Master of Public Health

The M.P.H. Degree Program in Environmental Health was developed in response to the nation’s call-to-action for improved health opportunities for all Americans with a specific focus on state and local needs. This M.P.H. Program offers a course of study that prepares students to identify problems and propose solutions to a variety of environmental conditions that affect the health of minority, rural, and dis- advantaged populations at disproportionate rates. Linkages between the high morbidity rates due to heart disease, cancer, and strokes and adverse environmental factors such as livestock rearing, farming practices, food handling, industrial contaminants and the like will be studied with sensitivity to cultural, regional, and ethnic differences.

Graduates of the M.P.H. degree program will be capable of pursuing further study in environmental health or related fields, conducting research in the discipline, managing community health agencies, and/or providing community-based leadership designed to educate and empower citizens to form partnerships in the interest of improving the overall health of their communities.

Matriculation Requirements

Completed Application and Application fee
Undergraduate GPA of 2.50 or higher
GRE score of 800 or higher or MAT score of 44 or 395 or higher
A personal goals statement
Three letters of recommendation
Official transcripts of all academic work
A cumulative grade point average of not less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (B average), plus the following:

Fifteen Hour Public Health Core

HLTH 5103 -Environmental Health -3 hrs
HLTH 5123 -Epidemiology -3 hrs
HLTH 5153 -Biostatistics -3 hrs
HLTH 5173 -Public Health Policy & Administration -3 hrs
HLTH 5200 -Health Behavior/Health Promotion -3 hrs

Twenty-one Hour Environmental Health Concentration

ENVH 5113 -Environmental Pollution -3 hrs
NVH 5183 -Environmental Law -3 hrs
ENVH 5193 -Environmental Health Hazard Management -3 hrs
ENVH 5253 -Industrial Hygiene -3 hrs
BIOL 5334 -Environmental Microbiology -3 hrs
BIOL 5354 -Physiological Toxicology -3 hrs
CHEM 5304 -Environmental Analysis -3 hrs

Field Experience in Public Health and Thesis

(A non-thesis option is now available, also. Contact the Graduate Studies office for information.)

HLTH 5850 Field Experience in Public Health 1-6 hrs

The Field Experience in Public Health Manual will assist the student in applying, planning, implementing, and evaluating the environmental health field experience. Candidates, after completing the field experience, will will deliver an oral presentation on their writter report and portfolio for graduate faculty and other MPH students.

Applications for the field experience should be made one term prior to the term in which the student anticipates participating in the field experience. Late applications may be considered for the next term. Applications for a field experience must be approved by the MPH Program Coordinator.
HLTH 5999 Thesis Research 6 hrs

The required textbook will assist the student in preparing for the Research Thesis. Candidates, after writing the thesis, will defend their research in an oral presentation for graduate faculty and other MPH students.

Support Services

The MPH Program has a 19 station state-of-the-art computer lab. Software provided includes 2010 Health Objectives for the Nation, EPI Info, statistical packages and others.

A limited number of graduate assistantships are offered to qualifying students by the College of Graduate Studies and Extended Education. There are other University level financial assistance available to qualified graduate students. Many professional associations and other groups, such as those listed below, provide financial assistance to graduate students:

Internships

Opportunities for field experiences may be found in both the public and private sectors; at the federal, state and local levels; within government and voluntary agencies; as well as within business, industry, agriculture and the health care community.

Clubs and Organizations

FVSU Graduate Students Association

Student Chapter of the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA)](Elected student may represent all student clubs statewide on the executive board of GPHA.

Career Opportunities

Professionals completing the M.P.H. degree with a concentration in environmental health are eligible to take the Registered Environmental Health Specialist examination offered by the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and the Georgia Environmental Health Association (GEHA). Opportunities for employment may be found in both the public and private sectors; at the international, federal, state and local levels; within government and voluntary agencies; as well as within business, industry, agriculture and the health care community.