30 Best One Year MPH Programs Online [2024 Guide]

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One Year MPH Programs are offered by Ivy League universities & other schools. See the complete list of 1 Year MPH Programs (online or on-campus).

We’ve identified 30 accredited Online One Year MPH Programs for 2024. Compare schools & accelerated programs.

One Year MPH Programs

Enrolling in a one year MPH program may enable you to advance your public health career and increase your earning potential while simultaneously keeping your educational costs down.

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Earning a Master of Public Health can help give you the skills necessary to equip and empower people to improve their health around the world while still earning a healthy paycheck.

Types of One Year MPH Programs

The following list provides a brief description of different types of one-year MPH programs that are available to consider. Click on one that interests you to jump to that section of the page.

The decision of what to study depends on what type of public health career you would like to pursue after graduation.

MPH – General

health educator speaking during a seminar

Students in a general public health online degree program are provided knowledge on concepts, theories, and practices of public health. Upon completion of the program, you may be able to research, analyze, create, and implement various techniques involving public health.

You may also be introduced to biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy and management, environmental health, and social and behavioral health, which are the core courses of the study of public health.

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Graduates of the general program may go on to lead successful careers as program coordinators, project managers, program managers, healthcare consultants, research associates, health educators, data analysts, and more.

This is a good option to choose if you are unsure about the exact field of public health that you would like to enter; this program introduces you to several different focuses that may help you decide.

Biostatistics

health consultant providing information to a company manager

The area of focus in this program is not only public health, but also excessive training in quantitative methods and techniques. This program may teach you the necessary statistical procedures and analysis of studies regarding healthcare.

A person that possesses strong mathematical, analytical, and research skills may be best suited for a biostatistics program in public health.

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Upon graduation, you can expect to become a collaborator dealing with statistics most of the day, a consultant at a large or small company, or a technical representative providing needed resources in the biostatistics and public health field.

Child and Maternal Health

nurse taking care of a pregnant woman

This program is centered around the health of mothers and children, which includes the developmental, social, mental, and behavioral health.

Most graduates of the child and maternal health program earn careers as research associates, program coordinators, program managers, research coordinators, epidemiologists, or program directors.

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You may learn the geographical and socioeconomic factors that influence maternal and child health as well as how to create health programs for mothers and children. An individual that is interested in researching and learning about the health of mothers and children and desires to help them may be an excellent candidate for this program.

Community Health

Community Health worker visiting a senior woman in her home

Graduates of this program may pursue a variety of career paths, such as mental health counselors, health educators, social workers, community health workers, community outreach coordinators, public health nurses, and more.

The community health program may teach you how to conduct assessments on communities as well as develop and evaluate health programs. Additionally, you may learn how a sickness or disease impacts a population and how to create a safer community for people to live and work daily.

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This may be the perfect program for someone that is interested in helping communities, whether it be addressing illnesses, safety, jobs, environmental issues, poverty, drug use, etc.

Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness

research scientists working in a laboratory

If you decide on this program, you may learn how to solve problems, conduct research, address health issues and inequalities, and oversee and evaluate health programs in multicultural areas.

A program in disaster management and emergency preparedness may lead you to a career as an emergency management specialist, safety manager, business development representative, security director, safety supervisor, safety coordinator, or research scientist.

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Individuals who can maintain composure during emergency events, work well under pressure, and possess excellent problem-solving and research skills may be best suited for this field.

Environmental Health

Environmental Health scientists taking samples of water in a river

This is an MPH program option that teaches students about preventing diseases, occupational hazards, negative quality of air and water, and toxicology and poisons.

With the guidance of this program, you may be able to pursue a career as an environmental health and safety specialist, epidemiologist, environmental scientist, industrial hygienist, environmental health and safety officer, or toxicologist.

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If you are a naturally curious person and want to learn how people, occupations, and geographical settings can impact the overall health of the environment, a program in environmental health may be perfect for you.

Epidemiology

research analyst working in a laboratory

An MPH degree with a focus in epidemiology is centered around learning about various diseases, illnesses, and risks that may occur and affect the population. Professors of this program teach students various methods and techniques to analyze data, perform research, and put your findings into words.

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With the study of epidemiology, you may pursue a career as an epidemiologist, data analyst, research associate, infection control practitioner, research analyst, or clinical research coordinator. This can be a great program choice for a person who is concerned with keeping the public safe from any diseases or illnesses.

Global Health

healthcare consultants in a meeting

A public health program in global health prepares you for a career as a healthcare consultant, research associate, health educator, data analyst, program coordinator, or program manager.

