MPH

Careers

Graduates assume positions in a variety of public health and related organizations. A number of graduates have taken on leadership roles in the global health arena.

Recent graduates hold the following positions:

• Preparedness training and exercise coordinator for a county health department
• Director of a statewide HIV/AIDS education program
• Program director with an international relief agency
• Health coach for a national health insurance and medical provider
• Evaluation and research director for a regional reproductive health program
• Program officer for a local philanthropic foundation
• Research associate with a university-based applied research team
• Health promotion/education coordinator for the local office of a national prevention and advocacy organization
• Director of a center for rural health
• Patient services manager at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
• Research and evaluation specialist for a large urban school district

Recent Essay and Thesis Titles

• Labor doula care for survivors of sexual violence
• Inspiring students to pursue science: a program evaluation of Pitt summer science outreach
• Exploring the association between eating a whole food plant-based diet and reducing chronic diseases: a critical literature synthesis
• Components and experiences of doulas working with disadvantaged mothers
• Previously incarcerated transgender women: experiences, needs, and resiliencies
• Effects of LGBTQ-inclusive sex education on mental health and experiences of bullying among U.S. high school students
• Evaluation of Public Health Nursing Recruitment and Retention at a Local Health Department

Competencies

Graduates will be able to...

• Identify strategies for engaging communities and systems in advancing research and improving health through collaboration, partnerships and strengths-based approaches;
• Synthesize and apply established and novel social and behavioral science methods and tools to advance research and improve population health;
• Apply health education and health promotion theories to the development of programs that take into account the context in which they will be implemented;
• Apply knowledge of program and policy development to practice in order to advance health equity and social justice; and
• Demonstrate ability to synthesize social and behavioral sciences information from multiple sources and apply it to a topic of public health significance.

All graduates also achieve the core and cross-cutting competencies for Pitt Public Health MPH students.

Requirements

• 45 credits, including coursework, practicum experience, and thesis/essay
• Foundational public health courses
• Advanced courses in health communications, program planning, and health education/health promotion theories
• On-site 200-hours public health practicum experience
• Thesis or essay research in an area of specialization

Full program information

MPH Student Handbook
Community Practicum Handbook
MPH Checklist
Thesis and Essay Checklist

Admissions