MHA
The Master of Health Administration (MHA) prepares students for private and public sector leadership positions. It also provides a clinical and community perspective and professional skills. Students develop an understanding of organizational models and management principles applied to health settings; health care financial management and economics; quality and performance improvement; health policy and policy analysis; strategic planning and marketing; and health law and ethics.
The MHA requires 54 credit hours to complete. Students in the MHA are required to complete an internship, which provides an opportunity for students to apply knowledge and skills in analyzing a management problem at a health care or related organization.
MPH
The Master of Public Health (MPH) is the primary professional degree in public health. The degree gives students the skills and training necessary to formulate public health policies, address issues and advocate for change. Students can concentrate in one of several public health specialties, allowing them to better understand, improve and protect the health and well-being of the population. All MPH students complete coursework designed to help them make meaningful contributions to the control and eradication of current and emerging public health problems.
The MPH is 42-46 credits with the combined concentrations requiring additional credit hours. All MPH students will apply the knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world public health issues through a field experience and will be required to successfully complete the CPH national certification exam.
MSPH
The Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) degree provides a focus on research design, data collection, analysis and application of research intended to improve and protect the health of populations. The degree is designed for students with good quantitative and/or qualitative skills who have an interest in the science of public health and gaining a comprehensive research experience. Students are prepared for research roles in academic (teaching and/or research) or professional public health careers by incorporating epidemiological principles and biostatistical methods with their focus within the core areas of public health.
The MSPH degree consists of 42-48 credit hours. The culminating experience for the program is a research thesis, providing students an opportunity to synthesize and apply the knowledge and skills gained in the MSPH coursework and demonstrate the ability to produce a scholarly product.
DrPH
The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) emphasizes advanced public health education and training designed to prepare individuals for leadership roles in practice-based settings such as health departments, non-profit organizations, health service, international agencies, and community-based organizations. Accordingly, the emphasis of the DrPH is placed on fostering advanced expertise in developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-informed public health practice. DrPH students must complete a field-based doctoral project that is designed to influence programs, policies, or systems applicable to public health practice.
The USF College of Public Health DrPH degree is completed through distance‐learning in addition to on‐campus learning via three on-campus DrPH Institutes. This combination of program delivery formats allows working professionals to connect with other professionals, and broaden their grasp of public health management, practice, and research without interrupting their careers.
The DrPH degree is a 43-credit hour post-master's degree offering concentrations in Advanced Practice Leadership in Public Health and Public Health and Clinical Laboratory Science and Practice. Applicants are expected to come into the program with an area of interest from their masters’ coursework or their advanced practice experience in public health and can further explore their interests through their elective choices.
PhD
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is granted in recognition of high attainment in a specified field of knowledge. It is a research degree and is not conferred solely upon the earning of credit or the completion of courses. It is granted after the student has shown proficiency and distinctive achievement in a specific field, has demonstrated the ability to do original, independent investigation, and has presented these findings with a high degree of literary skill in a dissertation.
The PhD requires a minimum of 72 credits post-baccalaureate or 55 credits post-master's degree.