Executive Master of Public Health MPH

Major: Public Health
Degree Awarded: Master of Public Health (MPH)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 56.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 51.2201
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-9111

About the Program

The Executive Master of Public Health (EMPH) is an online program with residency requirements designed for working professionals and offers a convenient class schedule in which students can earn their degree in 21 months. Whether working in public health, a related health or social service setting, or seeking a career change, the EMPH is tailored for individuals who are committed to advancing their careers and acquiring the knowledge and tools to advance to leadership roles in public health. The program is fast-paced, intensive, and demanding, but builds on each individual's former education, work experience, and skills.

The EMPH covers the major disciplines of public health, including community health and prevention, environmental and occupational health, epidemiology and biostatistics, and health management and policy, with a focus on public health practice. In addition to required public health core courses, EMPH students take additional required courses in policy, community assessment, urban health, and cohort-specific seminars. Students also choose from a range of electives based on their academic and professional interests. Students work together in the second year in their capstone course and complete an Applied Practice Experience which enables them to integrate real-world experience with classroom learning. 

EMPH students are provided with mentoring and advising opportunities both by full-time School of Public Health faculty and public health practitioners.

Additional Information

For more information about this program, please contact:

DSPH Academic Advising Team
Office of Education
​dsphadvising@drexel.edu

Additional information can be found on the Drexel University Online website, including admissions criteria and how to apply.

Degree Requirements

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HMP 667 is a 1.5-credit course taken 3 times for a total of 4.5-credits.

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Students can take additional 500-level or above electives across the university as long as they meet prerequisite and restriction requirements. Students can contact their faculty mentor to discuss elective options.

Students may be able to use elective credits to further focus their academic work by completing a graduate minor or by coupling a DSPH graduate certificate. Students must have enough applicable elective credits to complete the certificate program without going beyond the required credits for the program. Students can contact their academic advisor for more information.

Sample Plan of Study

Program Level Outcomes

Foundational Competencies

• Apply epidemiological methods to settings and situations in public health practice
• Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming, and software, as appropriate
• Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy, or practice
• Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings
• Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities, and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community, and systemic levels
• Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities’ health
• Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design, implementation, or critique of public health policies or programs
• Design a population-based policy, program, project, or intervention
• Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management
• Select methods to evaluate public health programs
• Discuss the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
• Propose strategies to identify relevant communities and individuals and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
• Advocate for political, social, or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
• Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity
• Apply leadership and/or management principles to address a relevant issue
• Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges
• Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors
• Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation to a non-academic, non-peer audience with attention to factors such as literacy and health literacy
• Describe the importance of cultural humility in communicating public health content
• Integrate perspectives from other sectors and/or professions to promote and advance population health
• Apply a systems thinking tool to visually represent a public health issue in a format other than standard narrative

Major Competencies

• Describe the importance of social capital and natural helpers when designing community-engaged public health strategies
• Analyze organizational challenges facing public health practice organizations
• Demonstrate critical, reflective thinking and writing skills that are needed to advance value-based public policies
• Weigh the roles of policymakers, citizens, and interest groups in shaping public health policy
• Translate and disseminate public health science for use by public health practitioners and policy makers