During this program, you may learn how to analyze, plan, and implement necessary strategies to ensure the quality of world-wide, public health improves.

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Additionally, you may be taught how to determine what causes certain illnesses and diseases in foreign countries as well as how to develop health policies and procedures to lessen the stress of risks that could occur.

If you are a person that desires to help people, wants to understand other cultures, likes to travel, and enjoys conducting research to find out about the causes of illnesses, this program may be beneficial to you.

Health and Human Services

guidance counselor comforting a patient

An individual interested in a health and human services program may prepare to learn the different prevention and intervention techniques to improve the quality of life; some of these techniques include case management, advocacy, community collaboration, crisis response, and conflict resolution.

This program may lead you to a successful career as a substance abuse counselor, guidance counselor, human resources associate, human resources generalist, human resources manager, analyst, or inside sales representative.

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Earning an education in health and human services may serve you well if you are interested in making the life and well-being of people better.

Health Science

healthcare consultants meeting in a hospital cafeteria

A graduate of the health science program may be able to land a job as a project manager, program coordinator, healthcare consultant, operations manager, and more. This program teaches students the necessities of research and scientific principles to provide outstanding medical healthcare.

You may also learn how to utilize technology in certain medical practices, create new medical strategies, and ultimately understand all the aspects of the field of healthcare.

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This program may benefit an exceptional student that possesses advanced research skills, understands the operations of the medical field, and would like to help medical facilities provide the best possible medical practices to patients.

Infectious Disease

epidemiologist working in a quarantined laboratory

An infectious disease program educates students on how diseases and illnesses are spread from person-to-person and the techniques to control them.

You may gain knowledge on how to collect and analyze data, raise awareness to the public, and teach people how to treat and prevent certain illnesses and diseases. This program may lead to careers as an infection control manager, infection control director, staff development coordinator, disease intervention specialist, or epidemiologist.

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If you are a person that is interested in minimizing diseases and illnesses, wants to understand where they come from and how a person acquires and spreads them, and desires to educate society on resources to treat infectious diseases, this program may be a good choice for you.

Nutrition

a registered dietician introducing a supplement to a patient

This program provides knowledge and skills in nutritional counseling, educating the public, and promoting good health.

With the comprehension of this program, you may be able to apply to become a registered dietician, clinical dietician, project manager, program director, or program analyst.

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The person who is best suited for this program may be intrigued by the study of food and nutrition and how they affect people’s health and lives.

Occupational Health

health safety specialists working in a laboratory

An MPH degree with a focus in occupational health teaches students how to develop and promote healthier work environments. You may learn how to respond to emergency issues, handle any disastrous situations that may come up, and how to create programs and policies to enforce a healthy atmosphere at work.

Most graduates of this program pursue career paths as environment and health safety specialists, safety managers, industrial hygienists, and safety engineers.

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This may be a great program for those interested in making the workplace healthier and safer by raising awareness, implementing policies, and creating programs that employers can easily access to gain information.

Public Health Policy

health policy analyst meeting with healthcare professionals

A public health policy program may open the doors to becoming a health policy analyst, research associate, healthcare consultant, program analyst, business analyst, public health analyst, or research analyst.

The professors of this program provide insight on the latest and most important health policy issues, health care systems, and health programs throughout the world.

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The person who is best suited for this program may possess the desire and motivation to study the operations of health systems and come up with better ideas and strategies for managing and delivering healthcare.

Social and Behavioral Science

health educator giving a talk to fellow healthcare professionals

Students in a social and behavioral science program may be introduced to the psychological and sociological aspects that impact public health.

For example, a student in this program may be required to research and analyze how society and behavior react to health programs, the motivation for people to continue being healthy, and how society responds to health problems.

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Upon graduation, you may be able to earn a job as a program coordinator, project manager, health educator, program director, epidemiologist, or research analyst. A person that has taken courses in psychology or sociology and possesses advanced research skills may do well in this program.

Online Master of Public Health – MPH Curriculum

While every university offers differing areas of focus or specialty, as a result of the accreditation system, you can expect to see the same type of classes whether you go to an Ivy-League school or to a state university.

Some of the courses you might expect to see in an MPH program include:

  • Foundations of Public Health and Health Policy
  • Epidemiology
  • Applied Epidemiology
  • Biostatistics
  • Ethics in Health and Healthcare
  • Health Services Administration
  • Using Data to Inform Decision Making
  • Health Policy
  • Research Methods for Public Health
  • Public Health Project Planning
  • Practicum

Regardless of where you attend, an accredited MPH can help provide you with the skills and tools to make a difference in the world by supporting the public health sphere.

