Master of Public Health Program
The Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) Program at DMU is designed for public health leaders who desire to promote and preserve health through development of sound public health science skills, policy and advocacy, leadership and systems thinking competencies. All students will develop professional competencies by enhancing their knowledge, skills and understanding of the foundational areas of public health. In addition, concentrations in public health practice, health education & promotion, or public health administration & policy allow students to tailor their education to their career goals.
Mission
To provide an excellent, competency-based, interdisciplinary education that prepares public health leaders who preserve and promote health in our global community.
Vision
To improve health for all through our commitment to innovative education, scholarship, service, and advancement of public health.
Values
- Excellence: Demonstrate outstanding performance in all teaching and learning, research, and service activities.
- Integrity: Demonstrate the highest degree of moral and ethical behavior.
- Diversity: Value the unique and various backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs of our faculty, staff, students, and communities we serve.
- Social justice: A commitment to improving health and reducing health disparities.
- Community: A commitment to community partnerships that promote student learning, professional growth, and enhanced public health practice.
Goals
- Educational goal: Use innovative and rigorous teaching and learning strategies to prepare a diverse student body with the competencies necessary to be leaders in public health.
- Service goal: Serve communities locally and globally through workforce development activities, community engagement, service, and leadership.
- Research goal: Advance public health knowledge through innovative, interdisciplinary research.
- Administrative goal: Operate and enhance a CEPH-accredited MPH program that supports faculty, staff, and student excellence and upholds the mission of Des Moines University.
Objectives
Educational Objectives
- Each of the eight public health competency domains will be addressed across the five core courses [Basic Statistics and Research, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Health, Public Health Administration and Management, Epidemiology].
- 100% of graduates will attain 70% or higher in all eight MPH competency domains.
- 90% of students who take the CPH exam will pass.
- 90% of all MPH courses will receive a student course evaluation with a mean value of 4.0 or higher (1=poor, 5 = excellent).
- 80% of all MPH graduates will report “yes” the program helped them develop entry-level competency in public health.
- 80% of all alumni will rate themselves as “exemplary” or “proficient” on the public health competency self-assessment.
- 80% of employers surveyed will report MPH graduates as “exemplary” or “proficient” in public health practice.
- 50% of MPH courses will include content and assessment linked to the cultural competency domain.
- Each year, at least two MPH program faculty will participate in at least one interdisciplinary education offering of Des Moines University students.
- Instructor peer-reviews to support continuous quality improvement will occur every other year for all faculty (core and secondary).
- Each year, the MPH program will offer at least two global health electives to support the global health initiatives of Des Moines University.
Program Requirements
To be eligible to apply for admission to the Master of Public Health program at DMU, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
Additional information regarding admission to the program can be found on the MPH Program Admissions Requirements website.
Program Application Process
Application to the Master of Public Health program is accepted through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS).
Detailed information regarding the process can be found on the MPH program admissions website.
Applicants will receive a response to their application status after files have been reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
A student may request up to 12.0 hours of graduate credit from a previously-attended, accredited institution. The request should be submitted by completing the MPH Transfer Credit Request form. Approved transfer credits will be entered on the student’s permanent record by the Registrar’s Office. Additional information is outlined in the MHA/MPH Transfer Credit policy.
Curriculum Overview and Outline
The MPH program offers concentrations in three areas, Public Health Practice, Health Education & Promotion, or Public Health Administration & Policy. Students must complete 42 total credit hours that include 24 credit hours in the Public Health Core, 13 credit hours of concentration core, and 5 credit hours of culminating experiences.
Program Outcomes
To review the program’s outcome statistics (e.g., graduation rates, employer surveys, assessment outcomes, etc.), please visit the program’s outcomes webpage.
Technical Standards for Admission, Academic Promotion and Graduation
The purpose of this document is to specify the technical standards the University deems necessary for a student to matriculate, remain in good standing and ultimately achieve all the competencies necessary for graduation within their program. The University, therefore, requires candidates to confirm their ability to comply with these standards, with or without accommodation, as a condition of admission and on an annual basis thereafter.
Fulfilment of the technical standards for graduation does not guarantee that a graduate will be able to fulfill the technical requirements of any specific residency program or employment setting.
A candidate who is seeking a MPH or MHA degree at Des Moines University must be capable of completing core educational requirements and achieving all Foundational Knowledge items (MPH only), all core competencies (MHA and MPH), and all concentration competencies (MPH) to qualify for graduation. DMU seeks to develop candidates who will acquire a deep and robust knowledge base with the ability to apply it, effectively interpret information, and contribute to decisions across a broad spectrum of public health and/or health care management settings. The critical skills required to be successful are outlined below, and include the ability to observe, communicate, understand, integrate core knowledge and skills, and to behave appropriately in varied educational and professional situations.
