Graduate Bulletin
Public Health, M.P.H.
Concentration: Social and Behavioral Science
COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND SOCIAL WORK
Admission Requirements and Deadlines
Application Deadline:
Fall:
- December 1 – International Application Deadline
- January 5 – Domestic Application Deadline for Those Applying for an Assistantship
- May 1 – Domestic Application Deadline
Spring:
- September 1 – International Application Deadline
- October 15 – Domestic Application Deadline
APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.
Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 3
From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from college/university
faculty members familiar with academic competence. If the applicant
has been out of school for a long time, please make sure letters are
from professional colleagues and that they address academic abilities,
such as writing and research. The official graduate reference form should be sent to referees along with a stamped envelope addressed to:
Joyce Hankins
Coordinator of Student Services
Temple University Department of Public Health
Ritter Hall Annex, 9th Floor
1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19122
Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:
Applicants' files are reviewed for undergraduate coursework in Mathematics and/or Statistics, Social Science, and Writing.
Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:
A baccalaureate degree is required.
Statement of Goals:
The Statement of Goals should be approximately 500-1,000 words and must address the following items:
- What are your interests in Public Health, and why are you planning to pursue an M.P.H.?
- What
are your future career goals, and what have you done either academically
or professionally to guide your interest in Public Health?
- What M.P.H. concentration are you applying to and why?
- Are
there any exceptional circumstances related to previous academic
performance that you would like the Admissions Committee to know about?
Standardized Test Scores:
The GRE is required. While the program takes a portfolio approach to
admissions, standardized tests provide important insight into
quantitative and verbal abilities. Scores on the old GRE should be a
minimum of 500 on both the verbal and quantitative sections; scores on
the new GRE should be a minimum of 153 on the verbal section and 144
on the quantitative section.
Standardized tests considered
in lieu of the GRE include DAT, GMAT, MCAT, OAT, and PCAT. The LSAT is
also accepted, except for those applying to the Epidemiology and
Biostatistics concentration.
Minimum TOEFL score needed
to be accepted:
79 iBT or 550 PBT.
Resume:
A resume or CV is required.
Transfer Credit:
Graduate credits from an M.P.H. program accredited by the Council on
Education for Public Health (CEPH) may be transferred into the M.P.H.
The credits must be equivalent to coursework offered at Temple, and the
grade must be a "B" or better in order to transfer. The M.P.H. advisor
approves the transfer of credits based on a review of course materials
provided by the student. The maximum number of credits a student may
transfer is 9.
Test Waivers:
Graduates with terminal degrees from U.S. medical schools, foreign trained physicians who have obtained licensure to practice in the United States, and those with Ph.D.s may have the GRE requirement waived.
Supporting Materials:
Send all required materials in support of your application to:
Joyce Hankins
Coordinator of Student Services
Temple University Department of Public Health
Ritter Hall Annex, 9th Floor
1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19122
All inquiries regarding receipt of materials should also be directed to Ms. Hankins at jhankins@temple.edu or 215-204-7213.
Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Didactic Credits Required Beyond
the Baccalaureate: 45
Required Courses:
To ensure that all M.P.H. students acquire a common breadth of knowledge of basic public health content, the Department of Public Health requires:
Core Public Health Courses (18 s.h.):
Biostatistics — PBHL 5002: Biostatistics
Environmental Health — PBHL 5103: Environmental Health
Epidemiology — PBHL 5101: Epidemiology
Health Services and Administration — HCM 5101: Health Systems Organization and Development
Public Health Practice — PBHL 5001: Historical and Bioethical Issues in Public Health
Social and Behavioral Sciences — PBHL 5102: Theoretical Foundations of Health Behavior
Social and Behavioral Science Concentration Courses:
PBHL 5104: Models for Teaching Health and Patient Education
OR
PBHL 8105: Health Communication
PBHL 8111: Public Health Program Planning
PBHL 8112: Program Evaluation
At least one of the following concentration electives:
PBHL 5004: Stress and Change
PBHL 8009: Health Psychology
PBHL 8011: Social Determinants of Health
SOC 8391: Medical Sociology
M.P.H. Fieldwork Practice Experience (6 s.h.):
PBHL 9289: MPH Fieldwork I
PBHL 9389: MPH Fieldwork II
Students may choose from elective courses to fulfill the remaining coursework requirement for an M.P.H. in Social and Behavioral Science.
