Program Description

The Program in Public Health, coordinated by the Department of Preventive Medicine, offers a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree to students seeking 1) a broad perspective on the definition of health highlighting the concepts of prevention, health promotion, health care organization and delivery, and population-based research and intervention; 2) an interdisciplinary public health knowledge base derived from biomedical and social scientific theories and empiric evidence; and 3) the quantitative, educational, organizational, and practical skills to ensure that all graduates will be successful in future public health practice, teaching, and/or research endeavors.

Community health includes population-based approaches to the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, AIDS, malnutrition, obesity, pediatric infectious diseases, child abuse, and disability. Epidemiology and biostatistics focuses on population-oriented approaches to diagnosis, risk, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Potential areas of study in which faculty have expertise include cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, cancer, rheumatologic disease, mental health, pediatrics, geriatrics, and rehabilitation.

Health services research pertains to the study of the organization, delivery, and financing of health care and services. It includes studies on the effectiveness and efficiency of health practices. Potential areas of study include those mentioned in the area of epidemiology and biostatistics, as well as organizational behavior, and health systems performance.

Applicants should contact the program or see Web site www.publichealth.northwestern.edu to learn about program-specific requirements for admission.