What Is MPH Online?

What Is MPH Online

A Master of Public Health (MPH) is a skill-based professional degree that provides an in-depth understanding of public health and helps develop the tools and skills necessary to be a leader or administrator in the public health field.

If you enjoy working with a variety of individuals to support better health through research, administration, education, or program development, pursuing an MPH may be a natural progression. Having your MPH might move you from a middle-level employee into leadership within both your organization and the public health field.

To develop the skills necessary to be a leader in the public health field through an MPH, you can expect to complete 36 to 42 credit hours in a non-thesis professional graduate degree program.

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For many students, investing in an MPH is attractive as it may allow you to increase your earning potential while still remaining connected to the public health field.

An MPH may be completed in a variety of ways, whether by attending classes at a brick-and-mortar college campus, doing a part-time residency on a physical campus and completing other courses online, or completing your entire MPH online.

One Year MPH Programs – How to Finish in 1 Year or Less

master of public health student studying on his computer

If an MPH sounds attractive, but you don’t want to invest the next 2-4 years getting your degree, a one year MPH program may be a great solution. If you are willing to put in the effort, it is entirely possible to get your MPH in one year!

Several accredited universities offer a 12-month accelerated track where you can take 2 classes at the same time (essentially working 60-80 hours a week) to complete a 36-hour non-thesis MPH program in 1 year.

There is a catch, however. Many universities have stringent expectations for students that are enrolled in an accelerated program of this intensity. These expectations can include barring students from being employed while in the program or a minimum GPA of 3.5 in your undergrad.

Despite these high expectations, completing your MPH in one year instead of 2 or even 4 may be beneficial as it will allow you to start earning that higher paycheck sooner, making the sacrifices more worthwhile.

1 Year Online MPH Programs vs. Campus 1 Year MPH Programs

masters of public health students studying on computer and sitting in class respectively

You’ve evaluated the various aspects of an MPH program and decided that an accelerated 1-year MPH is the right move for you. But there are many routes that you may take to an accelerated MPH, including spending an intensive year studying on campus or taking the complete degree online from the comfort of your home.

Spending a year on campus to complete your MPH may allow you to connect with a more diverse student population. This in-person connecting can build your professional network opening new opportunities down the line.

However, studying on campus also requires adhering to a specific schedule and location which can be burdensome when you are in an accelerated program. Completing your MPH through a 1 year online MPH program may provide many benefits if you have the discipline to work an 80-hour workweek from home.

One of the most significant benefits of an online MPH program is the flexibility that it provides. An online MPH is not only flexible in its location and schedule but also in its requirements with many online programs waiving the GRE requirement.

Choosing an online MPH program might also allow you to control the pacing of your studies, giving you control over your schedule instead of your schedule controlling you.

Online MPH Programs No GRE Requirement

The GRE (Graduate Record Exam) used to be the starting point of all graduate studies, pinpointing those students who would be successful in graduate-level education and barring those who would not.

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However, many universities have found that standardized testing such as the GRE does not indicate whether or not a student would be successful in the public health field. As a result, there are multiple online MPH programs with no GRE requirement, clearing one more hurdle for you in your journey to a Master of Public Health.

MPH Careers

Master of Public Health careers

With an MPH in your portfolio, the opportunities for career advancement can be quite varied, from social work to epidemiology.

Careers Annual Median Salary
Medical and Health Services Manager $104,280
Nursing Home Administrator $89,880
Biostatistician $79,440
Emergency Management Director $76,250
Epidemiologist $74,560
Social and Community Service Manager $69,600
Dietitian $63,090
Healthcare Social Worker $57,630
Health Educator $56,500
Community Health Worker $42,000

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Completing a Master of Public Health may give you the opportunity to provide high-quality care and guidance in a variety of different career paths.

Accreditation for an MPH Program Online

Council on Education for Public Health logo

It is very important to make sure the MPH program you are applying to has been accredited by an accrediting agency. This shows employers and other colleges and universities that you have completed a program that meets the standard educational requirements needed to be successful in the field.

The two different types of accrediting agencies for an MPH program are Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and regional accreditation.

CEPH is a national accrediting agency that provides accreditation to colleges of public health as well as public health programs. With this accreditation, your online MPH program may be highly regarded by prospective employers.

CEPH is part of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors, and this accrediting agency ensures that schools and programs are providing a high-quality education and training methods to achieve greatness in the field of public health.