Reasonable accommodations may be required by otherwise qualified individual candidates to meet the technical standards specified below. Requests for University-provided accommodations will be granted if the requests are reasonable, do not cause a fundamental alteration of the education program, do not cause an undue hardship, are consistent with the standards of the public health and/or health care management profession, and are recommended by the Accommodations and Educational Support Specialist.
- Observation: Candidates and students must be able to acquire required information from readings, lectures, educational materials, and demonstrations.
- Communication: Candidates and students must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language such that they can communicate effectively in oral and written form with all members of the public health and/or health care team. Candidates and students must be able to communicate with others in order to elicit and share information. They must have the capacity for comfortable verbal and non-verbal communication and interpersonal skills that enable effective collaboration within a multidisciplinary team. In any case where a candidate’s ability to communicate is compromised, the candidate must demonstrate alternative means and/or abilities to communicate.
- Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities: Candidates and students must have the ability to accurately measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize, problem solve, and think critically. They must also have the ability to participate and learn through a variety of modalities including, but not limited to, digital learning and communication environments, classroom instruction, small groups, teams, and collaborative activities. Candidates and students must be able to concentrate, timely analyze and interpret data, and make decisions within areas in which there is a reasonable amount of visual and auditory distraction.
- Behavioral Attributes, Social Skills, and Professional Expectation: Candidates and students must be able to effectively utilize their intellectual abilities, exercise good judgment, timely complete all responsibilities, and develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with others. Candidates and students must be able to professionally manage heavy workloads, prioritize conflicting demands, and function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments; to display flexibility, to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in public health and health care management settings, and to not engage in substance abuse. Candidates and students must be able to interact with all individuals in a respectful and effective manner regardless of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, age, disability, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other protected status. Professionalism, compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are all qualities that are required throughout the educational process.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
Des Moines University welcomes qualified candidates and students with disabilities who meet the technical standards of the program, with or without reasonable accommodations. Students with a disability who may need accommodations during their educational career at DMU will be asked to reaffirm their need for accommodations when acknowledging the ability to meet technical standards annually. The student is responsible for requesting accommodations through the Accommodations and Educational Support Specialist in the Center for Educational Enhancement in person, by phone (515-271-4452) or by email (accommodations@dmu.edu). The Accommodations and Educational Support Specialist reviews all requests for accommodations through an individualized, interactive process.
The use of an intermediary may be a reasonable accommodation while performing some non-essential physical maneuvers or non-technical data gathering. However, an intermediary cannot substitute for the candidates’ or student’s interpretation and judgement. Intermediaries may not perform essential skills on behalf of the candidate or student, nor can they replace technical skills related to selection and observation.
PROCESS FOR ASSESSING COMPLIANCE WITH THE TECHNICAL STANDARDS
Candidates are required to attest at the time they accept an offer to matriculate that they meet the applicable technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, and annually confirm they continue to meet these standards. These standards are not intended to deter any candidate or student who might be able to complete the requirements of the curriculum with reasonable accommodations.
The University will, if requested, provide reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified students and candidates with disabilities unless: (1) such accommodations impose an undue hardship to the University; or (2) such accommodations result in a direct threat of substantial harm to the health or safety of the student or candidate, or others; or (3) such accommodations fundamentally alter the educational program or academic standards.
A student whose behavior or performance raises questions concerning his or her ability to fulfill these essential functions may be required to obtain evaluation or testing by a health care provider designated by the University, and to provide the results to the Center for Educational Enhancement to be considered as part of the interactive process to determine possible reasonable accommodations.
Technological compensation can be made with respect to certain technical standards, but candidates and students should be able to perform these standards in a reasonably independent manner.
PHYSICAL HEALTH
In addition to the technical standards set forth below, candidates and students must possess the general physical health necessary for performing the duties of a student in the health sciences and a health professional in training without endangering the lives of patients and/or colleagues with whom they might have contact. A candidate or student who abuses alcohol or other substances is not qualified for admission, continuation, promotion or graduation.
