University of Puget Sound’s inaugural cohort of the Master in Public Health (MPH) program will begin classes in academic year 2021–22.
Public health is a transdisciplinary field focused on the promotion of community and environmental health, and the prevention of disease and injury to assure optimal health outcomes with an emphasis on serving marginalized populations. The MPH is a professional degree that prepares students as practitioners who are responsive to contemporary challenges in public health at local, regional, national and global levels. MPH graduates are proficient in the best practices of design, planning, and implementation of health research, programs, and services.
The mission of the University of Puget Sound Master of Public Health (MPH) program is to prepare culturally responsive graduates who promote health equity and community wellness, and work to prevent injury and illness. The program fosters students to develop a passion for life-long education, research, and public health practice that is transdisciplinary, translational, and undergirded by active critical reflection. Graduates employ a diverse set of theoretical orientations in parallel with multiple sources of evidence to make sound professional judgments, resulting in science-based and creative solutions to the challenges of public health issues that impact diverse populations. The program will engage students in an experiential-based learning environment where they collaborate with academic and professional public health partners throughout the Pacific Northwest.
This MPH program at Puget Sound (1) aligns with our institutional mission and philosophies, including fostering critical thinking, apt expression, social justice and community engagement, (2) builds on our expertise in providing excellence in health professions education and, (3) reflects our deep commitment to being community- and service-centered, and (4) will prepare professionals to provide our region with high quality public health care.
The MPH program at Puget Sound is informed by and reflects the key areas of learning outcomes/competencies consistent with CEPH accreditation requirements:
- Evidence-based Approaches to Public Health
- Public Health and Health Care Systems
- Planning and Management to Promote Health
- Policy in Public Health
- Leadership
- Communication
- Interprofessional Practice
- Systems Thinking
In addition to the key areas of learning expected of graduates of MPH programs, the MPH program at Puget Sound develops competencies in general public health and health equity consistent with the mission of the program. University of Puget Sound MPH program competencies:
- Evaluate how environmental and social influences contribute to health and health inequities in populations
- Compare causes of morbidity and mortality across economically and geographically different world regions
- Develop culturally appropriate strategies to improve health and minimize disparities in populations
- Synthesize data and literature to identify health disparities in populations
- Demonstrate high-quality writing for public health-related audiences
