Dec 02, 2024  
Catalog/Bulletin 2021-2022 
    
Catalog/Bulletin 2021-2022 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

MPH Curriculum and Concentrations


Total: 46 Credits


*Required of all students without doctoral level clinical degrees.

Concentrations


Behavioral and Community Health Sciences (BCHS) Concentration


Stephen Phillippi, PhD
Academic Program Director

The Master of Public Health (MPH) program in behavioral and community health sciences (BCHS) prepares students for professional careers which focus on the development, implementation and evaluation of health promotion/disease prevention programs to improve the quality of life of individuals, families and communities. The BCHS program places a strong emphasis on students acquiring knowledge and skills needed to understand socio-cultural, system, and policy issues affecting health and applying behavioral theory to the conceptualization of effective public health interventions.

Total: 19 Credits


Biostatistics (BIOS) Concentration


Zhide Fang, PhD
Academic Program Director

The Master of Public Health (MPH) program in biostatistics prepare students for a career in public health with specialized in data analysis, data management, and statistical methods. Students in the MPH in biostatistics program are required to complete a two-credit course in statistical consulting as part of their coursework. Students will learn problem-solving skills in biostatistics and apply what they have learned in their classroom experiences to real-world public health and clinical research problems, while working under the supervision of a biostatistics faculty mentor. Practice Experiences in local, regional, and national health care organizations are available.

Admission requirements include differential, integral and multivariate calculus and linear algebra. In some cases, a student deficient in entry requirements may be admitted provided a plan for remediation is developed and approved by the faculty.

Total: 19 Credits


Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (ENHS) Concentration


James H. Diaz, MD, DrPH
Academic Program Director

The Master of Public Health (MPH) program in environmental and occupational health sciences (ENHS) is designed to provide students interested in careers in health risk assessment, regulatory toxicology, occupational safety and health, or industrial hygiene with a solid academic background. Program course material helps students prepare for appropriate certification examinations in industrial hygiene and safety after meeting the practice and experiential requirements as determined by the professional certifying boards.

Graduates from ENHS regularly find positions in the environmental and occupational fields in government, industry, academia, and consulting firms. Potential employment opportunities include positions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state health departments, state departments of environmental quality or environmental protection, major manufacturing and petrochemical industries, and environmental and civil engineering consulting firms. Recent graduates have secured employment with the state health department, academia, and private industry.

The MPH will assist graduates in preparing for national certification examinations in public health, industrial hygiene or toxicology, as required for professional advancement.

Total: 19 Credits


Epidemiology (EPID) Concentration


Edward S. Peters, DMD, ScD
Academic Program Director

The Master of Public Health (MPH) program in epidemiology (EPID) is a two-year curriculum designed to provide students with a diverse set of skills essential to the practice of epidemiology. The foundation of public health, epidemiology focuses on the distribution and causes of disease in human populations and on developing and testing ways to prevent and control disease. The mission of the Epidemiology Program at LSUHSC School of Public Health is to evaluate and improve human health through research, education, and service. Students are prepared for a career as future researchers and practitioners in the fields of epidemiology and public health through the study and application of epidemiological principles and practices.

The Epidemiology Program includes practice experience, problem-based learning, and seminars as well as classroom instruction.

Total: 19 Credits


Health Policy and Systems Management (HPSM) Concentration


Richard Culbertson, PhD
Academic Program Director

The Master of Public Health (MPH) program in health policy & systems management (HPSM) is concerned with personal and population health improvement through planning, implementation and operation of systemic, effective and community responsive programs and organizations. The HPSM program prepares students for managerial, consulting, and leadership roles in public health and health care organizations. Pre-professional and professional students are prepared for these roles through the study and application of the principles of health systems management with a special focus on the quality and cost effectiveness of the care they provide and on the information systems that support them. Program core courses also prepare students to pursue careers to develop and advocate for health policies to achieve cost-effective delivery of health services as well as to ensure desired health outcomes.

Career opportunities exist in hospitals and clinics and other health care institutions, state and federal health agencies, consulting firms, non-profit organizations, local health departments, and managed care organizations. A strong background in quality and cost effectiveness is a competitive advantage for a range of positions from mid-management to top executives. Healthcare systems throughout the country are actively seeking individuals prepared to make improvements in health systems management. Cost effectiveness has become the strategic focus of many of the provider organizations as well as for the organizations that pay for healthcare including the government, insurance companies, and managed care organizations. 

Total: 19 Credits