Public Health
Program Description
Public health is defined as the practice of helping members of society live healthier, longer lives. Public health is both an art and a science, and is practiced by multidisciplinary teams of professionals whose training spans a wide array of medical, social, and physical sciences. Public health focuses on the general health of communities through efforts to monitor the spread of diseases, initiatives, (both clinical and policy-oriented) to prevent disease and disability, and by promoting healthy lifestyles through education and community engagement.
The MPH program is a 42 credit cooperative program between UND and NDSU that offers diverse tracks in public health that build upon the strengths of both campuses to meet the practical needs of the public and health care practitioners who serve it. The program focuses on rural health, health promotion and prevention, disease state management, and related activities of interest to North Dakota public health care practitioners and policy makers. Specific tracks of concentration at NDSU include pharmacy, emergency management and preparedness, health promotion, and infectious disease.
Admission Requirements
All admission decisions are based upon full review of all information in the application in order to ensure fairness and to balance the limitations of any single element of the application. Strong preference for admission will be given to applicants with at least one year of practical experience in their field, including practical field experience gained within an academic program.
Minimum Program Admission Requirements
- Hold a baccalaureate degree from an educational institution of recognized standing.
- Have adequate preparation in a field related to public health and show potential to undertake advanced study, research and practical training as evidenced by previous academic accomplishment and experience.
- At the baccalaureate level, have earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) in all courses of at least 3.0 or equivalent. Students with a previous graduate degree with a GPA of at least 3.0 or equivalent may be admitted in full standing.
The Admissions Committee will invite selected applicants for an interview on the basis of the Committee's review of all submitted application materials.
Final decisions will be made after all interviews are completed. Satisfactory completion of a background check is required prior to admission.
Application Deadline: April 1
Policy on Transfer of Credit
A limited amount of graduate work completed at a regionally accredited North American institution prior to, or after matriculation in the program, may be applied toward the MPH. Graduate work is considered for transfer only on an individual basis and only after the student has completed satisfactory work in the program. Those transfer credits approved by the student’s advisor, course instructor, Program Director, and the Dean of the Graduate School will be included in the Program of Study for the MPH degree and only those transfer credits will be recorded on the transcript.
The basic purpose of the transfer policy is to ensure that transferred work is of comparable content, level, timeliness, and quality to that which would be taken at either UND or NDSU and included on a Program of Study for a masters degree. The following policies are generally applicable to the acceptance of the graduate work for transfer:
- The work must have been undertaken at an accredited North American institution.
- The student must have been enrolled at that institution as a graduate student.
- The work must have received graduate credit at the institution where it was earned.
- The student must have earned a grade of B or better.
- The work must be less than seven years old at the time the MPH degree is awarded.
The maximum amount of transfer credit that will be accepted toward the MPH degree is nine (9) semester credit hours.
Curriculum for MPH
The core area coursework will be evenly split between the two institutions; all students will take 10 credits from NDSU and 10 credits from UND (regardless of whether the student is registered as a “NDSU” or “UND” student).
Required Coursework-20 credits
Council on Education for Public Healther Core Area | Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
Biostatistics | MPH 5/731: Biostatistics (UND) | 3 |
Epidemiology | MPH 5/751: Epidemiology (UND) | 3 |
Environmental Health | MPH 5/720: Environmental Health (NDSU) | 3 |
Social & Behavioral Sciences | MPH 5/741:Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health (UND) | 3 |
Health Services Administration | MPH 5/710: Health Care Delivery in the U.S. (NDSU) | 3 |
Master’s Paper (MPH 797, 3 credits)
Students must complete a scholarly, analytical paper related to public health, in accordance with each institutions’ graduate school standards. All work must be approved in advance by the Director of the MPH program. Students will be assigned an advisor with whom the students will work and who will be responsible for grading student work/progress. All core courses must be completed before enrolling in 797.
Practicum (MPH 794, 3 credits total)
Concepts and competencies learned from MPH coursework are integrated through a minimum of 240 hours practicum that provides an opportunity to apply knowledge in a practice setting. A wide range of settings and opportunities are available and are individually tailored to assure competence in general MPH and specialization-specific skills. The practicum is designed to meet student goals, specialization criteria, and the needs of the agencies or institutions involved. The practicum is selected by the student in consultation with faculty and approved by the advisor. This experience is usually completed in the student's final term in the program and often results in the capstone project written report and presentation. However, students may register for 1 to 3 credits, repeated up to 3 times if appropriate. All core courses must be completed before enrolling in 797.
All work must be approved in advance by the Director of the MPH program. Students cannot receive credit for past work experience.
MPH Seminar (MPH 790, 1 credit).
A series of seminars will be offered for students who have completed the core courses that cover current issues in public health and integrate the cross-cutting competencies of program-planning, professionalism, public health biology, leadership, diversity and culture, communication and informatics and systems thinking.
Specialization Tracks (minimum 15 credits) NOTE: Not all track courses may be offered online.
