General MPH Program

Program Highlights & Accreditation

Western Kentucky University's Master of Public Health (MPH) is a professional practice degree designed to prepare students for diverse health-related professions. The program is nationally accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). A key feature is the ability for students to customize their curriculum through individually-selected public health focus areas, tailoring the program to meet specific professional or academic goals. The program emphasizes applied and integrative learning and aims to prepare competent public health practitioners to enhance the health status and quality of life of diverse populations in local, state, national, and global communities.

Delivery Modes

The MPH program is conveniently offered in a 100% online format, designed to meet the needs of the public health workforce, healthcare providers, students enrolled in other programs (MD, MSN, MS, etc.), and other working professionals. An on-campus option is also available. Additionally, the program offers a Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP) which provides an accelerated timeframe for completion for eligible undergraduate students.

Curriculum Overview

The MPH degree requires 42 credit hours. The curriculum includes core courses covering foundational public health areas such as Biostatistics for Public Health (or Advanced Biostatistics), Program Planning in Public Health Practice, Health Inequities, Public Health Foundations and Practice, Applied Methods in Public Health Practice/Field Epidemiology, Epidemiology, Principles of Environmental Health, Community Organizing in Public Health, Health Behavior Theory, and Health Program Evaluation. Students also select 12 credit hours of advisor-approved electives. The program is competency-based and focuses on applied and integrative learning. Students are required to successfully complete and defend a capstone project, which could include a thesis, prior to graduation.

Admissions Requirements

To be fully admitted into the MPH program, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from a regionally-accredited US institution of higher education.

• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale from a regionally-accredited US institution of higher education AND a minimum of three years of professional public health experience.

• Current enrollment in a regionally-accredited US medical school or doctoral program.

• Graduation from a regionally-accredited US medical school, master's, or doctoral program.

• Completion of a WKU graduate certificate with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Applicants who do not meet any of these criteria may be admitted conditionally. All applicants must submit the following:

• A written personal statement.

• A resume or Curriculum Vitae.

• Contact information for at least two professional references.

Applicants should also refer to the general Graduate Studies admission requirements .

Career & Practical Experience

The MPH program at WKU prepares graduates for a wide range of health-related professions. The curriculum is competency-based and focuses on applied and integrative learning, culminating in a required capstone project. This project provides students with practical experience and could involve a thesis or other applied work, allowing them to demonstrate their skills in addressing public health challenges.