Offering Campuses
Argosy University, Atlanta; Argosy University, Dallas; Argosy University, Denver; Argosy University,Hawai’i; Argosy University, Inland Empire; Argosy University, Los Angeles; Argosy University, Nashville; Argosy University, Orange County; Argosy University, Phoenix; Argosy University, Salt Lake City; Argosy University, San Diego; Argosy University, San Francisco Bay Area; Argosy University, Sarasota; Argosy University, Seattle; Argosy University, Tampa; Argosy University, Twin Cities; Argosy University, Washington DC
Program Overview
The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program is designed to prepare students for possible careers in the field of public health. The Master of Public Health is intended to create professionals who will be able to close the gap between the concepts and principles of public health and the realities of actual practice to improve health and well being. The MPH is a professional degree designed to provide health care and other professionals with an understanding of the public health sciences, population-based research, and the community practice of public health. In addition, students will have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills that can be used in health care policy development and management. The program is designed to prepare its graduates for leadership roles in a variety of private, public, and regulatory agencies, in for-profit and not-for-profit health organizations, and in health services research. The MPH degree program seeks qualified applicants with clearly identified career goals that are consistent with the anticipated academic preparation.
The MPH degree program requires students to complete 45 credit hours of course work including 39 credits of core courses, 3 credit hours of practicum, and a capstone project. The curriculum includes five core areas of public health: epidemiology, biostatistics, social and behavioral sciences, environmental health, and health policy and management. In addition, students are required to pursue independent capstone projects and field studies on topics tailored to their particular interests.
Program Outcomes
The MPH degree program is intended to produce graduates as leaders in public health and the following program outcomes reflect this goal.
Program Outcome One: Health Policy Management
Competency 1.a Examine public health problems and develop proposed policies that illustrate pertinent legislative issues, advocacy opportunities, communication, media management and system issues to successfully pass, communicate, and implement the policy.
Competency 1.b Align policies that contribute and promote health and well being with local cultures and realities to guide effective practices that improve health status.
Program Outcome Two: Healthcare and Organizational Management
Competency 2.a Assess organizational norms and values, and build coalitions and consensus around organizational vision, priorities, state and national health and wellness agendas with clear performance impacts.
Competency 2.b Manage and determine costs and implications for public health programs with un-met needs, and develop plans to meet customer needs and improve health outcomes.
Program Outcome Three: Communication and Informatics
Competency 3.a Develop investment proposals for public health organizations and implement integrated information systems that collect, track, and share information across critical networks of providers and IT systems, in order to improve processes, quality of care, and service outcomes.
Competency 3.b Examine customer/community needs and apply a systems approach in successfully addressing those needs by aligning the organization and customer needs with leading information technology and communicating the improvements to key stakeholders.
Program Outcome Four: Systems Thinking
Competency 4.a Analyze the make-up of organizational systems and characteristics, evaluating the impact of changes in the input, processes, and output on the health outcomes.
Competency 4.b Analyze the interrelations among public health systems and key stakeholders to influence the political, social, economic, and educational factors that impact public health systems.
Program Outcome Five: Performance Improvement
Competency 5.a Propose a performance improvement system that includes assessment of the organizational capacity, culture, readiness, and planning to establish performance baseline, goals and performance management processes for monitoring progress and continuous improvements.
Competency 5.b Integrate public health informatics, information systems and technology, and communication strategies in the design, implementation, evaluation, and replication of best practices for monitoring and improving overall practice, performance, and outcomes of the program/organization.
Competency Six: Interpersonal Effectiveness
Competency 6.a Examine the importance of interpersonal relationships with key stakeholders to establish, build, and sustain effective alliances to successfully address priority health problems in the community.
