Public Health
Program Overview
The Master of Science in Public Health degree, a fully online, asynchronous program at Manhattanville University’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences, equips public health practitioners and researchers from a variety of experiences and backgrounds with real-world practical application to drive change in health outcomes.
Students complete a 42-credit comprehensive curriculum during 7, 6-credit semesters that combine rigorous academic preparation with practical skills development to analyze, evaluate and create public health initiatives with meaning and influence.
No need to navigate complex specializations or electives. Our program delivers only the most essential, high-impact courses and topics in public health principles and practices, research methods, and ethics to set students up for success.
Students immerse themselves in courses that explore contemporary topics in health policy, environmental health, and human rights. The curriculum rounds out with an examination of public health program planning and evaluation, economics, and surveillance methods.
Every student’s experience culminates in a final semester that comprises three elements:
- a public health practice course that seamlessly integrates essential concepts they master throughout the program.
- a capstone course to skillfully develop a high-caliber research prospectus under the supervision of a faculty member.
- a firsthand practical field experience under the mentorship of a field site preceptor and a faculty advisor to hone their skills and build their professional network at a public health organization.
You will graduate from Manhattanville’s MS in Public Health with the knowledge, skills, and real-world experiences necessary to make an impact on the ever-changing public health landscape.
Curriculum and Requirements
Overview
Our straightforward curriculum ensures you graduate with an MS in Public Health on time and with purpose. No unnecessary stress. No guesswork.
7 semesters. 6 credits per semester. Graduate on time and ready to lead.
- Core public health principles and ethics
- Research methods and analytical skills
- Health policy and economics
- Environmental health sciences
- Program planning and evaluation
- Health equity and human rights
- Public health surveillance methods
- Practical field experience
Download the Curriculum and Requirements Grid.
Full Course Descriptions
Semester 1
PUBH-5010 Foundations of Public Health (3 Credits)
As defined by the American Public Health Association (APHA), "Public health promotes
and protects the health of all people and their communities. This science-based, evidence-backed
field strives to give everyone a safe place to live, learn, work and play." This core
course provides an understanding of public health history, philosophy, values, concepts,
functions, and dynamics to ensure all students are grounded in foundational public
health knowledge. The course will allow students to fully understand what public health
is, how public health functions and what it does to fulfill its mission not only in
the U.S, but globally as well. This course will illustrate the many contemporary challenges
facing public health both nationally and globally, dynamics of the U.S. public health
system, and factors that influence population health both in the U.S. and globally:
thus, establishing the global interconnectivity of health systems which is best exemplified
with the latest COVID-19 pandemic.
Requisites:
None
PUBH-5020 Determinants of Health (3 Credits)
Since social and physical environments and health behaviors carry a far greater influence
on health outcomes than medical care, this course will focus on the underlying causes
of illness, wellness, and health by focusing on the evidence and the current theories
supporting the underlying determinants of health. This course will also demonstrate
how critical the understanding of determinants of health can impact public health
research and planning, and public policy to promote healthier societies nationally
and globally that provide greater health equity.
Requisites:
None
PUBH-5030 Public Health Ethics (3 Credits)
This course examines the normative frameworks and ethical issues as these are correlated
to public health practice and policy. As such, public health policy is often the product
of controversy. In this course, students will be introduced to a variety of ethical
issues and cases concerning public health, both globally and domestically and will
focus on two central ethical tensions shaping public health policy and practice between
the allocation of resources and balancing community and individuals concerns.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5010, PUBH.5020 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5040 Research Methods (3 Credits)
This course will teach students the required concepts and skills to conduct research
design, implementation, data collection and analysis, statistical tests, and report
results, as these skills are essential to conducting original research, but also,
to critically reviewing existing published public health research.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5010, PUBH.5020 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5110 Health Policy (3 Credits)
This course provides an overview of public health policy interventions decided, implemented,
and influenced by the social, bureaucratic, and political environments, but also,
by theoretical motivations which have consequences on population health.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5030, PUBH.5040 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5120 Analytical Skills (3 Credits)
This course focuses on the applied statistical (quantitative and qualitative) skills
necessary to prepare students answer public health questions using quantitative data
and provide community members the exact picture surrounding current populations health
issues. In addition to applied statistical principles (quantitative and qualitative),
this course focuses on data collection, analysis, interpretation, and most importantly,
on the presentation of results to provide actionable insights based on analysis.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5030, PUBH.5040 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5130 Environmental Health (3 Credits)
This course covers global and local environmental issues. It examines the sources,
routes, and the health impact correlated to physical, chemical, and biological agents
in the environment and how these agents affect the air quality, health, diseases,
food, and land resources in both occupational and community settings, thus demonstrating
the interdependency between natural environments and humans.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5110, PUBH.5120 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5140 Human Rights and Equity (3 Credits)
This course provides a unique perspective on the interconnectivity of human rights
and health equity in a changing world, not only in the United States, but globally.
