Public Health (Health Policy and Administration), M.P.H. (Executive)

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Health administrators are charged with coordinating a wide variety of activities crucial to the effective and efficient delivery of health services and programs. The health administrator plans, organizes, coordinates, and supervises the delivery of services within health care organizations, including hospitals, mental health clinics, medical group practices, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, insurance and pharmaceutical companies. Students earning the MPH/MBA degree find positions in the above areas as well as with consulting firms.

Master of Public Health Requirements

Program Requirements

MPH students must complete 42 hours of coursework.
Pass a capstone project and oral defense.
Students must have an overall 3.0 GPA to graduate.

Executive Master of Public Health in Health Policy Administration: An MPH program designed for individuals who have completed an undergraduate degree and have up to at least three years of full-time work experience in a health care/service setting (See additional details below). The degree can be completed in 22 months using a rigorous, concentrated format that includes three classes each semester (two in the summer semester) that meet on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Five weekends are required each semester. For information on this degree program, contact the Executive MPH coordinator in the Department of Public Health at 266-4911.

Admission Requirements

Application for admission to the MPH (Executive) program is made through the Graduate School of the university and through the Department of Public Health.

Applications are due July 15 for fall semester (admit once per year).

A complete application consists of the Graduate Studies Office application, the Department of Public Health application and essay, GRE scores, transcripts and three letters of reference from persons qualified to assess the applicant’s readiness for graduate study. International applicants also must submit a TOEFL/IBT score.

Minimum GPA is 3.0 on the last 60 hours of coursework.

A minimum of three years of experience in a health care/service setting is required. The number of years of experience can be adjusted based on GPA. If the GPA is 3.25 then 2 years’ experience is required; if GPA is 3.5 then 1 year experience is required; if the GPA is 3.75 then no experience is required.

Minimum TOEFL/IBT score is 79 for international applicants.

Applications are evaluated by the department’s Graduate School Admissions Committee. Enrollment priority is given to Mississippi residents. Other factors in the decision for admission include the GPA, GRE scores, writing skills demonstrated in the essay, and the reference letters.

Continuous Enrollment Requirement: Students must meet the requirement specified in the front section of this Bulletin.

Plan of Study. Students must submit their signed, official Plan of Study Form to the Graduate School by the end of the first semester they are enrolled. The Plan of Study Forms are available at www.usm.edu/graduate-school - click on Current Students and then click on the “Plan of Study” link.

Research and Scholarly Integrity Education

All faculty holding Regular or Associate graduate faculty status, must complete CITI training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments. All graduate students must complete the CITI training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments the first semester they are enrolled in graduate school. The RSIE policy and training information are found on the Graduate School web page –www.usm.edu/graduate-school. Contact the Dean of the Graduate School if you have any questions regarding the policy of training information.

Masters in Public Health Core Requirements (18 hours)

DPH 622 - Epidemiology 3 hrs.
DPH 623 - Biostatistics 3 hrs.
DPH 625 - Health Administration 3 hrs.
DPH 655 - Environmental Health 3 hrs.
DPH 656 - Social and Behavioral Aspects of Health 3 hrs.
DPH 767 - Cases Studies in Health Services Administration 3 hrs.

Requirements for Emphasis in Health Policy and Administration (Executive format) (42 hours)

DPH 622 - Epidemiology 3 hrs.
DPH 623 - Biostatistics 3 hrs.
DPH 626 - Introduction to Health Systems 3 hrs.
DPH 627 - Health Policy 3 hrs.
DPH 655 - Environmental Health 3 hrs.
DPH 656 - Social and Behavioral Aspects of Health 3 hrs.
DPH 657 - Healthcare Financial Management I 3 hrs.
DPH 670 - Health Law and Ethics 3 hrs.
DPH 716 - Health Economics 3 hrs.
DPH 727 - Health Care Strategic Planning 3 hrs.
DPH 737 - Health Care Organizational Behavior and Human Resources 3 hrs.
DPH 747 - Health Care Marketing 3 hrs.
DPH 757 - Healthcare Financial Management II 3 hrs.
DPH 767 - Cases Studies in Health Services Administration 3 hrs.