Internship: An internship or other practicum experience may be selected as part of a student's M.P.H. fieldwork.
Language Examination: No language examination is required.
Culminating Events:
Fieldwork Practicum:
M.P.H. fieldwork requires a student to synthesize and integrate the knowledge acquired in coursework and other learning experiences and to apply theory and principles in a situation that approximates some aspect of professional practice through an internship or practicum experience with a public health agency or under the supervision of a faculty preceptor. The M.P.H. fieldwork experience serves as the culminating event as required by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the accrediting body of all U.S. schools of public health, for completion of the Master of Public Health degree. In addition, this culminating experience provides the student with the opportunity to develop expertise in a topic area and to contribute original and independent observations to a body of knowledge. The four options for M.P.H. fieldwork include:
- Systematic review of the literature
- Primary collection of data or secondary analysis of data (under the direct supervision of a Temple University faculty preceptor)
- Analysis of a policy or professional practice issue
- Practice-based culminating experience report
For the culminating experience to fulfill the requirements of PBHL 9289 and PBHL 9389, M.P.H. students in the Social and Behavioral Science concentration are expected to complete a fieldwork experience, which enables them to:
- Explain the contributions of behavioral and social sciences to public health.
- Describe health problems, including their social, cultural, environmental, and behavioral causes.
- Ensure that behavioral and social science theories and concepts are used in planning and evaluating public health programs.
- Use behavioral science and health promotion methods in planning/evaluating public health programs.
- Apply ethical principles to public health program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
- Identify multiple targets and levels of intervention for social and behavioral science programs and/or policies, including individual, family, network, organizational, community, policy, physical environment, and culture.
A final paper is the required deliverable for the M.P.H. fieldwork requirement. Students must also demonstrate their proficiency (and the application of theory and principles) in the paper and demonstrate mastery of the required competencies during the oral defense. The evaluation of the M.P.H. fieldwork practicum experience, therefore, is integrated into the culminating experience requirement.
Contacts
Program Contact Information:
http://chpsw.temple.edu/publichealth
Department Information:
Dept. of Public Health
Ritter Hall Annex, 9th Floor (004-09)
1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19122
mph@temple.edu
215-204-8726
Department Contacts:
Admissions:
Joyce Hankins
joyce.hankins@temple.edu
215-204-7213
M.P.H. Program Director:
Moriah Hall
moriah.hall@temple.edu
717-232-6400 x247
Chairperson:
Dr. Alice Hausman
hausman@temple.edu
215-204-5112
About the Program
The vision of the Department of Public Health is to excel as a regional and national leader by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, educators, community practitioners, and private sector leaders. The goal is to address community health needs in a global community to eliminate health disparities and increase the quality and years of healthy life.
The mission of the Department of Public Health is to promote and protect public health through quality education, research, and service. Emphasis is on disease prevention and treatment, empowerment, and collective as well as individual responsibility for health and health care. Collaborative partnerships contribute to meeting local, state, national, and global public health needs through conducting research, training a diverse workforce, and promoting excellence in practice.
The Public Health concentration in Behavioral and Social Science addresses the behavioral, social, and cultural factors related to individual and population health and health disparities over the life course. Research and practice in this area contribute to the development, administration, and evaluation of programs in public health, which promote and sustain healthy lives for individuals and communities. This cognate area has a strong focus on addressing the behavioral, social, and cultural factors related to individual and population health and the social and behavioral aspects of community health, health communication, program implementation and evaluation, and health education. The concentration in Social and Behavioral Science prepares students to design, implement, and evaluate interventions that are directed toward identified public health problems in communities. This cognate specialization aims to prepare public health practitioners to identify and assess the needs of populations; plan, implement, and evaluate programs to address those needs; and otherwise ensure that the needs of diverse populations are met to improve their overall health status.
Time Limit for Degree Completion: 4 years
Campus Location:
Main
The full M.P.H. program is currently available only at Main Campus. Some required and elective courses in the M.P.H. program are offered on satellite campuses and through online courses.
