Online Master of Public Health Degree
Advance your career with GMercyU’s new online master’s degree of Public Health (MPH) — a flexible, online program that will prepare you to become a public health leader in a critical, growing, and rapidly evolving field.
Complete your degree online as a full-time or part-time student. This program is ideal for:
- Public health professionals or students who who want to work in a non-clinical healthcare setting or to advance to public health management
- Healthcare educators, professionals, or students interested in working in a public health setting
- Business professionals or students who want to work in health administration
With an MPH degree, you’ll join a community of well-paid public health leaders. Salaries for MPH graduates in the Philadelphia area average about $78,000 – more than twice the average wage for the region, according to a survey conducted by Burning Glass Technologies.
Program Details
The only program of its kind in our area to offer a Health Equity Concentration, GMercyU’s online MPH degree will prepare you to advocate for disadvantaged communities and populations in the U.S. and around the world, improving people’s health and overall quality of life.
You’ll dive deeply into topics including biostatistics, epidemiology, and environmental health – and you’ll hone skills in policy making, grant writing, advocacy planning, leadership and administration skills, and more.
Other benefits include:
- Courses taught by public health experts
- A flexible full-time or part-time program, offered online
- Research and internship opportunities in the field
And, you will learn at an institution whose history and mission is rooted in service – at GMercyU, we have been developing change-makers and social justice advocates for decades.
Master of Public Health students must complete 42 credits in public health courses. Courses are designed to help students become competent and confident in the application of skills used in the field of public health.
The first year courses focus on an integrated core curriculum that addresses these foundational public health competencies:
- Foundations of Public Health and Health Equity
- Public Health Analytic Methods 1 & 2
- Policy Approaches to Advocate for Health Equity
- Planning and Managing Public Health Interventions
- Environmental Health Equity
After completing these foundational courses, students will have the opportunity to apply these public health skills during the summer in an Applied Practical Experience with a public health organization in their community.
The second academic year will allow students to further develop public health skills in courses that address specific strategies for addressing health disparities and achieving health equity in domestic and international populations.
Producing a final, high-quality, written product developed during the Integrative Learning Experience in your last semester will allow you to synthesize the skills you have learned throughout the program.
Sharla Willis, DrPH, MPH, MA, Founding Program Director and Assistant Professor of GMercyU’s Public Health Programs, took part in each of the following panel discussions:
- GMercyU Hosts Informational Panel on the COVID-19 Vaccines
- GMercyU Hosts MercyTalk Discussing Health Equity in the Time of COVID-19
Dr. Willis also wrote Public Health Encompasses More than Pandemics to share careers in public health you might not have considered.
Sharla Willis, DrPH, MPH, MA
Position: Founding Program Director and Assistant Professor
Did You Know? Dr. Willis completed a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Health Scholars postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan focused on community-based participatory research.
Learn More
Nazsa Baker, PhD, MA
Position: Assistant Professor
Did You Know? Dr. Baker’s current research involves Black male firearm violence survivors, hospital-based violence intervention programs, and trauma.
Learn More
Advance Your Career
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, public health was a growing field. According to a 2017 survey of state and local public health workers, 22% planned to retire in the next five years (de Beaumont Foundation, 2019).
Nationally, job opportunities in this field are expected to increase by 10% through 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Public health is a broad and diverse field. Experts are needed all over the world to work for government health departments and agencies, private corporations, non-profit organizations, community clinics, schools, and more.
With an MPH degree, public health professionals can advance into management positions and enjoy a career in which they can make a difference and a living, while benefiting from increases in job opportunities.
Here are just a few examples:
| Position | Median Salary 2018 | Expected Growth 2018-2028 |
| Medical and Health Service Managers | $99,730 | 18% |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $65,320 | 13% |
| Health Educators | $54,220 | 10% |
| Environmental Specialists | $71,130 | 8% |
| Occupational Health & Safety Specialists | $73,020 | 6% |
| Epidemiologists | $69,660 | 5% |
(US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020)
Next Steps
Admission Requirements
No GRE is required. Admission requirements for the online MPH degree program will include:
- Transcripts from all undergraduate institutions you attended; please submit any post graduate work as well.
- A 250-500 word essay identifying a public health issue in your community and how an MPH would help you address this issue
- Two letters of reference from people who can speak to your ability to succeed in and benefit from the MPH program, ideally academic or professional references from instructors or supervisors
- A current resume or curriculum vitae
- Access to a computer and internet connection in order to successfully complete online coursework
Applications are reviewed holistically to make a determination of applicants’ ability to thrive in our graduate program. We look for:
- Demonstrated academic ability in your undergraduate transcript, generally defined as:
- A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale or the equivalent, and
- Consistent academic performance in math, science, and writing intensive courses.
- Note: While a GRE is not required, those with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 or lacking in the above courses may submit GRE scores for consideration.
- Strong written communication skills, assessed through:
- Your essay
- Transcripts
- References
- A strong interest in the field of public health and addressing the health needs of communities. Keep in mind that:
- Our program welcomes those who are currently working in the field of public health, career changers and recent graduates. Your personal experience is valued.
- Public health is an interdisciplinary field, so all academic backgrounds are relevant.
- Your essay will help us understand why you are interested in public health. It is okay if you do not yet have a specific career goal or public health area identified, as you will have the opportunity to explore the field during the MPH program. If you have public health experience or detailed public health career goals, please share those in your essay and resume.
*Since this is a fully online program, GMercyU cannot sponsor any student VISAs for the MPH degree. For international students interested in the MPH Program, we recommend that you first check with your government's policies to determine if they accept online U.S. degrees as a valid degree before considering this program.
Get the education you need to advance your career — and expand your career possibilities — in public health! Earn your Master of Public Health at GMercyU!
© Copyright 2021 Gwynedd Mercy University