Accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the 42 credit-hour Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program is designed to prepare students with the foundational public health knowledge and competencies needed to address the most pressing and emerging health concerns nationally and globally. Graduates are prepared to work in a variety of employment sectors including local, state, and federal health and social service agencies, non-governmental and voluntary health organizations, health care, and private industry. Students may choose from these highly specialized concentrations:  

  • Community Health Promotion
  • Epidemiology
  • Food Security and Nutrition
  • Global Health
  • Health Equity and Social Justice
  • Health Policy
  • Public Health Communication
  • Public Health Practice (offered 100% online only)

In accordance with the CEPH accreditation standards, students are required to complete coursework in both the public health core and one concentration, as well as fieldwork for the applied practice experience. As a CEPH-accredited program, all graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health (CPH) examination.

Admissions

Admission decisions are based on a review of:

  • undergraduate academic performance and recent post-baccalaureate coursework (transcripts)
  • professional and volunteer experience
  • statement of goals and objectives
  • letters of recommendation

Some background in statistics, biology, and the social sciences is preferred. Applicants must meet the admission standards and application requirements specified in Admissions. Applications must be submitted using the online Schools of Public Health Application System (SOPHAS). For more information about application requirements and deadlines, please visit the College of Public Health Admissions website.

Food Security and Nutrition Concentration

To be admitted to the Food Security and Nutrition Concentration, students must have taken NUTR 295 Introduction to Nutrition (Mason Core) or a substitute approved by the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies.

Policies

Students must complete 42 credits of graduate coursework with at least a 3.00 GPA in order to graduate. Each course listed below can be used to fulfill only one requirement toward the MPH degree. A graduate course in which a grade of C or below is earned may be repeated only once. Graduate students may repeat no more than two courses.

Transfer of Credit

Transfer of credit is governed by the policies outlined in AP 6.5 Credit by Exam or Transfer and AP 6.9 Requirements for Master's Degrees. Transfer credit must be approved by the program director and the dean. Students who enroll initially through non-degree studies should seek academic advising through the department before taking a course and should plan to submit their application to the MPH program in their first semester of study.

Banner Code: PH-MPH-PUBH

Degree Requirements

Total credits: 42

Public Health Core

GCH 500Foundations of Public Health3
GCH 604Fundamentals of Epidemiology and Biostatistics 13
or GCH 712 Introduction to Epidemiology
GCH 609Community Assessment and Partnerships3
GCH 611Health Program Planning and Evaluation (Mason Core)3
GCH 645U.S. and Global Public Health Systems3
HAP 635Role of Government in Health Care and Public Health3
HAP 680Applied Public Health Leadership and Management3
Total Credits21
1

Students in the MPH-Epidemiology concentration must take GCH 712. GCH 604 will not count toward the Public Health Core requirements for MPH-Epidemiology students. Students in other concentrations may not take GCH 712 as part of their Public Health Core coursework. It may be taken as a concentration elective, as approved by the MPH program advisor.

Practicum Requirements

This required 200-hour practicum gives students the opportunity to practice and improve professional skills in a supervised setting. Students must have completed at least 21 credits toward the degree program in order to be eligible for their practicum.

The requirements to complete the practicum are in two courses over two semesters, as follows1:

GCH 780Practicum Seminar0
GCH 790Practicum in Public Health3
Total Credits3
1

Students enrolled in catalog years prior to 2022-2023 must complete GCH 792 Integrative Learning Experience.

Concentration

Students must complete one concentration.

Concentration in Community Health Promotion (CMHP)

Students examine the social and behavioral determinants associated with the most pressing health problems in order to improve population health through the design, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion programs. Graduates of this concentration are eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) exam.

Required Courses
GCH 607Evidence-Based Public Health Practice3
GCH 610Health Behavior Theory3
GCH 620Public Health Promotion Strategies3
GCH 651Behavioral Research Methods3
GCH 655Public Health Equity and Justice3
Electives
Select three credits from the following:3
Human Genetics Concepts for Health Care
Risk Communication
Science Communication
Climate Change and Sustainability Communication Campaigns
E-Health Communication
Science of the Environment I
Environmental Science and Public Policy
Environmental Toxicology
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Health
Public Health Preparedness and Response
Global Health
Environmental Health
HIV/AIDS: Concepts, Principles, and Interventions
Study Abroad in Public Health
Migrant Health
Global Infectious Diseases
Global Non-Communicable Diseases
Project Management in Public Health
Interventions in Public Health
Environmental Epidemiology
Health Geography
Geographic Information Systems
Nutrition Education
Global Nutrition
Administration in Public and Nonprofit Organizations
Introduction to Management of Nonprofits
Emergency Planning and Preparedness
The NGO: Policy and Management
Environment and Society
Advisor-approved elective course
Total Credits18

Concentration in Epidemiology (EPID)

Students develop strong quantitative skills to investigate and analyze factors that influence the occurrence, distribution, prevention and control of disease. Emphasis is placed on the development of such skills as study design, data collection and management, data analysis and interpretation, and communication of research findings.

