“Public health is a form of applied social justice. It’s about making sure the benefits that modern times have brought us wealth, knowledge, technology are translated into better health status not just for the few, the rich, and the powerful, but for everybody.”
Anthony Schaff, Director
A student taking the Tufts MPH degree as his or her sole degree may be a recent college graduate, a mid-career community health worker seeking to increase his or her scientific and professional knowledge, or a mid-career health professional seeking to better understand the policies and politics of health care and public health. The faculty seek to give students both job skills for public health practice and skills needed to bring a public health perspective to work in other settings and career paths.
Tufts MPH program offers a wide, in-depth range of courses by using the resources of the full university, including the medical and nutrition schools; communication courses at nearby Emerson College, and a few law courses at Northeastern University School of Law.
The MPH program also greatly expands its offerings through several combined- and dual-degree tracks that allow an accepted student to pursue an MPH while also earning a medical, veterinary medicine, law, master’s in nutrition, or bachelor’s degree. Students can also personalize and deepen their education with concentrations of study. With the exception of students in the JD, MD, and DVM joint-degree programs, MPH students must choose one of the five concentrations, or areas of in-depth study.
For MPH, BA/MPH, JD/MPH and MS/MPH students, thirteen (13) credits are required for the MPH degree: including 11 credits of core and required courses. Other requirements depend on the pathway and concentration. MD/MPH and DVM/MPH students also must take 13 credits, but they are allocated in slightly different ways based on the needs of each track. Each component is described in greater detail below. Depending on the individual student’s track or concentration, other requirements may apply. Most students will have 1 – 1.5 credits remaining for electives, either within or external to their area of concentration. The program offers both 0.5 and 1-credit courses.
Students may qualify for a waiver of one or more required courses based on prior academic or professional work. Waivers from core courses require passing an exemption exam.
Generally, full-time study for the MPH degree requires at least 3 semesters of coursework. Students who work full time and can take only evening courses will require at least 4 semesters of study.
For information about the requirements and curriculum for the MPH degree, click on the following links:
Degree requirements
MPH Core & Required Courses
MPH Competencies
MPH Concentrations
Generalist Track