Master of Public Health Courses

Benedictine's online MPH degree program gives you the tools to help others as you advance your career in the health profession. You will become knowledgeable in the most significant and timely topics pertaining to the health care industry with a comprehensive foundation of core courses combined with electives that delve into specific issues affecting health care today. The core courses in biostatistics, epidemiology, management, policy, behavioral and social aspects of public health, environmental health and biology prepare you to be a skilled public health practitioner by providing a scientific and practical context for learning the essential information and key perspectives in the health care arena.

You can explore health care topics in greater depth and detail with elective classes that focus on your specific areas of interest such as health education, finance, law, marketing and information technology. You also will gain hands-on experience in a required internship opportunity that enables you to apply the theories and ideas learned in the classroom.

You may decide to fast-track your career advancement in health care by earning a certificate in conjunction with your public health degree:

The MPH program requires 66 credits—54 credits of foundation courses and an internship, plus 12 hours of electives. (Students who choose to complete the Disaster Management Certificate in concert with the MPH will complete 70 credits of coursework.)

Course Descriptions

Foundation Courses

MPH 602 Public Health Systems (4 credits)
This course provides an overview of the history, basic structures and operations of public health and health care delivery systems.

MPH 511 Biostatistics (4 credits)
Students will learn basic statistical concepts including frequency distributions, central tendency and variability via parametric and non-parametric methods, as well as related Excel applications.

MPH 604 Epidemiology (4 credits)
Students will learn to analyze chronic and communicable disease patterns in the U.S. and the world. The course covers the epidemiological triad and other models, preventive health and medicine, the impact and spread of disease throughout history and the study of epidemiological statistical methods.

MPH 610 Health Policy (4 credits)
This course considers current health policies as they relate to larger political and social debates, the determinants of disease, and available resources and information-gathering systems necessary to formulate health policies.

MPH 603 Ethical and Political Issues in Public Health (4 credits)
This course focuses on the ethical and political dimensions of and impact on public health and health care organizations and professions.

MPH 601 Behavioral and Social Aspects of Public Health (4 credits)
Students will explore social and psychological determinants and theories of health behavior.

MPH 605 Environmental Health (4 credits)
The health implications of human relationships to the biosphere are examined as well as the effect of environmental change on physical, biological and social patterns. Alternative solutions for environmental problems are explored.

MPH 606 Methods of Research in Public Health (4 credits)
This course is an overview of research design, collection and reporting of data, interpretation of findings, inferential procedures and current public health research.

MPH 609 Cultural Context of Health  (4 credits)
This course provides information on the cultural and sociological contexts in which the health care system developed. Students examine the role of socio-economic groups in the history of the U.S. health care system.

MPH 611 Biology of Public Health (4 credits)
Students will examine how diseases occur in order to plan effective interventions. Topics covered include how infectious diseases are transmitted; risk factors and biological processes for common diseases; and the impact of these diseases, disorders, conditions and control strategies on the health of the public.

MPH 607 Community Health Analysis (4 credits)
Students will learn to analyze the factors relating to health needs in communities, leading to proposals for solutions. Coursework involves research and field work.

MPH 662 Management of Health Services Organizations (4 credits)
This course is an overview of the organizational structures, management styles and challenges in health care organizations. Students will learn key business functions as they apply to the effective management of health care organizations.

MPH 690 Internship in Public Health (6 credits)
During the internship, students will demonstrate skills and competencies learned in the MPH program in a practical, supervised experience in a health-related agency. The purpose of the internship is to provide experiential learning and the opportunity to explore professional goals.


Electives

Certificate: HEALTH MANAGEMENT & POLICY CERTIFICATE
(12 elective credit hours + 4 foundation credit hours required) 

MPH 671 Finance in Public Health Delivery (4 credits)
Students will study the development of managed care, types of organizations and plans, financial models, risk management and trends and health care financing through public and private grants.

MPH 686 U.S. Health Care Delivery System (4 credits)
Students will learn about regulations and systems designed to protect personal health information, licensing of health care facilities and rules regarding the quality of health care.

MPH 664 Marketing of Health Services (4 credits)
This course examines actions that successful health leaders take in the planning, strategy, research and implementation of marketing plans. Students explore concepts of marketing theory and the execution of marketing tactics as they apply to the health industry.


Certificate: DISASTER MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE
(16 elective credit hours required) 

MPH 650 Principles & Practices of Emergency Response & Recovery (4 credits)
Students will learn basic frameworks and procedures to follow during and after emergencies and disasters. Topics include infection control, blood-borne pathogens, patient safety, ergonomics, construction safety, respiratory protection, fire protection and emergency response.

MPH 654 Psychology and Sociology of Disasters (4 credits)
Students will explore the current best practices designed to mitigate the harmful psychological and sociological impacts of disasters on individuals and communities.

MPH 656 Hazard Assessment & Preparedness Planning (4 credits)
The course explores several natural and manmade disasters to learn how to estimate the probability of these events as well as ways to prevent, mitigate and recover from a disaster.

MPH 657 Disaster Management in Public Health (4 credits)
This course examines incident preparedness and response from a variety of public health dimensions, including acute and chronic health care delivery, impacts on vulnerable populations, delivery of basic human services, epidemic response, and environmental and occupational health. Students will learn how to prepare for and address disruptions of public health systems arising from disasters.


Certificate: HEALTH EDUCATION & PROMOTION CERTIFICATE
(12 elective credit hours + 4 foundation credit hours required) 

MPH 632 Public Health Education Methods (4 credits)
Students will focus on educational techniques that encourage behavior change and their applications in various settings.

MPH 664 Marketing of Health Services (4 credits)
This course examines actions that successful health leaders take in the planning, strategy, research and implementation of marketing plans. Students explore concepts of marketing theory and the execution of marketing tactics as they apply to the health industry.

MPH 688 Media, Technology, & Public Health (4 credits)
Students will learn to assess, evaluate and develop plans for health education communication using the Internet and other media-based technologies. The course also examines ways to apply the principles of effective risk management and crisis communications to address the health needs of specific audiences.

 

Learn more about the curriculum of the online MPH program: Call (866) 295-3104 today to speak to an Admissions Advisor, or request more information.