Required Courses
GCH 726Advanced Methods in Epidemiology I3
GCH 804Biostatistics for Public Health I3
GCH 805Biostatistics for Public Health II3
GCH 824Advanced Data Analysis for Epidemiologic Research3
Restricted Electives
Select three credits from the following:3
Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Advanced Methods in Epidemiology II
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
Environmental Epidemiology
Social Epidemiology
Electives
Select three credits from the following:3
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Health
Global Health
HIV/AIDS: Concepts, Principles, and Interventions
Environmental Health
Evidence-Based Public Health Practice
Migrant Health
SAS for Health Research
Behavioral Research Methods
Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Advanced Methods in Epidemiology II
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
Environmental Epidemiology
Social Epidemiology
Health Geography
Geospatial Science Fundamentals
Geographic Information Systems
Global Nutrition
Advisor-approved elective course
Total Credits18

Concentration in Food Security and Nutrition (FSN)

Students in this interdisciplinary concentration create population health approaches to implement food security and nutrition programs and policies at the local, regional and global levels. Students explore definitions, measurement, and policy implications of food security and nutrition through a multidisciplinary approach. 

Required Courses
NUTR 608Perspectives on Food Security3
NUTR 610Food Safety and Defense3
NUTR 626Food Systems3
NUTR 630Global Nutrition3
NUTR 651Nutrition Assessment3
Electives
Select three credits from the following:3
Study Abroad in Public Health
Migrant Health
Nutritional Epidemiology
Nutritional Epidemiology
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
Fundamentals of Cooking
Nutrition Across the Lifespan
Introduction to Wine and Beer
Urban Agriculture
Food Science for Nutritionists
Food and Culture
Nutrition Education
Macronutrients
Micronutrients
Nutrition Research Methods
Nutrition Program Development, Interventions and Assessments
Advisor-approved elective course
Total Credits18

Concentration in Global Health (GLOH)

Students develop competencies and apply skills to promote health in a global context, emphasizing comparative global health metrics; the socioeconomic, environmental, and other risk factors associated with transnational health concerns; and ethical and effective strategies for preventing and controlling infectious and non-communicable diseases in diverse populations.

Required Courses
GCH 543Global Health3
GCH 626Migrant Health3
GCH 640Global Infectious Diseases3
GCH 650Global Non-Communicable Diseases3
GLOA 600Global Competencies3
Electives
Select three credits from the following:3
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Health Communication
Risk Communication
Science Communication
Climate Change and Sustainability Communication Campaigns
E-Health Communication
Science of the Environment I
Environmental Science and Public Policy
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Health
Public Health Preparedness and Response
HIV/AIDS: Concepts, Principles, and Interventions
Study Abroad in Public Health
Evidence-Based Public Health Practice
Health Behavior Theory
SAS for Health Research
Behavioral Research Methods
Project Management in Public Health
Interventions in Public Health
Environmental Epidemiology
Social Epidemiology
Health Geography
Geographic Information Systems
Food and Culture
Global Nutrition
Nutrition Assessment
Administration in Public and Nonprofit Organizations
Introduction to Management of Nonprofits
Emergency Planning and Preparedness
The NGO: Policy and Management
Environment and Society
Advisor-approved elective course
Total Credits18

Concentration in Health Equity and Social Justice (HESJ)

Students critically evaluate the social determinants of health, analyze the root causes of structural inequities, and develop a range of interventions and strategies to advance health equity and social justice in public health practice and policy. 

Required Courses
GCH 655Public Health Equity and Justice3
SOCW 656Poverty, Oppression, and Inequity3
SOCW 659Organizing and Advocating for Change3
SOCW 710Behavioral Health Interventions Across Systems3
SOCW 810Technology Innovations to Power Social Change3
Electives
Select 3 credits from the following:3
Global Health
HIV/AIDS: Concepts, Principles, and Interventions
Study Abroad in Public Health
Evidence-Based Public Health Practice
Health Behavior Theory
Project Management in Public Health
Health Policy Development and Analysis
Nutrition Education
Immigration Policy
Social Policy for Children and Youth
Aging Programs and Policies
Global Human Rights Policy
Creative Arts in Social Work Practice
Substance Use Interventions
Advisor-approved elective course
Total Credits18

Concentration in Health Policy (HTHP)

Students address the nature and importance of policy and policy-making in today’s public health system in order to engage with public health and advocacy organizations on policy issues and to analyze and support policy approaches in an era of scarce public resources and ever-changing priorities. Students are introduced to the context and process for policy-making in public health, including the current political, economic, and legal environment for health policy and the basic elements of the public policy-making process. 

Required Courses
HAP 602Statistics in Health Services Management3
or HAP 719 Advanced Statistics in Health Services Research I
HAP 715Health Economics3
HAP 742Health Policy Development and Analysis3
HAP 764Health Policy and Government Payment Systems for Health Care Services3
HAP 793Final Project in Applied Health Policy3
Electives
Select three credits from the following:3
Essentials of Health Insurance and Managed Care
Topics in Public Policy
Health Care Security Policy
Health Policy Leadership
Advisor-approved elective course
Total Credits18

Concentration in Public Health Communication (PHCM)

Students design, evaluate, and implement effective communication strategies and messages to inform and influence individual and community decisions that affect health. This interdisciplinary concentration links the fields of communication and public health.

