General MPH Program

Program Highlights & Accreditation

The Master of Public Health (MPH) program at Florida State University is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). It is an innovative program focused on providing high-quality education for future public health professionals. The MPH is a professional, terminal graduate degree designed to prepare students for lifelong careers in Public Health.

The program offers a concentration in Health Policy, where students are trained in core public health disciplines including epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, health policy and management, and health behavior.

Florida State University also offers a Joint Graduate Pathway in Planning and Public Health (MPH/MSP), one of only a handful of universities offering such a pathway. This reflects the resurgence of interest in ensuring urban landscapes are healthy and desirable, emphasizing that significant health improvements can result from better planning and lifestyle changes.

Delivery Modes

The MPH program accepts applicants for both full-time and part-time tracks. It is primarily a classroom-based program with limited distance-learning options. To accommodate students who work full-time, many core classes are offered after 5:00 PM, Monday through Thursday. Students are responsible for coordinating with their employers to meet class schedule requirements.

Curriculum Overview

With its concentration in Health Policy, the MPH program trains students in core public health areas. These include:

• Epidemiology

• Biostatistics

• Environmental Health

• Health Policy and Management

• Health Behavior

The Joint MPH/MSP pathway requires a total of sixty-six credit hours. For this joint program, the MPH capstone is PHC 5151, focusing on urban regional planning and public health. Students in the joint pathway also complete a ten-week, full-time (400-hour) internship. (Note: Total credit hours and specific capstone/internship requirements for the standalone MPH program are not detailed in this document.)

Admissions Requirements

Prospective students can apply to the MPH program via the FSU Graduate School admissions portal. For the Joint MPH/MSP Graduate Pathway, students must apply to both the MPH and MSP programs separately and be admitted to both. (Note: Specific prerequisites such as minimum GPA, required undergraduate degrees, or standardized test scores are not detailed in this context.)

Career & Practical Experience

Graduates of an MPH program can pursue diverse careers in public health, including epidemiology, health education, community health, healthcare administration, and research, with opportunities in government, non-profit, and private sectors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that job growth for public health professionals is higher than the national average.

Tallahassee offers a rich environment for internships, job possibilities, and extracurricular opportunities. Students in the Joint MPH/MSP pathway complete a ten-week, full-time (or 400-hour) internship in a planning or public health-related agency, typically between the first and second years of study or through part-time employment.