Required Courses
Public Health Practice Concentration
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
MPH 621 | U.S. Health Care & Public Health Syst | 3 |
MPH 650 | Basic Statistics | 3 |
MPH 651 | Environmental and Occupational Health | 3 |
MPH 652 | Public Health Law, Ethics, and Policy | 3 |
MPH 653 | Public Health Leadership, Admin & Financ | 3 |
MPH 654 | Social and Behavioral Sciences | 2 |
MPH 655 | Epidemiology | 3 |
MPH 656 | Public Health Biology | 3 |
MPH 680 | Program Planning & Evaluation Research 1 | 2 |
MPH 681 | Program Planning & Evaluation Research 2 | 2 |
MPH 682 | Integration of PH & Primary Care | 2 |
MPH 711 | Grant Writing and Management | 2 |
MPH 768 | Policy & Practice:Emergency Preparednes | 3 |
MPH 785 | Global Health Policy and Advocacy | 3 |
MPH 659 | Integrative Learning Experience I | 1 |
MPH 660 | Integrative Learning Experience II | 2 |
MPH 661 | Public Health Applied Practice Exp | 2 |
Total Credits Required | 42.0 |
Health Education & Promotion Concentration
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
MPH 621 | U.S. Health Care & Public Health Syst | 3 |
MPH 650 | Basic Statistics | 3 |
MPH 651 | Environmental and Occupational Health | 3 |
MPH 653 | Public Health Leadership, Admin & Financ | 3 |
MPH 654 | Social and Behavioral Sciences | 2 |
MPH 655 | Epidemiology | 3 |
MPH 656 | Public Health Biology | 3 |
MPH 680 | Program Planning & Evaluation Research 1 | 2 |
MPH 681 | Program Planning & Evaluation Research 2 | 2 |
MPH 685 | Foundations of Health Promotion | 2 |
MPH 686 | Communication and Social Marketing | 3 |
MPH 687 | Health Policy and Advocacy | 3 |
or MPH 785 | Global Health Policy and Advocacy | |
MPH 711 | Grant Writing and Management | 2 |
MPH 712 | Community and Family Health | 3 |
MPH 659 | Integrative Learning Experience I | 1 |
MPH 660 | Integrative Learning Experience II | 2 |
MPH 661 | Public Health Applied Practice Exp | 2 |
Total Credits Required | 42.0 |
Public Health Administration & Policy Concentration
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
MPH 621 | U.S. Health Care & Public Health Syst | 3 |
MPH 626 | Org Behavior & Leadership Theory | 3 |
MPH 650 | Basic Statistics | 3 |
MPH 644 | Health Care Economics and Policy | 3 |
MPH 651 | Environmental and Occupational Health | 3 |
MPH 653 | Public Health Leadership, Admin & Financ | 3 |
MPH 654 | Social and Behavioral Sciences | 2 |
MPH 655 | Epidemiology | 3 |
MPH 656 | Public Health Biology | 3 |
MPH 680 | Program Planning & Evaluation Research 1 | 2 |
MPH 681 | Program Planning & Evaluation Research 2 | 2 |
MPH 683 | Chronic Disease Management and Policy | 3 |
MPH 684 | Health Care Disparities & Health Equity | 2 |
MPH 711 | Grant Writing and Management | 2 |
MPH 659 | Integrative Learning Experience I | 1 |
MPH 660 | Integrative Learning Experience II | 2 |
MPH 661 | Public Health Applied Practice Exp | 2 |
Total Credits Required | 42.0 |
Required Courses under Previous Catalogs
Required courses for students matriculating prior to 2018-2019:
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
MPH 621 | U.S. Health Care & Public Health Syst | 3 |
MPH 625 | Health Care Financial Management I | 3 |
MPH 629 | Organizational Development I | 3 |
MPH 631 | Health Information Management | 3 |
MPH 633 | Population Health and Managerial Epidem | 2 |
MPH 644 | Health Care Economics and Policy | 3 |
MPH 645 | Community Health Program Planning & Eval | 3 |
MPH 650 | Basic Statistics | 3 |
MPH 651 | Environmental and Occupational Health | 3 |
MPH 652 | Public Health Law, Ethics, and Policy | 3 |
MPH 653 | Public Health Leadership, Admin & Financ | 3 |
MPH 654 | Social and Behavioral Sciences | 2 |
MPH 655 | Epidemiology | 3 |
MPH 656 | Public Health Biology | 3 |
MPH 658 | Public Health Internship | 3 |
MPH 659 | Integrative Learning Experience I | 1 |
MPH 660 | Integrative Learning Experience II | 2 |
MPH 671 | Community Research Methods | 3 |
MPH 682 | Integration of PH & Primary Care | 2 |
MPH 712 | Community and Family Health | 3 |
MPH 713 | Research Methods and Health Promotion | 3 |
MPH 749 | Field Based Learning | 3 |
MPH 774 | Management of Infectious Disease | 3 |
MPH 783 | Foundations of Global Health | 2 |
Elective Courses
6.0 credit hours of electives are required for students matriculating prior to 2018-2019.
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
GLHLT 2081 | Global Health Service Trip | 1 |
ELECT 2080 | Special Topics Elective | 0.5 - 6.0 |
MPH 658A | Public Health Internship Continuation | 0 |
MPH 660A | Integrative Learning Exp II Continuation | 0 |
MPH 661A | Pub Hlth Applied Prac Exp Continuation | 0 |
MPH 711 | Grant Writing and Management | 2 |
MPH 899 | Independent Study | 1-3 |
Any course offered in the M.H.A. curriculum may be taken to fulfill M.P.H. elective credit requirements.
Graduation Requirements
A student is scheduled for graduation after successful completion of all degree requirements and upon recommendation of the program faculty for graduation. To be eligible for graduation, students must have demonstrated competence on all MPH core and concentration competencies by obtaining a minimum of 70% one or more times for each competency. All students graduating from the MPH program are required to submit a graduation petition form prior to their intended graduation date. Students must submit this form and pay all fees in order to receive their diploma.