Required Courses
COMM 620Health Communication3
COMM 637Risk Communication3
COMM 670Social Marketing3
COMM 721E-Health Communication3
COMM 820Health Communication Campaigns3
Electives
Select three credits from the following:3
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Science Communication
Climate Change and Sustainability Communication Campaigns
Science of the Environment I
Environmental Science and Public Policy
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Health
HIV/AIDS: Concepts, Principles, and Interventions
Migrant Health
Global Infectious Diseases
Global Non-Communicable Diseases
Project Management in Public Health
Interventions in Public Health
Environmental Epidemiology
Social Epidemiology
Biostatistics for Public Health I
Health Geography
Geographic Information Systems
Food and Culture
Nutrition Assessment
Global Nutrition
Administration in Public and Nonprofit Organizations
Introduction to Management of Nonprofits
Emergency Planning and Preparedness
The NGO: Policy and Management
Environment and Society
Advisor-approved elective course
Total Credits18

 Concentration in Public Health Practice (PHP)

Students examine the social and environmental factors associated with improving population and community health with a focus on the application of evidence-based public health concepts. The Public Health Practice concentration (offered 100% online) is designed to advance the competencies of public health practitioners and other health professionals to fulfill their roles and responsibilities in local, state, and federal public health agencies and non-governmental health-related organizations. 

Required Courses
GCH 535Public Health Preparedness and Response3
GCH 551Rural Public Health3
or GCH 560 Environmental Health
GCH 607Evidence-Based Public Health Practice3
GCH 655Public Health Equity and Justice3
GCH 691Project Management in Public Health3
GCH 720Public Health Problems in a Changing Society3
Total Credits18

Bachelor's Degree (any)/Public Health, Accelerated MPH

Overview

Highly-qualified undergraduates may be admitted to the bachelor's/accelerated master's (BAM) program and obtain any bachelor’s degree and an MPH in Public Health in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 150 credits.

See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree for policies related to this program.

Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master's degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.

BAM Pathway Admission Requirements

Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies. For information specific to this accelerated master's program, see the Department of Global and Community Health's Accelerated Bachelor's/MPH website.

Students will be considered for admission into the BAM Pathway after completion of at least 60 credits with a minimum overall 3.25 GPA, and:

  • A completed application form (available at the admissions website);
  • A career goal statement, between 500 and 750 words in length, that addresses the following:
    • Why are you applying to Mason’s MPH program, and the concentration you chose?
    • How will earning an MPH help you achieve your professional goals?
    • What have you learned from successes and/or challenges in your past educational, professional, and/or personal experiences? Please use specific examples, as applicable.
  • Two academic letters of recommendation, one of which must come from a George Mason University faculty member. The second letter may come from an employer if a student has had significant public health related experience.

Students may submit their application to the BAM Pathway after completion of the following classes:

GCH 300Introduction to Public Health3
ENGH 302Advanced Composition (Mason Core)3
STAT 250Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core) 13
1

Students may take any Mason Core Quantitative Reasoning course 

Students who are accepted into the BAM Pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits and course-specific pre-requisites.

Accelerated Master’s Admission Requirements

Students already admitted in the BAM Pathway will be admitted to the MPH program if they have met the following criteria, as verified on the  Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition Form:

  • 3.00 overall GPA
  • 3.00 GPA in graduate-level coursework
  • Successfully meeting Mason’s requirements for undergraduate degree conferral (graduation) and completing the application for graduation.

Accelerated Pathway Requirements

Students may take up to four graduate level courses (12 credits) that count as advanced standing. These courses also substitute for BS in Community Health major-specific degree requirements. To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses must choose from the following:

GCH 500Foundations of Public Health 13
GCH 604Fundamentals of Epidemiology and Biostatistics 23
or GCH 712 Introduction to Epidemiology
GCH 609Community Assessment and Partnerships 33
GCH 611Health Program Planning and Evaluation (Mason Core) 43
Total Credits12
  
1

Substitutes for a BS in Community Health elective.

2

Substitutes for GCH 335 for all concentrations except Epidemiology. Epidemiology concentration students are required to take GCH 712 which will substitute for GCH 412. Epidemiology concentration students may not count GCH 604 toward degree completion.

3

Substitutes for GCH 376.

4

GCH 609 is a required prerequisite. Substitutes for GCH 411.

Reserve Graduate Credit

While still undergraduates, students in the accelerated master’s program may take up to 6 additional graduate credits. These “reserve credits” do not apply to the student’s undergraduate degree but may later be applied to their master’s degree, using the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition Form

GCH 645U.S. and Global Public Health Systems3
HAP 635Role of Government in Health Care and Public Health3
Total Credits6

The ability to take courses, including those not listed above, for reserve graduate credit is available to all high-achieving undergraduates with the permission of the department. See AP.1.4.4 Graduate Course Enrollment by Undergraduates.