Online Master of Public Health in Global Health

The online Master of Pubic Health (MPH) in Global Health is a graduate degree program that was designed for those who are interested in pursuing a career path in a variety of public health positions in developing countries all around the world. The degree program was designed to prepare healthcare professionals that will work closely with various government agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities, and hospitals to engage various communities to identify and address the specific health issues these communities may be having. These leaders then work to design and implement health programs and public health policies to address the issues to the betterment of the health of everyone in the community. The MPH in Global Health also prepares students to work with different cultures and environments and in dealing with the various issues and challenges they may face.

Students considering pursuing an online MPH in Global Health should have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0. They should also expect to submit GRE exam scores as well as letters of recommendation, and possibly a resume or curriculum vitae (CV).

The typical online MPH in Global Health requires the completion of 45 credit hours to graduate. And since all of the courses are offered online, students don’t have to put their lives on hold to attend school on campus to finish the degree. With the entire program offered online, students have the ability to continue working full-time in their current careers as they earn the degree online in their free time.

The typical MPH in Global Health track consists of a combination of traditional public health courses such as Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Genomics, Emerging Diseases, and others. In addition, students can also expect to take several global health courses such as Global Health Leadership, Global Issues in Social and Behavioral Health, Public Health Policy, and Program Planning & Evaluation. Most MPH programs will offer several electives courses giving students the option to study courses that interest them or are relevant to their career interests.

Global Health Career Path

The career path for global health leaders is diverse. Global health leaders can be found working in the field in remote locations all around the world in such areas as global resources administration, refugee health, emergency response and relief, strategic planning, and in other areas. Those considering this career path should be aware that working conditions in the field can be challenging, especially in developing countries. Accommodations are often very basic and many of the amenities that are taken for granted in developed countries, such as flush toilets, electricity, access to running water, and others, may not be available.

There are many careers for MPH in Global Health graduates that do not require spending time in the field. Global health leaders are frequently employed as technical consultants or specialists, as grant writers, as program managers, and in other critical areas. These are administrative positions that are typically located in home offices.

According to the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary of someone working in community health is $41,830 per year. The job outlook is better than average with an expected growth rate of 21 percent from 2012 to 2022.

Sources:

http://giph.nyu.edu/academic-programs/mph/academics/concentrations/global-health-leadership.html
http://mph.usc.edu/global_health_leadership.php
http://sph.washington.edu/prospective/programDetail.asp?progID=mph-gh-lpm
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm