Is the MPH a Terminal Degree?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by jimwe, Nov 9, 2005.

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  1. jimwe

    jimwe Member

    I've recently finished the e-Cornell HR Management Certificate program. I want to specialize in Health and Safety Training and am in the early part of APUS's MPH program. Public Health has a wide variety of applications and there are many types of jobs in this field.

    I'm wondering if it's considered a terminal degree or if a lot of people in this field go on for more advanced degrees? Can anyone with experience in this field comment on this?:confused:
     
  2. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    I have known a couple of people who have gone from an MPH degree and career to a PhD in Epidemiology. I do not know how common this might be.
    Jack
     
  3. Jake_A

    Jake_A New Member

    The Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) is a professional degree. It is often the terminal degree for the front-line public health worker.

    Physicians and other health care practitioners, as well as others interested in public health/health systems leadership, administration/management, public policy, research and the academy (teaching), often go on to study to earn the Dr.PH.

    Degree paths/trajectories in health systems/public health may be:

    Master's: MPH, MA, MS, MASPH, MHA/MHS/MHSA, leading to
    Doctoral: DrPH, PhD, ScD, DEnv;

    or

    Masters: MOH, MHPE, MADH, MMM, MSEE, MSP, MCD leading to
    Doctoral: DPT, EdD

    A useful overview and reference on this topic is an eminently readable book published by the Institute of Medicine (2003):
    Who Will Keep the Public Healthy? Educating Public Health Professionals for the 21st Century (2003)

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks.
     
  4. japhy4529

    japhy4529 House Bassist

    Hi Jimwe,

    No, the MPH is not considered a terminal degree. Many schools offer a DPH (Doctor of Public Health) or a Ph.D. in Public Health. Also, as Jack mentioned, one could also pursue a Ph.D. in Epidemiology or Infectious Diseases.

    BTW, how do you like the APUS MPH program so far? I was looking at their program a little while back and it looks intriguing. I'm still working on my Bachelor's, so I'm hoping that they obtain RA status by the time I'm ready for Grad school.

    Also, a school advisor from APUS indicated that they plan on pursuing certification through ASPH (Association of Schools of Public Health). While the Public Health field does not require certification perse, it does help to have an ASPH approved MPH degree if you are considering a career in Academia or a State Public Health office.

    ASPH Website - http://www.asph.org/

    If you are looking to supplement your MPH with another related degree, you may wish to check out the MSc in Epidemiology program at the University of London External Programme.

    http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/prospective_students/postgraduate/lshtm/epidemiology/index.shtml



    Good luck!

    - Tom
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2005
  5. japhy4529

    japhy4529 House Bassist

  6. fortiterinre

    fortiterinre New Member

    My experience is a few years old now, but in the late 1990's there were all kinds of jokes about how the MPH was the red-headed stepchild of health service master's degrees, because you don't get a practice license such as nurse practitioners or social workers get, and the MPH isn't considered as business-savvy as a health care MBA or master of health administration degree. I distinctly remember my HR director returning from a job fair disgusted at how the bulk of the applicants were new grad MPH's whom no one wanted to hire because they expected master's degree salaries but were seen as lacking both clinical and administration utility.

    To end on a positive note, I took many classes with MPH students at my alma mater (Northwestern University), and they were terrifyingly brilliant people who I am sure got snapped up by employers. I think a lot might depend on how specialized your knowledge and expertise is--big teaching hospitals have all kinds of tricky semi-clinical, semi-administrative jobs where MPH's compete well I'm sure. Saftey training is huge in health care, and if you are an expert in OSHA, emergency response, etc, you might do quite well with both your MPH and a doctorate if you so choose.
     
  7. Michael Lloyd

    Michael Lloyd New Member

    Steve's comments above are very similar to my wife's opinions back when she was investigating MPH programs. Upon her retirement from the Navy in 2000, she was thinking about a MPH, among other options. She soon discovered that in this area of the country, there were almost no job opportunities outside the governmental public health agencies, or some 'thinktank' settings. She went for a MHA instead as a more logical complement to her healthcare management experience in the Navy.

    I myself work in healthcare administration (with a MBA) and rarely encounter a MPH in real life outside of our county health department. The University of Washington has a MPH program, with an administrative track, that is done in conjunction with their MPA program. These people seem to be prepared to be administrators in governmental agencies. The only people in public health with higher degrees that I have encountered have all been physicians.
     
  8. edowave

    edowave Active Member

    Interesting. UF has a new MPH program. They also offer a certificate program which I was considering as a way to expand my horizons. I can either get a "general PH certificate" which would cover a little of everything (administration, epidemiology, biostats, environmental health, policy), or I could specialize in one of the fields. I was interested in the biostats certificate, but I'm not sure what companies/hospitals/government organizations would hire a person with such a specialty. Any thoughts? Would a general certificate be better?
     
  9. fortiterinre

    fortiterinre New Member

    It's always worth asking UF what grads of the certificate programs do, how much they make on average, if cert grads are welcome to participate in campus recruiting, if in fact there is campus recruiting, etc. How polished the answers are can tell you a lot about the program, and if there are good stats, believe me, they are happy to find a way to tell you. My all-time favorite answer to my question about placement assistance and recruiting was, "Don't worry, we'll show you the websites where you can look for jobs." And this from a $30K+ master's program that emphasized its popularity with employers!!!
     
  10. jimwe

    jimwe Member

    Re: Re: Is the MPH a Terminal Degree?

    I'm taking the first class now. It's pretty well set up and organized. APUS is a good online outfit. I'm sure they'll do the ASPH after they become RA. Overall, I'm pretty happy with my choice with them.

    What I've found is the MS Ed in Online Teaching and Learning leads mostly to part time adjunct jobs.

    This isn't what I want to do, so I want to get a "content specialty." I was an Environmental Lab Tech for years and have been teaching ESL for the last 10. But I'm reaching severe burnout in ESL and want to make a career change. APUS fits the bill nicely.
     

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