Program Faculty
Program Director
Anita Hawkins, PhD
Associate Professor
Department Chair
Randolph Rowel, PhD
Associate Professor
Student Affairs Coordinator
Carol-Ann Hendricks
Graduate Student Affairs Coordinator
Portage Building, Room 302C
Tel: (443)885-4014; Fax: (443)885-8309
E-Mail: Carolann.Hendricks@morgan.edu
Program Faculty
Sharon Barrett, DrPH
Assistant Professor
Robin Butler, PhD
Adjunct Faculty
Kimberly Coleman, PhD
Assistant Professor
Ian Lindong, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Kesha Baptist-Roberts, PhD
Assistant Professor
Randolph Rowel, PhD
Associate Professor
Program Description
The Online Master of Public Health (MPH) Program is designed for working public health professionals coming from diverse careers in various health organizations and agencies to draw on knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines to define, critically assess, and resolve urban public health problems. The Program is geared towards working professionals. The program promotes group learning and discussions based on this diverse pool of practical experience.
Program Objectives
To obtain the MPH degree, students must complete a curriculum designed to provide the requisite foundational knowledge and competencies as specified by the Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH) and be assessed on knowledge and competencies. Core courses cover areas of environmental health, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analytic methods, policy and administration, and the social and health behavioral. The curriculum for the online MPH with a concentration in Executive Health Management requires additional course work aimed at developing knowledge and competencies in health information management, financial management in health services organizations, and emergency management.
General Requirements
Candidates for the Online Master of Public Health (MPH) degree must complete a minimum of forty two (42) academic credit hours, including 35 hours of coursework and 7 credit hours allocated for the completion of a graduate capstone project. The accelerated online degree curriculum plan includes three full semesters and one summer semester. The program takes less than 18 months to complete from August of the enrollment year to December of the next year.
Demonstration of the required competency in core courses requires that any grades of C in core courses must be retaken. A student must retake any core course in which a grade of C has been earned, even if the student has not accumulated 20% of the curriculum in C grades.
Admission
To be eligible for admission to the Online MPH Program, an applicant must:
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Have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
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Possess a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better on previous baccalaureate degree course work and any masters level courses completed
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Submit an application for admission to the School of Graduate Studies. All required documents must be submitted as directed by the School of Graduate Studies prior to program review and admission decision.
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Provide official transcripts of all post-secondary studies and documentation of previous academic achievement, and professional accomplishments.
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Submit a professional curriculum vitae or resume
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Prepare and submit a statement of Interest Essay explaining why applicant wishes to enroll in the program and how he/she plans to make use their degree. The statement of interest should be between 300- 500 words.
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Provide evidence of professional competencies/skills (e.g., sample work products, reports, briefs, letters, etc.)
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The above items (i.e. resume, personal statement, and evidence of professional skills) must include a table of contents and executive summary that outline the content of the portfolio.
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Use the application system to arrange for three letters of recommendation to be placed with the application. These letters must be from practicing public health professionals or faculty members of institutions previously attended who are acquainted with the applicant’s ability for graduate study or from employment supervisors where applicable.
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Have at least three (3) years of work-related experience in public health/ allied health field is preferred.
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Complete an interview with program Admissions Committee.
Meeting the minimum eligibility requirements and submitting all the required documents does not guarantee that an offer of admission will be made to the applicant. The decision of the Program Admissions Committee involves a review and analysis of all the elements of the application as well as the availability of positions in the program. The committee then recommends to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies that an offer admission should be made based on that review.
Candidacy
Students achieve candidacy by completing all required courses and are registered in the capstone professional project.
Applying Previously Earned Credits
Six credits can be accepted towards the minimum degree credit requirement. These credits cannot have been used towards a previous degree nor have a grade of B- or lower. This evaluation takes place after admission into the Program and must be approved by the School of Graduate Studies. The core courses must be taken at Morgan except where permission of the Program Director has been granted.
Public Health Practicum and Capstone
Online MPH students complete a combined Practicum and Capstone Project: one credit for planning and six credits for the capstone project. The Capstone project is an opportunity to address a health services organizational issue and demonstrate the expected competencies for a professional in health management positions.
Additional Requirements
Academic Dishonesty
All students are responsible for upholding the provisions of the Policy on Academic Dishonesty, as published in the School of Graduate Studies Graduate Catalog. This policy assures that all students are treated fairly by prohibiting plagiarism and cheating, misrepresentation/ falsification of academic work, abuse of academic materials, disrespectful or reckless behavior towards faculty and other students, stealing and lying. The School utilizes the online Blackboard Safe Assign platform to evaluate students’ original work. Incidents of alleged academic misconduct will be handled through the established procedures of the University, which include an initial review within the Public Health Program by an Ad Hoc Committee comprised of faculty, current student and alumni with recommendation for action to the Dean of the SCHP. Consequences of any such misconduct may result in a grade adjustment and reprimand letter, or a formal hearing procedure which may subject a student to disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion from the University.
Appeals
Appeals concerning academic progress such as academic dismissal must be addressed in writing to the Chairperson of the department of the degree program who, in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator, who will review the appeal and prepare a report and written recommendation for review by the College/School Dean. The College/School Dean shall submit a written recommendation along with the report and recommendation of the Chairperson to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies who shall make the final decision regarding a student’s appeal.
Program Course Requirements
MPH Public Health – Online Executive Health Management Concentration (42 credit hours):
OMPH 500: Epidemiological Methods for Public Health Practice 3
OMPH 501: Statistical Methods in Public Health 3
OMPH 503: Policy and Health Services Planning and Management 3
OMPH 506: One Health 3
PUBH 502: Social and Behavioral Science for Public Health (online course) 3
OMPH 704: Planning, Implementing and Evaluating Community
Health Interventions 3
PUBH 504: Public Health and Health Disparities (online course) 3
PUBH 520: Applying Systems Thinking to Health (online course) 2
PUBH 604: Research Methods I (online course) 3
OMPH 631: Foundation of Health Information and Informatics Management 3
OMPH 641: Financial Management for Health Organizations 3
OMPH 706: Public Health Leadership and Emergency Management 3
OMPH XXX: Professional Development and Public Health Practice 1
OMPH XXX: Capstone Professional Project 6
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