Please note that we're offering this program online for the first time, and it's pending the approval of the Chancellor’s Office. If you're interested in applying, please fill out an interest form, and we'll notify you as soon as applications are open.
Acquire an advanced knowledge of the basic science of public health by earning your MPH in Epidemiology online from San Diego State University. You’ll learn how to study and identify the causes of disease and injury in population groups, lead life-saving research projects, and work towards building healthier communities across the globe.
About the program
San Diego State University’s Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Epidemiology is a fully-online research-oriented graduate program that’s designed to help you advance your career as a public health professional. You’ll learn how to conduct sophisticated research on disease and injury in diverse human populations, while also acquiring the skills you need to manage teams in a variety of public and private professional settings.
This two-year online graduate program will help you identify health-related inequities in vulnerable communities and propose strategies to build coalitions and partnerships that will positively impact public health outcomes. You’ll acquire these skills through intensive virtual courses led by expert faculty from SDSU’s School of Public Health, many of whom are world-renowned experts in the field of public health. You’ll also get invaluable hands-on experience in the practice of public health through a field placement with a public health organization in your own community.
SDSU’s online MPH programs are all fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
Program is perfect for
SDSU’s online MPH in Epidemiology is designed for career-driven public health professionals with at least three years of work experience who are unable to attend an in-person graduate program on a college campus.
The program will help prepare you to be public health practitioners, as well as for careers in teaching and research. Graduates are equipped with the advanced skills needed to become leaders in a variety of public health-related professional fields and settings, including:
State and Local Government
Federal Government Agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Nonprofit Organizations
Education
Scientific Research and Development
Hospitals, Clinics, and Healthcare Organizations
Data Analysis
Pharmaceutical Companies
This program is designed with today’s busy professionals in mind. The coursework is entirely online, which means that you can earn your degree while also navigating a busy work schedule, family obligations, and other responsibilities.
What you can learn
SDSU’s online MPH in Epidemiology will provide you with advanced training that will help you identify the various biological, environmental, social, and behavioral risk factors for human disease. You’ll acquire the skills you need to study the causes, control, and prevention of disease in human populations, while also learning how to optimize health resource distribution networks, lead clinical trials, and conduct sophisticated epidemiologic research.
Learning Outcomes
Graduates of SDSU’s online MPH in Epidemiology program will learn how to:
- Identify the major categories of bias, and propose methods to evaluate and/or reduce their influence on the measures of major interest.
- Select appropriate study designs for population based epidemiologic research.
- Conduct original research: formulate a research question; prepare and carry out a proposal; present findings both orally and in written form.
- Understand principles of screening for disease and risk factors (including sensitivity, specificity, predictive values).
- Critically review scientific literature.
The curriculum is broken up into 51 units. You’ll take two 3-unit courses every eight weeks, with a one-week break between sessions. To finish the program, you’ll choose between completing a capstone project, constructing a manuscript, or undergoing a comprehensive review as your culminating experience.
Essential to your success in the program is the supervised field practicum component. You’ll get invaluable hands-on experience working with a public health organization located in your own community. These field experiences take place in a variety of professional environments, which include, hospitals, managed care organizations, health care organizations, government agencies, community organizations, research institutions, advocacy and policy programs, and private institutions.
The field practicum is non-residential; you will not need to travel to SDSU to complete the requirement.
Field Practicum Objectives
- Apply classroom knowledge to real world work experience by aligning internship work/duties with the SPH learning objectives and public health competencies.
- Obtain hands-on experience in the design, development and/or implementation of a project(s) that aims to address a public health issue and results in tangible products.
- Gain public health professional and interprofessional (IPE) development experience by working and collaborating with diverse populations and groups including community members, leaders and government officials across sectors and throughout the world.
- Develop cultural competence and global leadership skills to meet evolving public health needs.
Outcomes
Employment Numbers (2019)
Medical Scientist
Clinical Research Coordinator / Manager
Biostatistician
Epidemiologist
CATEORY_TITLE
Projected Growth (2019-2028)
Medical Scientist
Clinical Research Coordinator / Manager
Biostatistician
Epidemiologist
CATEORY_TITLE
Salary Range
Medical Scientist
Clinical Research Coordinator / Manager
Biostatistician
Epidemiologist
CATEORY_TITLE
Labor Analysis
Master’s in Epidemiology Graduate — Nationwide
Job Postings
Last 12 months
34,940
Projected Growth
Over 10 years
+9.26%
Salary Range
Average
$65,000-$120,000
Source: BLS & Burning Glass Technologies, 2020
Epidemiology is a fast growing field that’s highly lucrative for those who have the experience and qualifications necessary for high-level leadership roles. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most individuals who graduate from a master’s-level epidemiology program find employment in either health and medical research or data analysis and mathematics. In 2019, there were more than 34,000 job postings across the nation seeking individuals with an advanced knowledge of epidemiology. Those numbers are projected to grow by more than 9% over the next decade. In California, employment is projected to grow by nearly 30% over the next 10 years.
Why Should You Choose Us?
Accessibility
Earning your MPH in Epidemiology from SDSU’s online program means that you don’t have to put your life on hold. The coursework is fully online and can be completed in just two years, making it ideal for career-driven public health professionals who want to gain practical experience and advanced knowledge of epidemiology without putting their current career on hold.
Expert Faculty
Your courses are taught by the same faculty and lecturers who teach on-campus courses with the School of Public Health. This faculty is made up of expert public health practitioners, many of whom come from a variety of professional settings such as the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), HMOs, hospitals, industry, managed care agencies, military services, and other academic institutions.
Practical Experience
You’ll get a chance to apply the skills you’ve learned in your online lessons through a supervised field experience with a public health organization in your own community. You’ll learn how to address real-world public health issues, gather data for research, and acquire the leadership skills you’ll need to treat diverse populations with cultural sensitivity.