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Master of Public Health

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The Master of Public Health program at UMass Lowell provides students with knowledge essential to the practice of public health on a global scale.

Earn Your MPH Degree With One Of Five Options

All students study environmental health issues, biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy and management and social and behavioral determinants of health.

Need more information about the Focus Areas? Descriptions and objectives are on the Focus Areas page.

Full Time Part Time BS to MPH
Duration: 2 years

The MPH program is a 42-credit, post-BS program that has been developed to provide a comprehensive public health education to all graduates.

Academic Calendar

Core Courses

All MPH students will take five core public health courses plus a two-semester, six-credit MPH practicum (21 credits total):

  • Environmental Health 
  • Epidemiology & Biostatistics
  • Public Health Policy
  • Leadership & Management in Public Health 
  • Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health 
  • MPH Practicum 
  • Integrated Practical Learning

MPH program details are in the Graduate Catalog:

Program Mission and Outcomes

Degree Pathways
  • Submitted online application
  • BA or BS degree, or senior-year status, with an overall GPA of at least 3.0.
  • Grades of C or better in required, prerequisite college-level courses. These include a minimum one semester of statistics and one semester of either biology or anatomy and physiology. Applicants who are missing prerequisites may be admitted with the provision that they meet with their adviser before or during their first semester and develop a plan of study to complete the prerequisites during the first year.
    • Applicants to the Nutrition option must have taken undergraduate courses in Human Nutrition.
    • Applicants to the Dietetics option must earn grades of B- or better in the following college level pre requisite courses: Human Nutrition, Microbiology, Food Science, Medical Nutrition Therapy I and II, Nutrition and Metabolism, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Statistics, Biology or Anatomy and Physiology, and Psychology or Sociology or Anthropology.
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are NOT required for the Master of Public Health program application.
  • 2 letters of recommendation
  • Statement of purpose
  • $50 application fee
International Applicants
  • Applicants who earned their degree outside of the U.S. must have their transcript evaluated by a credentialing service such as WES or CED.
  • English proficiency testing
    • TOEFL minimum 79
    • IELTS minimum 6.5

UMass Lowell Bachelor's to Master's Applicants

Qualified UMass Lowell undergraduate junior or senior students may apply for admission to the Bachelor's to Master's public health accelerated option. Students accepted into this option may take up to four graduate level Public Health Core courses (5000 level) during their senior year that will be credited toward both the bachelor's and master's degrees upon approval by their undergraduate adviser. Please refer to the Graduate Catalog for the latest information about admission, courses, retention, and degree requirements.

Learn more about admissions requirements

Review the most recent tuition and fees for graduate programs. 

Dietetics Option

There are additional fees for items such as: 
  • Summer supervised practice (one-time fee)  
  • Estimated books and supplies  
  • Estimated travel expenses for supervised practice
  • ServSafe Certification (if not already certified) 
  • Academy membership
  • EHR Go (one-time fee)

Additional annual costs depending on your living situation and health insurance needs.

  • Estimated housing expenses 
  • Estimated health insurance (if not already covered) 

FINANCING

For more information on tuition and financing, visit Costs & Aid for Graduate Programs.

As a graduate of the MPH program, you will be prepared to assume leadership positions in a range of careers in private industry, government, consulting, law, insurance, hospitals and the nonprofit sector. Some students may plan to continue to doctoral programs or seek positions in academia. 

The Bureau of Labor statistics projects that more than 150,000 new public health jobs will be created in the U.S. between 2019 and 2029, in addition to many more positions that are opening due to retiring workers.

Careers include titles such as:

  • Biostatistician
  • Director of Family Health Services
  • Disaster Preparedness Researcher
  • Environmental Health & Safety Manager
  • Health Commissioner
  • Industrial Hygienist
  • Informatics Specialist
  • Injury Prevention Specialist
  • Policy Analyst
  • Program Officer
  • Regulatory Affairs Specialist

Learn about MPH Paths to Success

Kate Killion

"The UMass Lowell program really emphasizes the public health influences, even on individual health."

Kate Killion came to UMass Lowell for her master’s degree because it’s the only university in New England that offers a dietetics degree within the Department of Public Health. Read more about her Dietetics studies.
Abdul Hameed holds up his diploma

“I thought, ‘What if we could prevent a disease before it’s happening?"

A practicum in infection prevention at a hospital prepared Abdul Hameed for a job with the CDC, preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus in hospitals and other health-care facilities. Learn about his Healthcare Management journey.
Chandni Shahdev in front of Coburn Hall in UMass Lowell south campus

"UMass Lowell stood out. I was really impressed by the research the faculty were doing."

Her master’s degree in public health and research experiences helped Chandni Shahdev get a job with the CDC Foundation, working with employers to prevent and contain outbreaks of COVID-19. Read more about her Epidemiology work.