Public Health MPH (Master’s)
If you’re a person dedicated to the idea of making the world a healthier place, Creighton’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program is your answer. There are many ways to impact Public Health beyond a traditional healthcare provider role. Public Health professionals focus on preventing and mitigating disease outbreaks and confronting systemic health challenges affecting everyone.
In Creighton’s School of Medicine, you’ll pursue an education grounded in the Jesuit values that drive our mission, including caring for the whole person and fighting for the interests of poor and marginalized populations.
Public Health has a long history of policies to improve the health of people worldwide, including vaccination programs, family planning, and preventive medicine. If you’re driven to serve others by advocating for health education, solving population health issues, eliminating socioeconomic barriers to a healthy family, and promoting disease control and prevention, this program is for you. You can learn more in this article, What to Expect from a Public Health Degree.
"Students will hear me say that the field of public health is like a mosaic of disciplines. A public health professional will learn about health disparities, addiction, homelessness, food insecurity, infectious disease, community dynamics, programming, nursing and integrative health while learning the cultural nuances of populations different from their own. Working in the field of PH is never boring!"
– Kate L. Nolt, MPH, PhD, Assistant Professor in the MPH Program
Learn from experienced faculty—and each other
Creighton’s online master’s in public health program is housed within the School of Medicine, which brings together different concepts and perspectives to provide students with a robust interprofessional education. The Jesuit core values provide the backdrop for our program. The faculty emphasize their public health practice and research in addition to teaching. They are in the field, keeping their skills current and learning more each year about emerging public health issues.
Emily J. Ayers, MPH’22, says, “The faculty in the Creighton MPH program are top-notch. They truly want to see you succeed and will help you achieve your goals. If I had any struggles with my coursework, I knew I could talk with my professors for assistance.”
Students come from various backgrounds, including pharmaceutical sales, military, dentistry, pharmacy, law, psychology, and others. Combining your viewpoints and experiences with those of a diverse group of students and practiced faculty members allows for a well-rounded education that can position you for a successful career in public health.
A program tailored to your career goals and lifestyle
Graduate school is a significant investment of your time and money. We ensure your investment is discerning and that you can fit the coursework into your busy life. Our public health master’s program is 42 credit hours and designed to meet the needs of busy professionals and career changers. You can complete it entirely online in about two and a half years.
Your passions and career goals will help shape your degree path. You’ll choose from concentrations in Healthcare Management, Healthcare Ethics or Global Health Promotion. These specializations can lead to a public health educator career focusing on nutrition, exercise, drug use and chronic disease. Some professionals may help collect and analyze data about disease and illness. Others may consult to ensure public health programs are providing the right level of services to the community. Overall employment of health education specialists and community health workers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2023 to 2031, more than double the average for other occupations.
One of the final requirements of the program, the practical experience, is designed to be flexible. First, you'll work with a practicum coordinator to determine the focus of your practice experience based on your goals and interests. Then you’ll complete the practicum by working with a public health professional in your area. Finally, you’ll use your experiences to complete your capstone project.
“In an average semester, I take one 3-credit course per eight-week term. Additionally, I typically have one 8-week summer term. I started the program when I was working 30 hours per week in a part-time job, but for the past year, I’ve been working 40 hours per week in a full-time job while working on courses. I’ve noticed my course load more since beginning the full-time job, but my classes have largely been manageable.”
— Kevin Boes, BA’20, current MPH student
Program Details
Program Goals and Curriculum
The Master of Public Health program is ideal for individuals looking for a rewarding career promoting healthy individuals, families and communities by solving public health issues.
The Arrupe Global Scholars program is a five-year MD and MPH program which aims to educate and mentor medical students interested in pursuing careers in global health and health equity. The program seeks to educate servant-leaders in delivering healthcare.
To earn this master’s degree, complete 42 credits, as listed below:
- Required Courses - Core Public Health Knowledge (21 credits):
- Organization and Management of Public Health Services
- Introduction to Community-Based Participatory Research
- Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Environmental Health
- Ethical Issues in Public Health: A Global Perspective
- Mixed Methods
- Concentration Courses (choose between one of the following concentrations):
- Healthcare Management Concentration (15 Credits)
- Healthcare Ethics Concentration (15 Credits)
- Global Health Promotion Concentration (15 Credits) *Arrupe Global Scholars will pursue this concentration with their dual MD degree.
- Practice Experience and Capstone (6 credits)
ASPPH Membership
The Master of Public Health program at Creighton University is a member of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the Master’s in Public Health program, applicants must:
- Complete an application
- Possess a bachelor’s degree with 3.0 GPA or higher
- Provide official transcripts from all educational institutions attended. Read more about sending transcripts here
- Include a resume or curriculum vitae
- Submit a personal statement (see application for specific requirements)
- Submit three letters of recommendation from persons other than friends or family members
A personal interview may be requested in addition to the above requirements. The interview may be conducted in-person or virtually.
International students are welcomed into this program so long as they complete it from their country of residence, as F-1 visas will not be issued.
International applicants must:
Tuition & Financial Aid
Tuition rates change in the fall of each year. Visit our financial aid site for more details.
Financial Aid
To help make your graduate studies at Creighton University more affordable, we encourage you to file the FAFSA to apply for financial assistance. We also encourage you to apply for available graduate student scholarships and fellowships.
Have questions? Email or call a friendly financial specialist at 402.280.2731 for any additional questions you may have.
Dates and Deadlines
The table below details the enrollment deadlines and starting dates of courses for the current academic year. If you have any questions about dates, deadlines, or application materials, please contact an admissions advisor for personalized assistance.
ONLINE
START CLASSES IN | APPLY BY |
August | July 15 |
| May (Arrupe only) |
Approved by National Board for Master of Public Health (MPH)
The Master of Public Health (MPH) Program received accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). CEPH is an independent agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit public health schools and programs and sets a uniform criterion for all public health programs.
This news is meaningful to our current and prospective students as graduates from a CEPH-accredited public health program are eligible to take the exam for Public Health certification. Also, employers value and, in many cases, require master’s-level students to obtain their public health degree from a CEPH-accredited program. According to MPH program director Dr. Dhitinut Ratnapradipa, “This recent accreditation will greatly expand career opportunities for students in our program.”
Based on CEPH procedures, the program’s initial accreditation date will be September 6, 2019. Here is a link to the Official Accreditation Report. To request a copy of our final self-study document please email mph@creighton.edu.
“Public health is about communities—communities that we are a part of—and recognizing health is not solely an individual/biological process. This program encourages you to truly immerse yourself in your community and to recognize the community assets and barriers that either enable or restrict communities from living happy and healthy lives.”
Danielle Hotalling, Master of Public Health
