General MPH Program

Program Highlights & Accreditation

The Master of Public Health (MPH) program at South Dakota State University is a 100% online program designed for flexibility, offering full or part-time study options. It is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The program provides an MPH generalist degree with a special emphasis on rural public health, reflecting a collaboration between SDSU and the University of South Dakota (USD) to address healthcare needs in rural and underserved communities. This focus creates a distinct national and regional identity for the program.

Delivery Modes

The MPH program is delivered entirely online, catering to a varied student population. Students can pursue the degree on a full-time or part-time basis, allowing them to balance their studies with professional and personal commitments.

Curriculum Overview

The curriculum is designed to train students in the core competencies of public health education. It is an MPH generalist degree with an emphasis on rural public health. The program requires a total of 42 credit hours. For detailed curriculum information, please refer to the program catalog .

Admissions Requirements

Applicants to the MPH program must meet the following criteria:

• Completed Graduate Application (link available on the university website).

• $35 application fee.

• Official transcripts verifying receipt of an undergraduate degree from an institution with full regional accreditation for that degree.

• Two letters of recommendation.

• Statement of purpose for studying public health.

• Successful completion of a criminal background check upon acceptance.

• A minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 on conferred degree and/or graduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, based on a 4.0 scale, on all graduate coursework.

International applicants should contact the Graduate School for additional admissions information.

Admissions Deadlines:

• Priority deadline: March 1.

• Final deadline: May 1.

Cost & Financial Aid

The estimated costs for the Online Master of Public Health program for the 2024-2025 academic year are as follows:

• Online Tuition: $470.45 per credit hour.

• Associated Fees: $145.40 per credit hour.

• The total program requires 42 credits. Based on these per-credit rates, the total estimated tuition is $19,758.90 and total fees are $6,106.80, leading to an overall estimated program cost of $25,865.70.

Career & Practical Experience

Graduates with an MPH degree are prepared for a wide range of career options in public, private, education, and non-profit sectors. Public health professionals may work in various settings such as health departments, the CDC, hospitals, higher education, government agencies, health insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies.

Potential career paths include:

• Public health nurse

• Public mental health specialist

• Health education/health promotion specialist

• Epidemiologist

• Health care administrator

• Research coordinator

• Public health specialist for CDC and health departments

• Health communication specialist

• Contact tracing

• Disease investigator