Through hands-on opportunities and an impressive student/faculty ratio, students of the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at Sacred Heart receive close mentorship and guidance, and graduate with the skills and knowledge they need to change lives and impact health on a broad scale.
Sacred Heart’s Master of Public Health program will prepare you to protect and improve the health of individuals and entire communities. With this degree, you’ll be qualified for a wide variety of careers in public health, epidemiology and biostatistics. The Sacred Heart public health program cultivates what Forbes calls "triple threat graduates" who enter the workforce with:
Our MPH curriculum emphasizes community health grounded in a philosophy of social justice, providing students with the opportunity to work with community partners to enhance the health of the local community. Students learn from nationally-recognized faculty who are reliable health experts serving the community.
Sacred Heart’s student-centered public health programs offer flexible options, whether full time or part time, fully on campus or hybrid. Full-time students may choose a one day per week on-campus schedule, and all students receive individualized attention. You can also take this program 100% online.
With a community health focus, Sacred Heart’s public health program empowers students to make a difference as they build the following skills:
Sacred Heart's most recent class of MPH graduates achieved a 100% placement rate in either field-related careers or continuing education programs.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 17% job growth for Health Educators and Community Health Workers by 2030—that’s much faster than most other industries.
This is a STEM-designated program, which means you will be trained in areas of science that are in high demand with U.S. employers. This program allows international students with F1 visas to extend their OPT in the U.S. by 24 months after graduating (36 months in total).
Students can apply to the BS-MPH dual degree program as incoming freshmen and are admitted directly into the graduate program at the same time as their admission as undergraduate students.
Current SHU undergraduates of almost any major can earn two degrees in five years for purpose-driven career acceleration in Sacred Heart’s 4+1 Master of Public Health program.
The Sacred Heart University MPH program is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Stakeholders may review our most recent self-study document.
Sacred Heart University is looking to expand the public health workforce by providing scholarship funding to support training in public health. Through generous funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration, this program will provide scholarship support up to $20,000 for eligible students enrolled in the SHU MPH program, the SHU 4+1 BSHS-MPH program, and the SHU BS - Health Science Public Health or BS - Health Sciences Global Health programs. To apply, please email Jacqueline Vernanelli.
SHU's MPH program strengthened my awareness, knowledge and abilities as a health care leader. I could sit with leadership to create, develop and provide operational oversight to my community's very busy health center. I had the opportunity to apply the classroom lessons from each semester to real work experiences that impact the lives of over 11,000 patients. The program increased my confidence to speak policy with my CEO and research studies to create proper literacy materials for my patients; they prepared me to encounter anything. The faculty are fantastic and caring advisors who want their students to thrive. The MPH program at SHU is innovative and prepares future leaders with everything they need to succeed.
For complete information, visit our MPH admission requirements page.
Yes! The Sacred Heart University MPH program is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) as of June 2022.
The MPH program at SHU is a 42-credit degree program. The program can be completed either on a full-time or a part-time basis. Students, typically in their final year of the program, choose between an Applied Practice Experience or a Research Thesis to satisfy the culminating experience requirement for graduation.
Our flexible curriculum includes classes that are offered on-ground, hybrid and online. Students enrolled full time take up to four courses per term. Full-time students spend one day each week on campus, with classes offered during the day and/or in the evening, in addition to online coursework. This low-residency structure combines the flexibility of online learning with in-person interaction, allowing students to pursue an MPH with minimal time away from their jobs and families, but still benefit from close interaction with faculty.
For students enrolled part-time, classes are offered in the evenings one day a week and online, allowing for minimal disruption to their careers. The online offerings have consistent, predictable assignment dates, allowing students to plan ahead and complete assignments when time permits. Most part-time students take up to two courses per term.
Yes, students can work when enrolled in the MPH program. Our low-residency format allows students to complete an MPH with minimal time away from their jobs, yet still benefit from regular personalized interaction with faculty. This format allows students to build a professional network that will allow them to achieve their academic and career goals.
There are many opportunities for graduate assistant positions that can assist with tuition costs. The public health department has a minimum of four graduate assistant positions open to students each year. Faculty are also available to identify scholarships, fellowships and loan repayment programs that may assist with the cost of the program.
The MPH Practicum is one capstone option in the MPH program that satisfies the culminating experience requirement for graduation. The Practicum gives students the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to real-world public health issues.
