Changes coming for two MPH tracks

The Department of Epidemiology & Community Health is in the process of revising some requirements for the Epidemiology and Generalist tracks in the Master of Public Health Program, with the anticipation that these changes will be implemented for students entering in the Fall of 2010. These proposed changes are being reviewed by various university curriculum committees.  Both tracks are being revised to make them more distinct and to better prepare students for working in their chosen areas of public health. The Generalist track is being renamed the Public Health Practice track. The revisions to both tracks will provide students with more experiential learning opportunities, through internships, practica, and capstone projects. Following is a brief synopsis of the planned revisions.

Epidemiology track: This track is designed to train students who want to specialize in research methods, analysis and interpretation of public health data, or further graduate study in epidemiology or a related field.  Students will spend four hours per week during the first fall and spring semesters working with a faculty member on her/his research program (Public Health Practicum). This will be followed by a public health internship in a professional public health agency/organization, then a guided research experience with a faculty member that leads to the final research project, the capstone experience for the degree. Coursework will reflect more epidemiology courses, with a choice of courses in environmental health, and a choice of two courses in topical epidemiology (e.g., cancer epidemiology, maternal & child health, pharmacoepidemiology). Students will take a course in SAS programming and, as in the past, a second level of biostatistics.

Public Health Practice (PHP) Track (formerly Generalist):  This track gives students a broad overview of public health issues and training in epidemiologic, biostatistical, and assessment/evaluative methods necessary to practice successfully as a public health professional. Students will spend four hours per week during the first fall and spring semesters working in a professional public health agency/organization. This will be followed by the Public Health Internship, which will involve more intensive work at the agency site.  Building on the internship, students will continue work at the public health agency site to complete the degree capstone project, which will serve the needs of the public health agency and could range from a comprehensive health surveillance, needs assessment, development of health promotion materials, policy analysis, etc.  Course work will include one epidemiology and one biostatistics course, a program planning and evaluation course, a choice of health communication or health literacy, and course in SAS programming. A wider choice of elective courses is available to students in the PHP track.