Master of Public Health (MPH)

This range of work includes healthcare, preventive and regulatory agencies, community health promotion service organizations, health policy organizations, and an array of health-oriented public, not-for-profit, and private groups. The concentrations for the Master of Public Health are as follows.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must be admitted to both the Division of Graduate Studies and the MPH Program. To facilitate determination of admissions into the MPH Program, applicants must submit all admission information into Admission Pros. Applications may be found on-line on the Division of Graduate Studies website. Applicants will be admitted twice a year during the Fall and Spring semesters. This information must be uploaded online into Admission Pros:

• A personal statement of professional goals
• Three letters of recommendation, with at least two from academic professionals.

Regular Status

Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a 3.00 or better cumulative grade point average. International students must meet equivalent standards and possess a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Examination.

Conditional Status

Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a 2.50-2.99 cumulative grade point average. International students must meet equivalent standards and possess a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Examination. International students cannot be admitted under Conditional Status.

Conditional status students must maintain a 3.00 GPA through their first 12 credit hours or be subject to probation and/or dismissal.

Transfer of Credits and Other Requirements

A maximum of 9 graduate semester hours earned with a “B” or higher may be transferred from Jackson State University programs and other institutions toward the MPH degree. Transfer consideration may also be given for MPH Core courses from CEPH accredited programs. The transfer of these hours are subject to the discretion of the academic advisor, department chair and/or College Dean.

Scholarships and Graduate Assistantships

Financial support may be offered (when available) to new and matriculating students holding regular admission status and maintaining at least a 3.35 program GPA as determined by the program. In order to remain eligible for financial assistance, when available, students must maintain a minimum 3.35 cumulative GPA and remain in good professional academic standing (e.g., achieve a passing score on the Graduate Area Comprehensive Examination). Only full-time students (9-12 credit hours) are eligible for assistantships offered by the MPH Program.

Academic Performance

Once admitted to the MPH program, graduate students are required to maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA to continue studies in good academic standing.

MPH Curriculum

All master’s students must complete their program of study within eight (8) years of starting coursework at Jackson State University. However, MPH full-time students can usually complete the curriculum in two and a half years. Part-time students usually require two or more additional semesters to complete the program and are strongly encouraged to graduate within three years of beginning the program of study. Failure to satisfy all requirements during the 8 year time period may result in suspension up to dismissal.

Students acquire the necessary professional knowledge, skills and competencies that qualify them for employment in public health and health service organizations in their specialized disciplines. The program must be completed with a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA for the minimum 45 credit hours. The curriculum has four major components: core courses, required concentration courses, electives, and the field practicum.

The core courses include the following basic subject studies as required by the CEPH:

1. philosophy and historical basis of public health concepts;
2. statistical basis of population health demography and quantitative, computer-based problem solving;
3. epidemiological foundations of public health;
4. social and behavioral determinants of community and personal health status;
5. environmental and biological factors in public health; and
6. management theory and practice of health and human services.

The MPH curriculum requires 6 core courses or 18 credit hours (3 hours per course) for all students. Each program assures that students take 5 required specialization courses or 15 credit hours for the advanced study in a specific public health concentration: Behavioral Health Promotion and Education, Environmental and Occupational Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Health Policy and Management.

Elective courses are offered in each concentration. Students may complete their two courses or 6 credit hours of electives within these specializations or other graduate level courses by advisor approval.

All students must complete a public health residency in the field. The Program will assist in the placement of students in field training which will account for 3 credit hours. Students will be placed in an organization for at least one full semester and commit a minimum of 400 clock hours during the semester under the supervision of a professional public health preceptor and faculty advisor. The location and specific residency activities will be worked out individually between the student, faculty of record for PHS 508 PUBLIC HEALTH INTERNSHIP, student advisor and preceptor and approved by the faculty member of record, prior to initiating the experience. Comprehensive “guidelines” will include appropriate covenants of mutual obligation between the university and the field agency through a written affiliation agreement. The purpose of this experience is to provide students with opportunities to apply and demonstrate their acquired knowledge and skill competencies in a public health setting as practice preparation for professional employment or doctoral studies upon graduation.

Graduation Requirements

Students culminate their study program by taking PHS 508 PUBLIC HEALTH INTERNSHIP Public Health Internship and PHS 507 APPLIED MASTER'S PROJECT. A minimum of 45 semester hours with a cumulative average of 3.0 or “B” (on a 4.0 scale) or higher are required to earn the degree. The Graduate Comprehensive Examination must be taken and successfully pass with an aggregate score of 80 percent or above before graduation. The Graduate English Competency Examination must be passed during the first semester of graduate studies at Jackson State University and must be passed before graduation. Students who fail this test must successfully complete ENG 500 ADVANCED LAB WRITING during their second semester of enrollment.

Important Notice for MPH Students

Students who enrolled in the MPH Program beginning in Fall 2016 and after are required to successfully pass the MPH internship (PHS 508 PUBLIC HEALTH INTERNSHIP) and PHS 507 APPLIED MASTER'S PROJECT as part of the program graduation requirements. The culminating experience courses will only be taken after successfully passing the graduate area comprehensive exam (GACE). Full-time students are admitted for full-time study to one program only. Each student must complete a Degree Plan with the assistance of their advisor at the beginning of their first semester. The Plan will reflect a full-time or part-time cohort enrollment status. Transfer from (1) full-time to part-time student status, or, (2) part-time to full-time student status must be applied for and approved by the program of origin. A change of concentration must be approved by both the advisor and department chairperson. Transfers are not automatic.

This concentration focuses on the health related behavior of individuals in the context of socio-cultural structures, communities, healthcare systems, and family units. Of particular interest is how health-related behaviors of individuals are determined by and interact with conditions in the social, political, cultural, economic, physical, and biological environment to influence health status. Emphasis is placed on identifying, evaluating, and diminishing unhealthy behaviors and promoting positive personal health. This concentration seeks to integrate and apply health behavior and social theories and methods to problems of human health. Assessment, planning implementation and evaluation of interventions with emphasis on behavioral sociocultural aspects of health are the core themes of the study of health promotion and education.

¹

With approval from the faculty advisor and course instructor a student may take elective courses from other academic units at Jackson State University.