Students who choose to do a Practicum will partner with an external community partner to design and implement a public health applied project. Students will identify two mentors who will guide them through their Practicum. The community site mentor will provide practical guidance to the student on project implementation. The faculty mentor will provide assistance in shaping the student’s project and will provide general guidance in the professional development of the student.
The MPH program allows students to choose between two capstone options for a culminating Public Health Experience. These options are: Applied Practice Experience (APE) or Thesis research. Students who choose to do an Applied Practice Experience register for MPH 596/598 (APE Seminar I, II) The APE Seminar allows students to work on their Applied Practice Experience with other classmates and faculty. Students draft and submit an Applied Practice Experience Proposal Form to their mentors for review and approval. Students will also submit progress reports to their mentors monthly. The APE ends with the student submitting a final paper and presenting their portfolio to students, faculty and mentors.
Students who choose a research capstone design, prepare and defend a master’s thesis. A thesis is a body of work that contributes new public health knowledge to the field. Students develop an original research question that they then evaluate using public health methodology. Students pursuing thesis research will enroll in MPH 597/599 (Thesis I, II), where they will work closely with faculty mentors to complete their project. All students who choose the thesis option will still experience applied learning experiences in the field; our curriculum includes experiential learning experiences as part of the required coursework.
Sacred Heart University faculty are experts in their field who are focused on research and practice in community public health. Faculty have close ties to local and national public health partners and are committed to improving community health. Our faculty are nationally recognized scholars who give talks at domestic and international society meetings.
The Master of Public Health is focused on the student and the student’s success. The SHU MPH program has small class sizes, which allows for personalized and guided mentorship from faculty. Our faculty are actively engaged in community-based research and there are many opportunities for students to work alongside faculty and be involved in their research and practice. Faculty-mentored student projects have won awards, been published in peer-reviewed academic journals and received national media attention.
Whether your path is shaping policy, working on the front lines in health care, applying evidence-based practice to improve patient care, or advancing scientific knowledge through research, the MPH program at SHU will provide the training, experience, skills and opportunities to be successful in your career.
The industry-recognized MPH credential allows graduates to enter the workforce with a variety of options. Our alumni can be found in the following positions:
The Sacred Heart University MPH program prides itself on creating a supportive learning environment with strong student mentoring. Faculty bring experiential learning and service opportunities within the classroom in the very first semester. The small class sizes allow for personalized attention from faculty and assistance in finding a position after graduation and beyond. Master of Public Health students also take advantage of the many resources that Sacred Heart University has to offer within the Center for Career Professional Development while they are enrolled in the program and as SHU alumni after they have graduated.
Cori Nevers
Executive Director of International Graduate Admissions
+1 203-767-0386
neversc@sacredheart.edu
Eva Magnuson
Director of Graduate Admissions
203-371-7884
magnusone@sacredheart.edu
Public Health expertise is a critical area in almost any company or industry. As an advisor to chief nursing officers and nursing directors for health care systems across the country, I use my skills in community health outcome data analysis to provide advice and counsel during the pandemic. For example, I advised Advent Health system, based in Florida, to forecast increased registered nurse staffing due to increased incidence of disease, accidental injury and increased population migration during the winter season in Florida. In addition to the flu season and uncertainty of COVID, the system has requested my suggested forecasting number of MS, Tele, PCU, ICU and ED RNs and according to their current census, my estimates proved accurate and they are now one of the most prepared health systems for their region during a time of hospital crisis. I used approaches introduced to me in this program to create these data manipulations!
Professor Sofia Pendley, PhD, works with master of public health students at the Center for Healthcare Education.
Fresh produce from the Bridgeport Farmers Market Collaborative at McLevy Green in downtown Bridgeport.
A cohort of master of public health students pose in the stairwells of the Center for Healthcare Education.
Professor Sofia Pendley, PhD, lectures a class.
Master of public health student Joe Gyimah surveys customers about making healthier choices at the Bridgeport Farmers Market Collaborative at McLevy Green in downtown Bridgeport.
Professor Jackie Vernarelli, PhD, discusses with master of public health students at the Center for Healthcare Education.
Master of public health students participate in a class.
Master of public health students attentively listening in a class.
Professor Jackie Vernarelli, PhD, lectures a class.