Total = 42 credits
NDSU Specialization Tracks
Health Promotion
The Health Promotion track is designed to prepare health professionals who have a career interest in physical activity and/or nutrition. The program provides students with unique opportunities to study issues and concepts germane to lifestyle behavior modification in the context of promoting health and preventing chronic disease. Students will acquire appropriate background knowledge and experience in an epidemiological approach to public health problems that relate to physical activity and nutrition; and develop skills integral to the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs intended to promote population-based increases in physical activity and healthy nutrition. Admission into the Health Promotion track requires sufficient background in physical activity and nutrition as evidenced by academic course work, work experience, or a combination of both. Applicants should address relevant background in their letter of application.
Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
HNES 721 Health Promotion Programming | 3 |
And choose 6 credits from the following courses: | |
COMM 680 Health Communication | 3 |
Pharmacy and Public Health
This track is for licensed pharmacists or students enrolled in a Doctor of Pharmacy program. It is designed to provide pharmacists with a better understanding of their diverse roles in public health in conjunction with other health professionals, and specifically to train pharmacists to plan, implement, and assess the outcomes of public health interventions in pharmacy practice settings. Other licensed health professionals who prescribe or dispense medications regularly are also eligible to apply for this track.
Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
PHRM 665: Health Disparities and Cultural Competence in Health Care | 3 |
And choose 6 credits from elective courses, including the following: | |
PHRM 620: Special Populations | 3 |
Infectious Disease Management
This track is designed to develop knowledge and expertise in the areas of infectious disease pathogenesis with an emphasis on microbial pathogens, and the application of modern technologies and epidemiologic skills to prevent and control problems arising from infectious diseases. An emphasis will be placed on the understanding of zoonotic disease (diagnosis, prevention and management), the investigation of emerging infectious diseases, and enhancing the public response to a bioterrorism event or biosecurity emergencies. Pathogen recognition, pathogen management and methods of disease prevention and mitigation will be areas of focus.
Students who apply for the track must have completed at least an introductory course in microbiology.
Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
MICR 650: Infectious Disease Pathogenesis | 3 |
And choose 6 credits from elective graduate-level microbiology courses | |
MICR 675 Virology | 3 |
Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness
As the domestic and global hazard landscape evolves and shifts around natural, technological, and biological hazard events including pandemics, flooding, tornadoes, hazmat incidents, hurricanes, bioterrorism and other health impacting mass causality/fatality events, the interaction of public health professionals with a range of organizational partners in emergency management has increased. This track is designed to provide grounding in the organizational processes of preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation that characterize these critical relationships as well as the policy frameworks that structure these collaborative engagements.
Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
EMGT 715 Emergency Management for Public Health Professionals | 3 |
Elective Courses: Choose 6 credits from the following courses: | |
EMGT 610 Comprehensive Emergency Management Planning | 3 |
UND Specialization Tracks
The specialization tracks at UND focus on population health from a rural perspective. This means the health outcomes of populations (defined by geography, ethnicity, age, ability, employment, etc.) and the multiple determinants of these health outcomes (medical care, public health interventions, social environment, physical environment and behavior).
A Healthy Society
We face many challenges in society today related to health with an aging population, increasing prevalence of chronic disease, challenges to accessing health care services and limited systematic care across institutions or facilities. Learn how to do effective community health assessment and engage community stakeholders in ongoing work to improve health. Work to define community, analyze health status, develop interdisciplinary and interprofessional teams, and implement change toward a healthier society. Leave the program prepared to work with community leaders in clinics, hospitals, healthcare facilities, health plans, local government offices and others in community organization, education and services to improve health.
Rural Health and Health Care
Understanding the population health status and determinants of health that relate to smaller rural or remote communities is essential to improve health outcomes. Learn about health care issues unique to rural communities and populations and learn about the resources, systems and needs of rural health care delivery systems. Develop analytical and communication skills, understand systems approaches and strategic management that meet the needs of rural communities.
Rural Health Management and Policy
The status of the health of the U.S. population ranks significantly below the health status of many other countries in the world in spite of a tremendous financial investment in our health care delivery systems. Learn the analytical skills necessary to evaluate population health and health determinants, management skills and systems approach to effective delivery of services, and communication and leadership skills to develop and advocate for health policy that can address population health. Leave the program prepared to work in health management or policy in health care institutions, health plans or government agencies.
Faculty
Pharmacy
Donald Warne, MD, MPH
Daniel Friesner, Ph.D.
Christian Albano, Ph.D., MPH
David Scott, Ph.D., MPH
Health Promotion
Gary Liguori, Ph.D.
Ardith Brunt, Ph.D., RD
Jared Tucker, Ph.D.
Emergency Management
Daniel J. Klenow, Ph.D.
Carol Cwiak, J.D., Ph.D.
Jessica Jensen, Ph.D.
D.K. Yoon, Ph.D.
George Youngs, Ph.D.
Infectious Disease
Eugene Berry, Ph.D.
Margaret Khaitsa, Ph.D.
Jane Schuh, Ph.D.
