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College of Life Sciences Public Health
Master of Public Health
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Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about BYU's MPH program

  • The mission of the BYU MPH program is to develop future public health leaders who drive change that improves the health and well-being of communities, families, and individuals. To this end, the program prepares students to conduct public health surveillance, and to plan, implement, and evaluate public health programs and policies that focus on at-risk populations in both domestic and international settings.
  • The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree is the most recognized professional credential in public health practice. It is a practice-based degree where students fulfill core requirements in areas of knowledge basic to public health, with an emphasis on global health promotion and community health education. The MPH program responds to the needs of health professionals who wish to expand their career options in public health.

    MPH programs are offered at many institutions throughout the world with various specialized tracks. For example, MPH programs are offered in epidemiology, biostatistics, international health, health education, nutrition, administration, etc. Graduates will be involved with promoting health and preventing disease by developing population-based health education strategies.
  • The MPH degree prepares students for a variety of careers, including health promotion, epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, health administration, and global health. Graduates can obtain employment in a variety of settings, including state and local health departments, other government agencies, universities, nonprofit organizations, schools, and more.
  • Undergraduate degrees with relevance to public health are varied and include health education, biologic sciences, environmental science, economics, statistics, food science and nutrition, international studies, political science, psychology, nursing, social work, anthropology, geography, etc.
  • There are no prerequisite requirements beyond a relevant undergraduate degree.
  • The Department of Public Health offers periodic tuition and partial-tuition scholarships. Research assistantships are also available on a limited basis. Students bear the responsibility for all costs related to the field experience. However, with careful planning and foresight, scholarships and other financial opportunities are often available to support student travel and public health work. Besides the Financial Aid Office website, Graduate Studies offers some scholarships.
  • Yes. Students begin the program in the fall and will take all of the required core MPH courses with their cohort. Each cohort has approximately 30 students.
  • Students must complete a total of 48 credits: 30 required credits, 12 elective credits, and 6 credits related to the MPH field experience.
  • The BYU MPH program is completely in-person. All of the core MPH courses are offered in-person on Mondays and Wednesdays. There is no online option for these courses. To be accepted by Graduate Studies, all elective courses also need to be taken in-person.
  • A thesis is not required in the MPH program, nor is it an option. Rather, students are required to perform a 6-credit field experience (300 contact hours) and complete a written report on the experience.
  • The field experience will be completed between the first and second years of the program under the direct supervision of a faculty advisor and a professional mentor. The purpose of this experience is to expose students to a broad array of public health promotion strategies and interventions in multicultural settings, whether domestic or international. It allows the student to apply what has been learned in the classroom. The process will lead to the development of a product that meets the objectives of the student's graduate project.
  • The university and department application deadline for each year is February 1. Graduate applications are submitted online through the BYU Graduate Studies office.
  • Students will begin the program fall semester each year. All requirements for the master's degree, including coursework and the field experience, are designed to be completed within 2 years of admission into the MPH program. Students who need to deviate from the Program of Study timeline must receive prior approval from the MPH director and designated MPH faculty advisor. Students must be enrolled in the program on a full-time basis and will not be allowed to complete the program on a part-time basis.
  • The MPH degree is considered the terminal practice degree for the public health profession. However, for students interested in specialized careers in research or higher education, doctoral programs and other advanced graduate degrees are usually necessary. The MPH degree offers excellent preparation for advanced graduate study.
  • The MPH program is located in the Department of Public Health in the College of Life Sciences. For more information, contact the MPH Office at 4103 Life Sciences Building, 801-422-3082, or mph@byu.edu.
  • Students who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are to be endorsed by the bishop of the ward (1) in which they live and (2) that holds their current Church membership record. Students who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are to be endorsed by (1) the local ecclesiastical leader if the student is an active member of the congregation, (2) the bishop of the LDS ward in which they currently reside, or (3) the non-denominational BYU chaplain. (Please call the Honor Code Office at 801-422-2847 for information regarding the BYU chaplain.)