GMU Online Master of Public Health (MPH)

George Mason University (GMU) offers an online Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in Public Health Practice through the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The curriculum includes a 200-hour public health practicum completed over two semesters. Students learn how to improve population health by applying evidence-based public health methodology.

The MPH program is designed for public health practitioners and health professionals who work in governmental and non-governmental health-related organizations. A health-related bachelor’s degree or work experience may be beneficial in completing this program. However, applicants come from a wide variety of backgrounds and work experience.

Master of Public Health coursework is fully online with no campus visits. The program comprises 42 credits plus a 200-hour practicum and can be completed in 2½ to three years. Students have up to six years to complete the program. Both full-time and part-time study is available. Courses begin in the fall, spring, and summer.

Online MPH courses are primarily delivered through asynchronous instruction with discussion boards, case studies, recorded lectures, readings, and other elements to engage students. GMU utilizes the Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) to deliver online courses. Practicums, internship opportunities, and fieldwork are also built into the program.

Graduates of the MPH program will be eligible to take the Certified Public Health (CPH) exam through the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE). They may go on to work as epidemiologists, research associates, social science analysts, and environmental health specialists. Possible organizations where public health professionals work may include the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), and the US Food and Drug Administration (USDA).

Core courses for the MPH program include Foundations of Public Health; Fundamentals of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Community Assessment and Partnerships; Health Program Planning and Evaluation; US and Global Public Health Systems; Role of Government in Healthcare and Public Health; and Applied Public Health Leadership and Management.

Public Health Practice concentration courses include Public Health Preparedness and Response; Environmental Health; Evidence-Based Public Health Practice; Project Management in Public Health; Social and Ecological Determinants of Health; and Public Health Problems in a Changing Society.

George Mason University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC). The Master of Public Health program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).