Regional accreditation involves six different accrediting agencies that provide accreditation to colleges and universities depending on their region or location. For example, a college or university located in the south may have received its regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Financial Aid for an Online MPH

screenshot of FAFSA website

You may not have to foot the bill for an MPH degree entirely on your own. There are different types of financial resources you should look into, including scholarships, educational awards, work-study programs, state and federal grants, and student loans.

An easy way to find out what federal aid you qualify for is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is an easy and quick process created by the federal government that can be accessed online.

Questions Related to Earning an MPH Degree Online

Here are our answers to a few more questions you might have before enrolling in an MPH program.

How Much Does an MPH Program Cost?

MPH Program Cost

An online MPH program can cost anywhere between $16,000 and $60,000. The price depends on if you are looking for a program in-state or out-of-state as well as the cost of the fees related to the program.

However, it is important to remember that the most expensive program does not mean it is the best program for you; you should research different programs regardless of the cost and decide if it aligns with your interests, educational goals, and future career goals.

How Long Is an MPH Program?

An MPH program can range from 1-2 years depending on the program and college you choose to earn your degree from. It also depends on how long you take to complete your studies.

Some online colleges allow students to complete the courses at their own pace or through an accelerated format, which could result in a longer or shorter degree program.

What Can I Do with a Master’s Degree in Public Health?

The field of public health consists of dealing with finances, conducting large amounts of research, and working with people and communities that need your help.

There are various career paths that graduates with a master’s degree in public health may pursue. Some of these careers include biostatistician, epidemiologist, environmental health scientist, health educator, and medical and health service manager.

Universities Offering MPH Programs Online

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

A.T. Still University

AT Still University campus

  • 60 credit hours

ATSU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Capella University

Capella University campus

  • 60 credit hours

Capella is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College campus

  • 53 credit hours

Dartmouth is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.

Drexel University

Drexel University campus

  • 56 credit hours

Drexel University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

East Tennessee State University

East Tennessee State University campus

  • 43 credit hours

ETSU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

Florida International University

Florida International University campus

  • 45 credit hours

FIU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

George Washington University

George Washington University campus

  • 45 credit hours

GW is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Harvard University

Harvard University campus

  • 45 credit hours

Harvard is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

Indiana State University

Indiana State University campus

  • 39-42 credit hours

Indiana State has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1915.

Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University campus

  • 80 credit hours

Johns Hopkins is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Kent State University

Kent State University campus

  • 46 credit hours

Kent State is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.

National University

National University campus

  • 72 credit hours

NU is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Nova Southeastern University

Nova Southeastern University campus

  • 42 credit hours

NSU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

Purdue University – Global

Purdue University campus

  • 56 credit hours

Purdue Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Texas A&M University

Texas A and M University campus

  • 42 credit hours

TAMU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

University of Alabama

University of Alabama campus

  • 42 credit hours

UA is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

University of California – Berkeley

University of California Berkeley campus

  • 33 credit hours

UC Berkeley is accredited by Western Association of Schools & Colleges.

University of Florida

University of Florida campus

  • 48 credit hours

UF is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

University of Illinois

University of Illinois campus

  • 48 credit hours

U of Illinois is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

University of Maryland

University of Maryland Global campus

  • 45 credit hours

UMD is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

University of Michigan

University of Michigan campus

  • 42 credit hours

UMich is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska campus

  • 42 credit hours

UN is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

University of North Carolina

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill campus

  • 42 credit hours

UNC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

University of North Dakota

University of North Dakota campus

  • 39-40 credit hours

UND is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

University of North Texas

University of North Texas campus

  • 48 credit hours

UNT is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh campus

  • 45-47 credit hours

Pitt is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

University of South Carolina

University of South Carolina campus

  • 45 credit hours

USC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

University of South Florida

University of South Florida campus

  • 42 credit hours

USF is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges.

University of Southern California

University of Southern California campus

  • 42 credit hours

USC has been accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) since March 6, 1949.

Yale University

Yale University campus

  • 66 credit hours

Yale is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.

Do You Want to Earn Your MPH Quickly?

Online MPH Programs

If you want to complete the Online MPH Programs in 1 Year, you may select one of the universities above that offers a program of 36 credit hours or less (non-thesis) and enroll in 8 week online classes taking a minimum of 2 courses per term. At this pace, you might complete the entire MPH online in one year.

Ready to start your journey?
WRITTEN BY
Joy is pursuing her Ph.D. in Public Policy & Foreign Policy at Liberty University and holds a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management from Amberton University, as well as a Bachelor's in Business Administration from Columbia College. With over 20 years of experience navigating online degrees and courses, Joy's focus is helping non-traditional students find accelerated degree options and credit for prior learning opportunities.