological perspective, by identifying the natural and social determinants of health status in communities and the dynamic interplay among these factors for the promotion of health. 
    • Create systems level interventions using quantitative and qualitative epidemiologic outcomes evaluation to analyze the geographical, demographic, and cultural patterns of the distribution of disease and injury communities.
    • Engage in life-long learning to promote the science of Public Health through evidence-based research.
    • Utilize systems level educational interventions, focused on wellness, that improve communication amongst residents and organizations by addressing factors such as health literacy and diversity using resources within academic, health care, and political institutions.
    • Generate and lead interdisciplinary collaborations to ethically assess and address persistent and emerging challenges in public health through health policy at the local, state, national, and global level.

     

Experienced Faculty Who Love to Teach

In our online degrees and certificate programs, your instructors share their classroom knowledge and industry expertise in ways that are proven to work best for adult learners. The right technology, coupled with small class sizes, will allow you to build relationships with fellow students and have meaningful interactions with your instructors. 

 

Dr. Theresa M. Horner, Program Chair,
Assistant Professor of Public Health

814.471.1332, thorner@francis.edu

Career Outlook with a Master of Public Health

Our Master of Public Health is designed to help you build leadership skills to advance population health through education, research, and service. The perspective is global, yet with a unique focus on rural health.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions About the Master of Public Health and Saint Francis University

  • What are the admission requirements for the Master of Public Health program?

    Admission Requirements:

    • Completed online application
    • Official transcripts verifying the conferral of a baccalaureate (bachelor) degree in public health and/or a health-related profession.
    • Baccalaureate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
    • GRE (waived if GPA is at or above 3.2)
    • Two letters of recommendation
    • Current resume or curriculum vitae
    • One-page goal statement regarding your career aspirations in public health
    • Non-refundable application fee of $55

    Prospective Students Residing Outside of Pennsylvania

    Saint Francis University and its online programs must be authorized by certain states prior to offering courses or programs to students residing in those states. Saint Francis University has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to participate in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).  

    As a SARA approved institution, Saint Francis University is in compliance with the regulations of each SARA state and is approved to offer online courses and programs to residents of SARA-member states. Prospective students residing outside of Pennsylvania should determine their eligibility for admission to an online program at Saint Francis University by consulting the State Authorization Status List found at https://www.francis.edu/State-Authorization/ or by contacting program enrollment counselor at 814) 472-3012 or email worldwide@francis.edu.   

    International applicants will be considered for admission if they reside in countries where the University has proper authorization. Contact the program admission representatives for additional information.

    State Authorization

  • Is there a MPH Capstone Project?

    Yes.  Students in the Master of Public Health Program are required to develop, implement, evaluate, and report upon a public health intervention at a self-identified rural field experience site.

    These requirements can be met through successfully completing the following courses:

    MPH 525 Fundamentals of Program Evaluation
    MPH 526 Program Planning & Implementation
    MPH 530 Applied Practice Experience
    MPH 533 Community Health Research and Assessment