Program Description

Master of Public Health (MPH) Degree Program

A Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program was approved for Chicago State University (CSU) on June 21, 2010, by the Illinois Board of Higher education (IBHE).

Chicago State University was approved to pursue the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, and Health Service Management concentrations. However, the Department is currently offering the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention concentration effective Fall 2011.

The MPH program is a practice centered curriculum designed to prepare students for the health problems of the 21st century by focusing on the core functions of public health – health status assessment, environmental health quality assurance, behavior change strategies, health disparities, as well as health policy development and research. The MPH program has a value-added component that focuses on minority health and health equity.

Program Outcome

The MPH curriculum is designed to emphasize the social and behavioral scientific strategies in understanding the causality, consequences, prevention and control of diseases and untimely deaths in minority populations.

The MPH curriculum design at CSU requires 48 credits of course work divided into “public health core,” “concentration” courses and “electives”. Students will have the option of a practicum or thesis as a required capstone experience. Currently, there is one concentration offered:

Urban Health and Wellness

The overall contents of the MPH curriculum at CSU satisfy the core public health standards prescribed by the Associations of Schools of Public Health which represents the 41 Council of Education for Public Health (CEPH). Minority health, including health disparities issues and other urban health issues are the focus of the program. See Curriculum Pattern for full description.