Earning a master’s degree in public health (MPH) can open the door to steady career advancement, excellent salary rates, and the chance to help others in various settings. An MPH equips you to take a professional position as a public health nurse, epidemiologist, health services administrator, and many other in-demand positions. You may find the ideal job in a healthcare setting, but you might also work for government, nonprofit, or industry organizations.
If an MPH sounds appealing to you, the good news is that many excellent programs offer classes both on campus and online. Of course, you don’t want your program to take any longer than is necessary.
In this article, we’ll look at how to reduce the amount of time it takes to earn your MPH degree, allowing you to quickly enter this rewarding profession and make a difference in your community.
How Long Does It Usually Take To Earn a Master’s in Public Health?
An average master’s degree program in public health will likely take around two years of full-time study. Attending classes part-time might take three or more years to finish the program.
Fortunately, there are ways to get around this and earn your degree in less time. One of the most common ways of doing this is by taking an accelerated program, sometimes called a fast-track program. Accelerated programs allow for highly motivated students to earn their master’s degree in as little as one year.
In some accelerated programs, you earn credit hours simultaneously for both your undergraduate and graduate degrees, allowing you to finish your education with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years or less. Other programs offer condensed classroom experiences so that you can gain the credits needed for graduation in 12-18 months.
How Do Accelerated Master’s in Public Health Programs Work?
There are a few ways to earn your MPH in an accelerated program. Many schools offer accelerated programs that start with your undergraduate education. Beginning in your junior or senior year, you will take graduate-level courses that count toward both your degrees. You will, in effect, be earning two degrees at the same time: your bachelor’s degree along with a master’s degree.
Qualifications for these types of programs vary from school to school, but you will likely have to submit transcripts, a statement of purpose, an application, and letters of recommendation. A minimum GPA may also be required, such as 3.5 or higher.
Some accelerated programs are designed for those who are already working professionals in the field. For example, Columbia University’s accelerated MPH program accepts students with a master’s or doctoral degree and five years of related work. Programs like this assume that you already know the basics of your field so that introductory coursework can be waived.
Accelerated programs favor motivated students. It can be challenging to succeed in an accelerated program if you are also working full-time or have significant family commitments. You will need to take a full load of courses each semester and dedicate considerable time outside of classes to studying, reading, and writing.
Taking your program online is one option that can save you time. Earning your degree through online learning offers increased flexibility, especially if classes are offered asynchronously. You won’t have to spend time and money on commuting costs, and you can attend your classes anywhere there is an internet connection. An online program can be a good choice for anyone with other work or family commitments.
Other Ways To Earn Your Master’s in Public Health Faster
If an accelerated program doesn’t seem like a good fit for you, there are still ways in which you may be able to shave time off your MPH degree. Consider the following suggestions:
- Most schools that use the semester system consider 12-15 credits to be a full-time load at the master’s level, with a graduate program requiring roughly 30-45 credit hours to complete. If you can handle a course overload, you can save time in your program. Taking 18 credits, for example, is possible, though you will need to be highly organized and efficient with your time. You’ll want to build a realistic schedule and stick with it carefully. You may not have much leisure time, but by applying yourself to your work, it is possible to earn your degree in less time.
- Another way to save time on your MPH program is to take courses during summer and holiday terms. Most colleges and universities have a full schedule of courses during the summer months. Often, these run from late May through late July, but some may continue into August. In addition, many colleges offer condensed classes during holiday times. For example, you might take a course that meets every day for the three weeks of your winter holiday, earning you three credits in a short period of time.
- Find out if your chosen college offers credit for related work experience. Many schools offer credit for military service, work experience, or other non-class-related experiences that have allowed you to gain knowledge in the public health field. You may need to take an exam or submit a portfolio to prove you know the subject, but if you succeed, you may be given credit without having to take the class.
- Explore the possibility of taking exams offered by organizations such as the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) or DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST) to be able to opt out of introductory courses. These exams may cost only a fraction of what you might pay to take the class, so they can potentially save you not only time but also money.
Our Research
This list features some of the fastest Master’s in Public Health programs in the country. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution, either public or private, with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions.
We evaluated each school’s program on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation. Then, we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
Next, we compared this comprehensive list of the fastest Master’s in Public Health programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications, such as U.S. News & World Report, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.
The 50 Fastest Master’s in Public Health Programs