Admissions Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, a nationally accredited institution approved and documented by the faculty and dean of the College of Health Sciences, or an appropriately certified foreign institution
- A 2.7 grade point average for the bachelor’s degree used as the basis of admission, or a grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) for the last 60 hours of coursework (including graduate work)
- A minimum score of 550 on the written TOEFL® or 79 on the TOEFL® Internet (iBT) is also required for all applicants whose native language is not English or who have not graduated from an institution at which English is the language of instruction
An admissions representative is available to help interested applicants complete the following required documentation:
- Completed Application for Admission Form
- Application fee (Non-refundable, except in California and Arizona. In the state of Arizona, the application fee is refundable if the application is canceled within three business days of the applicant signing the Enrollment Agreement.)
- If the basis of admission is an earned bachelor’s degree with a 2.7 grade point average, an official transcript from the degree granting institution
- If the basis of admission is a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) for the last 60 hours of coursework, official transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended during the 60 hours of study
- Prior to matriculation applicants will be required to submit a personal/ professional goal statement (the statement is used for advisement purposes, and does not become part of the academic file)
Exceptions to the Minimum Grade Point Average
Applicants with a grade point averages between 2.5 and 2.7 may be considered for admission on an exception basis. Exceptions must be approved by the program chair. Exceptions must be documented, signed, placed, and retained in the student’s academic file. Students admitted on an exception basis will be assigned provisional status. See “Exceptions to Admission Requirements” under Admission Policies .
Applicants with a grade point average between 2.0 and 2.4 may be considered for admission on an exception basis with significant evidence of academic and professional potential. This potential may be demonstrated by the career and/or personal accomplishments indicated in the statement of academic and professional goals, the career summary, and academic or professional letters of recommendation. Exceptions must be approved by the program chair. Exceptions must be justified, documented, signed, placed, and retained in the student’s academic file. Students admitted on an exception basis will be assigned provisional status. See “Exceptions to Admission Requirements” under Admission Policies .
Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement will also be required to submit the following:
- Personal/professional goal statement with a self-appraisal of qualifications for the profession
- Current résumé (or career summary)
- The names and contact information of three professional and/or academic references
Applications to Multiple Campuses
Applicants who are undecided with respect to the location they wish to attend should submit an application and full set of application materials to their location of first choice. Applicants who are accepted into their location of first choice and who, prior to beginning the program, determine they want to complete the same program at a different location, should notify the initial location of record of that intent. Provided that the same program is available, all previous approvals and credits accepted will remain in force. If an individual requests to change programs, he or she will need to meet all admission requirements of the new program.
Foundation Course Prerequisites
All matriculating MPH degree program students should have successfully completed at least one college-level course in each of the following areas:
Mathematics (e.g., calculus, algebra, statistics)
Health-related science (e.g., nutrition, microbiology, anatomy or physiology), OR
Another biology course
Students are required to complete the above foundation courses at the undergraduate level or show successful completion of academically equivalent coursework. Students must either complete these courses, or transfer in their equivalent prior to beginning the core requirements of the MPH degree program, or concurrently with core courses and the permission of the program chair. Students will be notified during the admission process if one or more courses are needed.
The following are Argosy University courses that could be taken to satisfy the foundation course requirements:
MAT 106 - Quantitative Literacy (3)
MAT 107 - College Algebra (3)
MAT 109 - General Education Mathematics (3)
MAT 112 - General Education Statistics (3)
BIO 110 - Understanding Human Anatomy (3)
BIO 115 - Fundamentals of Human Physiology (3)
BIO 120 - Human Anatomy and Physiology (3)
SCI 110 - The Rise of Modern Science (3)
SCI 115 - The Ecological Perspective (3)
Prerequisite Experience
It is recommended that students have prior health experience (e.g., in health care, research, community development, health promotion/education) and/or commitment to public health, and have or expect to have managerial or supervisory experience.
Graduation Requirements
- Successful completion of all academic requirements set forth by the College of Health Sciences, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Successful completion of 45 credit hours that includes
39 credit hours, core course requirements
3 credit hours, practicum requirements
3 credit hours, capstone requirements
- Petition to Graduate Form submitted to campus administration
Program Requirements
The MPH degree program requires the satisfactory completion of 45 credit hours distributed as follows: core course requirements, 39 credit hours; practicum requirements, 3 credit hours; capstone requirements, 3 credit hours.
