Online Master’s in Public Health MPH Degree Online

There are many opportunities for professionals with an MPH degree, both in the clinical and non-clinical space. Non-clinical can include working for government or non-government organizations, nonprofits, healthcare systems and private organizations. Many experienced clinicians — such as physicians, dentists, nurses and pharmacists — may also seek this degree as they see the value and find passion in illness and injury prevention.

“You can go a lot of different ways with an MPH degree,” said Dr. Gail Tudor, an adjunct instructor and former director of SNHU's online MPH program. “Policy or legislation development, or education of people and businesses. You could track diseases and do research, identifying how things spread. There are many different angles, but you'll be able to help a lot of people, and it feels good.”

When most people think about public health, they might think of healthcare facilities or government agencies with wellness programs. But that's not always the case.

“One of the benefits of having the MPH is how it fosters the potential and diversity of your career,” said Lyndsay Goss, director of continuing professional development for nursing and former faculty lead of nursing and public health at SNHU. “You could end up working at a federal health center, or more national, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or National Institutes of Health (NIH). You could work in environmental health, food safety and so much more. It’s such a wide variety of directions you can go into, it makes it exciting. You could always go forward and educate others with that degree, as well.”

Kemar Reid '18 '20G has plans for where he'd like his career to take him.

"In the future, I would like to work with underserved populations," he said. "I would like to work in establishing policies and procedures that secure healthcare for people in underserved communities, as well as attract people that want to work in these communities."

Learn more about what you can do with a master's in public health.

Yes, you can get your Master of Public Health online. While there are many online MPH programs available, not all are created equal — you'll want to do your research before enrolling.

Here are a few things to consider when looking at online MPH programs:

• Accreditation. Make sure the university has institutional accreditation. It's even better if the program itself is accredited as well.
• Career focus. A good public health program will outline how it can help you up for success after graduating.
• Cost. Online MPH programs may vary in cost. Compare cost per credit as well as the overall cost of earning your degree at each school.

Southern New Hampshire University checks all these boxes. SNHU is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), and our online Master of Public Health program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

SNHU's online MPH program includes a minimum of 120 hours of Applied Practice Experiences (APE) where you'll put your academic knowledge to work in the form of a real-world public health project. In this practical experience, you'll demonstrate specific competencies under the supervision of your instructor, a preceptor and a career advisor to — all helping you prepare for a career in public health.

Plus, SNHU offers some of the lowest online tuition rates in the U.S., and our friendly student financial services staff is happy to go over all of your tuition funding options with you.

That all depends on what you hope to do. If you want to address the root causes of health challenges in your local community and around the world, a master’s in public health could be a great first step in that direction.

“Oftentimes, public health is a very hidden profession, because its main goal is preventing something and providing resources for communities to keep healthy,” said Dr. Gail Tudor, an adjunct instructor and former director of SNHU's online MPH program.

"Without public health, it’d be a disaster. No clean water, no vaccinations. Many people don’t realize how much the field of public health has pushed these things forward."

Your master’s in public health will give you hands-on learning experience doing onsite fieldwork in a public health setting. You’ll learn from professionals in the field and add valuable experience to your resume, setting you up for success in a public health career.

Plus, with an optional concentration in global health, you can prepare to promote health as a basic human right around the world through research, financial assistance programs and policy analysis.

While MPH degrees can vary in costs, SNHU believes that education should be accessible to all.

Currently, the MPH program requires 42 credits at $659 per credit hour, totaling $27,678 from start to finish.

That said, the actual cost of your degree will vary based on the courses you take, the materials they require and the credits you receive for prior learning.

"The actual cost for school at SNHU was amazing," said Kemar Reid '20G, who had earned his BA in Psychology here in 2018. "I compared the costs for each credit with other schools, and some were similar, but SNHU was actually very amazing. I was able to complete both degrees with what most people would probably pay for a bachelor's degree."

We accept up to 12 transfer credits toward our master's degree programs. That means, if you’ve completed some graduate courses already, you could save up to $7,908 on tuition.

It's also worth noting that, while some courses will require textbooks, our online college degree programs aim to make use of free resources whenever possible - including ebooks, websites, training videos and other interactive content.

"I think money is a worry for all students, but SNHU has very reasonable costs," said Erica Darling '21G, a graduate of the MPH program. "Education is an investment in yourself, your future and your career."

It can take anywhere from 1-3 years to earn a Master of Public Health. The time it will take you to complete your MPH depends on the program's curriculum and term structures as well as how much time you can commit to your studies.

If you're planning on being a full-time student, you may be able to take 2 courses per term, helping you earn your MPH faster. If you have a full-time job or other responsibilities to consider, taking 1 course per term might be more achievable.

At Southern New Hampshire University, the online Master of Public Health program is 42 credits. With 5 undergraduate term starts per year, you could earn your MPH in about 1.5 years by taking 2 courses per term. If you take 1 course per term, you could complete your MPH in just under 3 years.