It will not only focus on the origins of human rights and health equity, but also
on the notion of natural rights, or for example, the notion of religious and legal
frameworks of health rights, but also, analyze the complementary and competing nature
of human rights and the application of health for all including those in most need.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5110, PUBH.5120 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5150 Public Health Program Planning (3 Credits)
This course provides students with solid foundational knowledge and techniques to
plan and evaluate public health programs, including administrative, behavioral, educational,
and needs assessments, objective program writing, impact and outcome evaluation protocols,
management, and evaluations. Students will apply the above knowledge and techniques
to develop and critique both a public health program plan and evaluation plan.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5130, PUBH.5140 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5160 Public Health Economics (3 Credits)
To help students understand the delivery, financing, and organization of public health
services within health systems, this course introduces economic concepts in the provision
of all these health-related services: from the individual scale looking at the health
care market mechanisms to identify the types of interventions the government and health
care providers take (microeconomics), to the national scale of the economy (macroeconomies)
by looking at the impact of economic growth, public health spending, public health
policies on the health of the population. This course covers the demand and delivery
for public health services, including the costs and the market structure within which
they operate, along with the economic valuation and the cost-effectiveness, cost-benefit,
cost-utility, and cost-consequence analysis. This course also compares the performance
(equity and health outcomes) of public health systems around the world.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5130, PUBH.5140 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5170 Implementing PH Interventions (3 Credits)
This course will focus on the correlation between theory, concepts, evidence, community
engagement, and ethics, and the practical on-site issues resulting from the conceptualization,
planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of public health interventions.
Students will then focus on the identification of population needs, assets, and capacities
to develop the appropriate interventions; then cover the implementation of public
health interventions and strategies within a spectrum of socio-economical frameworks;
and conclude with a focus on both the monitoring of interventions and evaluation of
the public health intervention outcomes. Once again, students' focus shifts from evidence
to action by building on the knowledge and skills acquired during all other courses.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5150, PUBH.5160 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5180 Pub Hlth Surveillance Methods (3 Credits)
This course introduces public health surveillance concepts and principles by combining
theory and practice by covering local, state, and national public health settings
in the United States and globally to demonstrate how important these systems track
diseases and any health threats. The course concludes by having students evaluate
a surveillance system (individually or in groups, depending on the size of the selected
system) and design a regional, state, or national system in cooperation with public
health officials operating within the selected geographical setting.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5150, PUBH.5160 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5210 Public Health Practice (3 Credits)
This course stands at the culmination of the program as it combines and applies principles
and knowledge covered in all of the required courses to date, and uses evidence-based
approaches and analytical skills to solve public health problems confronting the U.S.
and the rest of the world, as COVID-19 has clearly reminded us, just like all prior
pandemics did, that health knows no man-made borders.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5170, PUBH.5180 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5220 Public Health Practicum (1 Credits)
This practicum is a supervised practical field experience that provides all participating
graduate students a unique opportunity to apply and further develop all the knowledge
and skills which they acquired within the academic program in a public health organization,
but also, in any organization where public health activities are implemented. Total
practicum hours: 75.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5170, PUBH.5180 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
PUBH-5900 Public Health Capstone (2 Credits)
This capstone reflects upon knowledge and practice and reflects the student's independent
efforts under the guidance of a faculty advisor. The capstone is a significant milestone,
but also the culmination of all other program activities.
