MPH Program Revises Course and Credit Hour Requirements Effective Academic Year 2025-2026 (pending University approval)
Planning to update the ECU Masters of Public Health (MPH) program is currently underway (pending University approval). For applicants aiming to matriculate in Academic Year (AY) 2025-2026 or thereafter, please read this webpage (and links) to be informed about the changes that could impact your planning.
Overall changes to MPH program
- The MPH program will be 42 semester credit hours (SH), revised from 45.
- Eighteen semester hours of eight core courses (18 SH) will be required, revised from 24 semester hours of 8 core courses (24 SH).
- Concentration-specific courses and credit hours will differ by concentration.
- Community Health and Health Behavior (CHHB) will have 18 SH, revised from 15 SH.
- Epidemiology (EPI) will have 21 SH, revised from 15 SH.
- Health Policy, Administration and Leadership (HPAL) will have 18 SH, revised from 15 SH.
- The Applied Practice Experience (APE), or field placement/internship, courses will vary by concentration. The number of hours to produce two professional deliverables is revised downward from 240 hours to at least 90 but less than 240.
- The Integrated Learning Experience (ILE), or professional paper, courses will vary by concentration.
Comparison of MPH Program Existing and Proposed Number of Courses and Semester Credit Hours (SH) by Concentration
| Existing - Academic Year 2024-2025 | EPI | CHHB | HPAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | 8 (24 SH) | 8 (24 SH) | 8 (24 SH) |
| Concentration-specific | 4 (12 SH) | 2 (6 SH) | 3 (9 SH) |
| Electives | 1 (3 SH) | 3 (9 SH) | 2 (6 SH) |
| Capstone Courses (1) | 4 (6 SH) | 4 (6 SH) | 4 (6 SH) |
| Total MPH | 17 (45 SH) | 17 (45 SH) | 17 (45 SH) |
| Proposed - Academic Year 2025-2026 | EPI | CHHB | HPAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | 8 (18) | 8 (18) | 8 (18) |
| Concentration-specific | 4 (12) | 5 (9) | 5 (15) |
| Electives | 3 (8) | 3 (9) | 1 (3) |
| Capstone Courses (1) | 2 (4) | 4 (6) | 4 (6) |
| Total MPH | 17 (42) | 20 (42) | 18 (42) |
What will not be revised:
- MPH core courses include assessment of Competencies required for accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
- All courses are asynchronous and offered fully online using Canvas as the Learning Management System (LMS).
- The MPH program provides learning opportunities that heighten awareness of rural health inequities and framing solutions to improve health outcomes in rural residents in North Carolina and beyond.
For more information on proposed program updates, please contact the MPH Program Director, Dr. Marla Hall, PhD, MCHES at hallmarl14@ecu.edu or MPH@ecu.edu.