General MPH Program

Program Highlights & Accreditation

The Master of Public Health (MPH) at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is a professional degree designed to equip graduates for impactful careers in public health practice across local, state, regional, national, and global settings. The program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) , ensuring its curriculum effectively prepares students for the public health workforce. The program emphasizes practical application and encourages students to enhance their academic experience by completing additional public health-related graduate courses, seeking skill-building opportunities, pursuing graduate certificates, and collaborating with faculty on research and service projects.

Delivery Modes

The Virginia Tech MPH degree is offered exclusively as an on-campus, in-person program. It is structured as a two-year (four-semester) experience for full-time students. To accommodate diverse student needs, options for part-time study, accelerated tracks, dual degrees, and simultaneous degree studies are also available.

Curriculum Overview

The comprehensive 42-credit MPH program features an intentionally sequenced curriculum to ensure continuity in learning and effective preparation for public health practice. Students, in collaboration with faculty advisors, develop a plan of study that includes 22 core credits, 9 concentration-specific credits, and 8 professional preparation credits. Key requirements for graduation include a supervised practice experience, where students apply their knowledge in a real-world public health setting, and a final culminating experience that demonstrates overall competence in the field.

Admissions Requirements

Admission to the MPH program at Virginia Tech does not require any specific prerequisite courses. Prospective students applying to the VT Graduate School should generally have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 in their last 60 credit hours of undergraduate study. For further details, applicants can refer to the program's FAQ page .

Cost & Financial Aid

For detailed information regarding tuition costs, associated fees, financial aid opportunities, and other potential funding sources for the MPH program, prospective and current students are encouraged to visit the official MPH Tuition, Financial Aid, & Other Funding page .

Career & Practical Experience

The MPH program is designed to prepare graduates for a wide range of careers in public health practice, serving communities at local, state, regional, national, and international levels. A significant component of the curriculum is the supervised practice experience, which provides students with invaluable hands-on training by allowing them to assume job functions within a public health organization. This practical experience, along with a final culminating project, ensures graduates are well-equipped for the demands of the public health field.