Requisites:
Prerequisites: PUBH.5170, PUBH.5180 - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
Across the MS in Public Health program, graduates develop expertise in:
- Evidence-based approaches to public health practice
- Policy development and advocacy
- Program planning and evaluation
- Leadership and systems thinking
- Cultural competency in health communication
- Interprofessional collaboration
- Quantitative and qualitative research methods
Through our program's focus on health equity and practical application as well as innovative research, graduates are prepared to:
- Pursue doctoral programs in public health
- Conduct research to address structural inequities in health systems
- Design and implement population-based health programs
- Analyze health policies and their impacts
- Lead public health initiatives
- Evaluate program effectiveness
- Communicate with diverse stakeholders
Manhattanville’s Master of Science (MS) in Public Health prepares graduates for diverse positions across public health including:
- Local, state, and federal government organizations
- Healthcare systems
- Higher Education and Research Institutions
- International Health Organizations
- Non-profit Organizations
Epidemiologists - $81,390
Postsecondary Educators - $84,380
Medical and Health Services Managers - $110,680
With decades of experience from local to global settings, our faculty brings a powerful blend of academic insights and real-world leadership in designing and driving public health programs. .
Meet Manhattanville University faculty.
Explore health and science programs at Manhattanville University:
- MS in Biomedical Sciences
MS in Computer Science
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The MS in Public Health degree program at Manhattanville University welcomes applications from current professionals, recent graduates, or career changers who are enthusiastic about public health research and practice.
There are no application deadlines, so you can submit your online application anytime for consideration.
Application requirements:
- Completed application
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited academic institution
- Official transcripts from all previous academic institutions
- Current resume/curriculum vitae
- Personal statement: In no more than 750 words, tell us why you are pursuing a Master of Science in Public Health at Manhattanville University. What drives your public health interest? What public health issue are you most enthusiastic about? How will this program help you grow as a public health researcher, practitioner, and leader?
- Two letters of recommendation: One from an academic reference who can speak to your intellectual abilities and potential for graduate-level work. One from a professional reference who can speak about your interests, ambitions, and work style.
Review complete graduate admissions information and contact Graduate Admissions team members with any questions.
Review up-to-date tuition and fee information. Students in the MS in Public Health may qualify for financial aid at Manhattanville:
- Federal Direct Loans
- Graduate PLUS Loans
- Merit-based scholarships
- If available, graduate assistantships
For complete information, review financial aid at Manhattanville and contact the Office of Financial Aid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our program is built for impact. We offer a boutique experience with small class sizes of no more than 20 students. Direct access to program leadership and faculty. A straightforward, no-nonsense curriculum that keeps you on track to graduate. You’ll graduate with a research prospectus, a professional network, and real-world skills to lead in public health.
Yes! Our program follows a 6-credit-per-semester format ideal for balancing graduate school with work and personal commitments. Whether you’re already in public health or transitioning to it, you’ll graduate without burning out.
An MS in Public Health creates access to careers across public health, healthcare, government, consulting, and research sectors. Graduates work as health program managers, policy analysts, epidemiologists, research assistants, research professors, research directors, and data analysts. Graduates often pursue advanced studies such as PhD, DrPH, and MD degrees. Public health is a rapidly growing field with strong potential for meaningful work and competitive salaries.
No. We welcome applicants from diverse academic and professional paths who are enthusiastic about improving health outcomes and ready to lead public health programs to apply.
An MS in Public Health degree typically focuses on research methodology, quantitative analysis, and scientific investigation in preparation for research-oriented careers and potential doctoral studies. In contrast, an MPH emphasizes practical application and program implementation, designed for those seeking direct public health practice roles. While both degree programs ready students for public health careers, the MS program is ideal for those interested in investigating health trends, analyzing data, and contributing to evidence-based public health solutions and policies.
A public health researcher investigates health trends of various populations, designs
and conducts studies, analyzes health data, and develops recommendations to improve
community health outcomes. Their work involves collecting and analyzing data about
disease patterns, health behaviors, and program effectiveness and translating those
findings for policymakers and health practitioners.
Manhattanville’s MS in Public Health is a 42-credit program designed for working professionals, typically completed in 24-48 months through part-time, distance education.
Apply to the MS in Public Health at Manhattanville University
Take the first step toward advancing your career in public health and public health research with Manhattanville’s Master of Science in Public Health degree program. Our flexible online format allows you to balance your education with other commitments while gaining the skills needed to make a meaningful impact on population health.
Contact Us
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Nicholas V. Cagliuso, Sr., PhD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor and Founding Director
Nicholas.Cagliuso@mville.edu914-323-3170
Master of Science in Public Health Program
School of Nursing and Health Sciences
Founder’s Hall, G26A
