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Public Health Schools and Programs in The United States

Study Public Health in The United States

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Public Health Studies in The United States

Public health deals with the health of populations, not of individual patients: it studies why disease and injury occur and how to prevent them. In the United States it is taught mainly at graduate level, in schools and programmes of public health, although some universities also offer a bachelor's degree. SpainExchange lists 31 schools in the United States that teach public health.

How the degree is organised

The central qualification is the Master of Public Health (MPH). The University of Minnesota School of Public Health describes it as a degree that emphasises the practical side of public health and notes that most MPH programmes are completed in two years and require an Applied Practice Experience in a real-world setting. Students usually choose a concentration. At New York University, for example, the MPH requires 46 credits, typically takes two years full time or three to four years part time, and offers nine concentrations, among them biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental public health, global health, public health nutrition and public health policy. The University of Washington requires every MPH student to complete a practicum.

Before the master's, a bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study. Some schools of public health teach undergraduates too: the University of Washington offers a Public Health-Global Health major, and the University of Kentucky a Bachelor of Public Health. Beyond the master's there are two doctorates, the practice-oriented Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) and the research PhD; New York University lists both.

Accreditation and credentials

The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) states that it is the only organisation recognised by the US Department of Education to accredit public health schools and programmes. It accredits three categories with the same status: schools of public health, public health programmes outside such schools, and standalone baccalaureate programmes. CEPH explains that this specialised accreditation is separate from the institutional accreditation of the university as a whole, so it is worth checking both. CEPH was established in 1974.

Public health as such is not a licensed profession. The National Board of Public Health Examiners offers a voluntary credential, Certified in Public Health (CPH). Graduates who plan to work in another country should check there how a US degree is recognised.

Admission, language and costs

Many graduate programmes take applications through SOPHAS, a centralised application portal for participating public health graduate programmes, where one application can be sent to several schools. Teaching is in English, and universities require an English proficiency test before admission. EducationUSA advises starting the search 12 to 18 months before the planned start. International students need a student visa: once accepted by a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), the international student office issues the Form I-20 used in the visa application.

Graduate tuition is set by each school, often per credit, as at New York University. For bachelor's degrees, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports average tuition and fees at 4-year institutions in 2022-23 of $9,800 at public institutions (the in-state rate) and $40,700 at private nonprofit institutions.

Where to study public health

Many universities on the list appear in CEPH's list of accredited schools of public health. They include Johns Hopkins University (Bloomberg School of Public Health) in Baltimore, Harvard University (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health), The University of California at Berkeley, the University of Minnesota, The University of California Los Angeles (Fielding School of Public Health), Brown University, New York University (School of Global Public Health), the University of Washington, the University of Alabama - Birmingham, Temple University in Philadelphia and San Diego State University. St. Louis has two: Saint Louis University, with its College for Public Health and Social Justice, and Washington University in St. Louis.

In Colorado, the Colorado School of Public Health is run jointly by three institutions: the University of Colorado Anschutz, Colorado State University and the University of Northern Colorado. West Virginia University describes its school as the first and only school of public health in the state. CEPH also lists accredited public health programmes at Purdue University, Oregon State University, Vanderbilt University, the University of Southern Maine, Arcadia University, Wright State University and Walden University, which teaches online.

Careers

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes several public health occupations. Epidemiologists investigate patterns and causes of disease and injury; they typically need at least a master's degree, and an MPH with an emphasis in epidemiology is common. BLS counts about 12,800 epidemiologist jobs in 2025 and projects growth of 19% from 2025 to 2035. Health education specialists, who typically need at least a bachelor's degree, held about 70,400 jobs in 2025, with projected growth of 6%. Community health workers held about 64,700 jobs, with projected growth of 13%.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an MPH take in the United States?

Most MPH programmes are completed in two years of full-time study, according to the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Part-time study takes longer; New York University gives three to four years.

How do I know whether a public health programme is accredited?

Check the list of accredited schools and programmes on the CEPH website. CEPH accreditation is specific to public health and is separate from the accreditation of the university as a whole.

Can I study public health as a bachelor's degree?

Yes. Some universities offer it, for example the University of Washington and the University of Kentucky, and CEPH accredits standalone baccalaureate programmes as a separate category.

Do I need a health degree to apply for an MPH?

Requirements are set by each school. BLS notes, for master's programmes in health education, that applicants generally do not need a specific undergraduate major.