Degree Detail

Master of Public Health

Application for this degree program is available through SOPHAS at www.sophas.org

ABOUT THE MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH (MPH) DEGREE

The MPH degree provides students with a clear understanding of the roles of the core disciplines in public health. It also provides students with sufficient knowledge of the theory and terminology used by these disciplines to allow effective participation in interdisciplinary public health efforts and with specialized skills in at least one public health discipline. Your area of specialization should play an important role in your choice of department(s) and, consequently, in your campus location.

MPH CURRICULUM SUMMARY

Students seeking the MPH degree must complete 45 credits of academic work with an average grade of "B" or better. This coursework is distributed as follows:

15 CREDITS in core areas of public health: Students in all departments must take the following five courses: Health Education and Behavioral Science in Public Health, Health Systems and Policy, Introduction to Biostatistics, Introduction to Environmental Health, and Principles and Methods of Epidemiology. Students must take a quantitative skills assessment before registering for the core course in Biostatistics. We have designed a quantitative skill assessment screening test to help identify students who may have a weak math background or lack quantitative preparation. The assessment reviews basic quantitative skills and logic that is required in the Biostatistics course. Based upon performance on the quantitative skills assessment, each student will be advised if he or she needs additional preparation prior to registering for the course. In Newark, students may opt to take the Biostatistics Recitation. As of Fall 2006, Biostat Recitation is a free two hour complimentary help session for Introduction to Biostatistics. The purpose of the recitation is to provide students two hours each week with a teaching assistant (dedicated to the School) who will review material covered in Introduction to Biostatistics, answer homework questions and provide help for students who have had little experience with algebra or have not taken any algebra or statistics courses in many years. Credit is not given for recitation and it is open to all students registered for Introduction to Biostatistics in a given semester.

9 - 15 CREDITS of courses required by the department: Students enrolled on the Newark Campus may concentrate in Dental Public Health, Quantitative Methods: Biostatistics and Epidemiology or Urban Health Administration. Students enrolled in the Piscataway/New Brunswick Campus may concentrate in one of the following departments: Biostatistics, Environmental and Occupational Health, Epidemiology, Health Education and Behavioral Science, or Health Systems and Policy. Students enrolled on the Stratford/Camden Campus may concentrate in Health Systems and Policy. To determine which courses are required for specific department concentrations, please refer to the description of the relevant department later in this bulletin. Because courses are specific for each department, it is essential that students meet with their advisors each semester to discuss specific course selections and to have their schedules approved. Please refer to the Academic Advisement section of this bulletin.

9 - 12 CREDITS of elective courses: Please refer to the department's description for specific "suggested electives" for each concentration. If a student identifies courses that do not appear in the bulletin, approval to take the course must be sought from the department advisor prior to registration.

6 CREDITS of fieldwork: This includes a fieldwork project, a final written report, and an oral presentation. Students actively registered for fieldwork must attend regular fieldwork seminars to discuss issues related to their fieldwork project. All departments require a formal written summary of the fieldwork experience. In these departments, one (1) credit is given to plan the fieldwork project and five (5) credits are given for implementation and write-up. More detail is given below.

DOUBLE CONCENTRATIONS

In Newark and Piscataway, students may complete the requirements for two of the campus departments. For example, a student can combine Health Education and Behavioral Science with Epidemiology. To achieve this, the student typically has two advisors, one from each department. The double major consists of a student taking all required department courses from both disciplines, usually requiring 51-54 credits in total (as compared to the minimum of 45 credits for the MPH degree). The fieldwork requirement is coordinated between the two advisors and reflects both disciplines (six credits). The department declaration form will reflect the nature of the double concentration by having both listed alphabetically. Individual departments may have limitations or requirements on double concentrations. Students should consult an advisor from each department for complete information.

OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAM

For physicians interested in Occupational Medicine, the Occupational Medicine Residency Program is a two year postgraduate medical training program leading to eligibility for certification in Occupational Medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. The Program is coordinated by the UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School's Department of Environmental and Community Medicine on the Piscataway/New Brunswick Campus. Residents complete the MPH during this period. NIOSH stipend support is available to qualified applicants. For further information contact: Chair, Occupational Medicine Residency Program, Department of Environmental and Community Medicine, UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, 732-445-0123 x 627.

CROSS-DEPARTMENT OPTION

At the Piscataway/New Brunswick Campus, students may select a cross-department option leading to a concentration in Quantitative Health Care Assessment. This option requires 45 credits that includes all core courses, credits from the departments of Health Systems and Policy as well as Epidemiology. Six credits of fieldwork approved by the department of Health Systems and Policy and Epidemiology chairs are also required. Please see department of Epidemiology for details.

GUIDELINES FOR FIELDWORK

Fieldwork is a required component of the MPH curriculum. A GPA (grade point average) of at least 3.00 is required to register for fieldwork although department chairs may permit exemptions in extraordinary circumstances. It is a carefully planned and supervised learning experience during which the student conducts a project that reflects understanding of the academic principles studied in class. The purpose of fieldwork is to provide the student with an opportunity to:

• Carry out a project representative of expected work in the field;
• Demonstrate competence in research/practice/evaluation relevant to the student's field;
• Gain exposure to an organization's environment, culture and purposes;
• Develop professional judgment and contacts; and
• Help clarify career goals.

Fieldwork students are supported and supervised at all stages by the faculty advisor, site supervisor and the fieldwork coordinator. There are clearly stated degree guidelines as well as department-specific guidelines that detail roles, responsibilities and expectations for students, faculty, site supervisors and the fieldwork coordinator. The first seminar of each semester is dedicated to an orientation to the fieldwork process. Students who are enrolled in Fieldwork I and those who are preparing to start their fieldwork are urged to attend the fieldwork orientation seminar.

Students are eligible to start fieldwork after completing all core courses and the required courses in their specialty area with a minimum GPA of 3.00. Fieldwork sites are chosen based primarily on students' interests and their career goals. Students may identify their own sites or they may consult their faculty advisor and/or the fieldwork coordinator to find an appropriate fieldwork project. All students are required to pass a short on-line course, Research Protections for Human Subjects, as part of their fieldwork requirement.

REVIEW OF FIELDWORK PRESENTATIONS

Each student is required to make a formal presentation of his/her fieldwork project for review by the campus associate/assistant dean, faculty and fellow students. Presentations are approximately 10 to 15 minutes in length and may follow the format for the APHA scientific sessions. Site supervisors of students presenting their fieldwork projects are invited to attend the presentations and be recognized for their contribution. Presentations are evaluated by students and faculty in attendance, but these evaluations will not influence the fieldwork grade.