Full-Time/Part-Time Status:
Students are able to complete the degree program through classes offered after 4:30 p.m. and online courses. Full-time students usually complete the program within two academic years. Part-time students usually take three to four years to complete their degree.
Department Information:
Dept. of Public Health
Ritter Hall Annex, 9th Floor (004-09)
1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19122
mph@temple.edu
215-204-8726
Interdisciplinary Study:
Interdisciplinary coursework, research, and interactions are encouraged to give students as broad a perspective as possible to excel in the complex, diverse, and dynamic state of public health. Through associations with the Center for Obesity Studies, Center for Preparedness Research, Education and Practice (C-PREP), Center for Women's Health, and others, students have access to over 100 faculty at Temple University and additional regional scholars who are actively involved in programs, research, and teaching in public health.
The Department of Public Health offers four dual degree programs: D.O./M.P.H. with the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, D.P.M./M.P.H. with the Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine, M.S.W./M.P.H. with the Temple University School of Social Work, and M.D./M.P.H. with the Temple University School of Medicine.
Affiliation(s):
The M.P.H. program has research affiliations with national and international associations such as the Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine (ATPM), Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI), and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Locally, the program has long-standing research affiliations with The Ford Trust, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Health Federation of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), School District of Philadelphia, and numerous other community health agencies.
Study Abroad:
Courses studying health care delivery in Senegal and Costa Rica have been offered as part of the M.P.H. program of study. These courses are offered during the Summer and are open to both undergraduate and graduate students.
Ranking:
While M.P.H. programs are not ranked by the accrediting body, U.S. News & World Report ranked Temple's M.P.H. program in the top 20 graduate programs in community health, based on average reputation scores.
Accreditation:
The M.P.H. is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Achieving accreditation in 1985, Temple's M.P.H. program is one of the longest established accredited M.P.H. programs in community health in the country.
Areas of Specialization:
The Department of Public Health has four transcripted concentrations in the M.P.H. degree program: Environmental Health (EH), Epidemiology and Biostatistics (EBS), Global Health (GH), and Social and Behavioral Science (SBS).
Job Placement:
Program graduates have positions in a wide range of health-related settings, including state and local public health departments, community-based organizations, voluntary health agencies, health maintenance organizations, hospitals, clinics, schools, and work sites. Graduates are employed as HIV/AIDS coordinators, infection control coordinators, project directors, evaluation specialists, marketing specialists, research directors, prevention specialists, environmental health specialists, senior health educators, and adjunct faculty and consultants. Virtually all students are placed within 3 to 6 months of graduation.
Licensure:
Students who complete an M.P.H. at Temple University are eligible to sit for the Certification in Public Health (CPH) exam and the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam.
Non-Matriculated Student Policy:
Non-matriculated students are required to speak with an advisor before registering for classes and to obtain the permission of the professor. If accepted to the program, a maximum of three courses may be applied toward the degree program. Exceptions to this policy relate to formal certificate programs.
Financing Opportunities
The Graduate School awards fellowships on a competitive basis. Applicants who wish to be considered for fellowships must apply by January 26 or earlier for consideration for the Fall semester. Fellowships are awarded only to students with outstanding academic records who are admitted to Temple University for the Fall semester. The Department Admissions Committee nominates outstanding students for these awards, but the Graduate Board Fellowship Committee makes all award decisions.
Teaching and Research Assistantships are available in Public Health. The Graduate School website details levels of support, benefits, and the terms and conditions of these types of graduate student support on its Financial Assistance page. Assistantships are awarded on a semester or annual basis. Students whose Fall applications are complete prior to or at the application deadline are reviewed for eligibility for Teaching Assistant (TA) positions. TAs are required to work 20 hours per week in any combination of teaching assignments made by the department and must meet the English Language Proficiency standards set by the University and the College. Students who hold Teaching or Research Assistantships are not permitted to hold other employment without the written prior approval of their advisor, the Director of Graduate Programs, and the Graduate School. To be considered for a Teaching or Research Assistantship, complete an application form that is available by request at publichealth@temple.edu. The completed application must be returned to the Chair of the Department in which you wish to be considered.
Updated 12.13.12
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