Graduate programs

The School of Public Health graduate programs are designed to prepare students for professional work in the fields of community health, health promotion, health management, and health policy in a wide variety of settings. Students may also complete a plan of study that prepares them to pursue a doctoral degree in a health-related area. 

The School of Public Health offers eight graduate degrees.

1. A Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in Health Promotion.

2. A Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in Health Management and Policy.

3. A Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in Biostatistics

4. A Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in Environmental Systems and Human Health

5. A Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in Public Health Practice

6. A Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in Epidemiology

7. A Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Biostatistics. 

8. A Master of Arts/Master of Science (M.A./M.S.) degree in Health Studies - Not Currently Admitting

Students with a wide variety of undergraduate degrees and professional experience are admitted to the School of Public Health.

Biostatistics M.P.H.

Environmental Systems and Human Health M.P.H.

Epidemiology M.P.H.

Health Management and Policy M.P.H.

Health Promotion M.P.H.

Public Health Practice M.P.H. online

Biostatistics M.S.

Health Studies M.A./M.S.

Biostatistics Courses

Community & Public Health Courses

Environmental Systems & Human Health Courses

Epidemiology Courses

Health Management and Policy M.P.H.

The goal of the Health Management & Policy program is to develop and strengthen the knowledge and practice of the delivery and management of health services. The program prepares individuals for the exercise of competent and effective policy and administrative leadership in the health sector. The Health Management & Policy curriculum includes the core concepts of public health with specific instruction in management, finance, strategy, policy, economics, and ethics.

Program Competencies

Students graduating from this program will be able to:

  • Apply ethical principles and behaviors that govern the practice of health management and policy.
  • Apply theory in the development, implementation and evaluation of solutions to challenges in health management and policy.
  • Represent cultural competency with diverse cultures and communities in the practice of health management and policy.
  • Apply policy process knowledge and techniques to support development and implementation of health policy.
  • Select and employ appropriate qualitative and quantitative techniques to evaluate and manage health system performance.
  • Design and implement processes to assess and improve organizational and system performance.
  • Solicit and integrate input from health system stakeholders to advance cooperative solutions to health system challenges.
  • Design and deliver communication materials supporting the practice of health services leadership, management and policy.
  • Demonstrate critical and self-reflective thinking in the practice of health management and policy.

Requirements

Students admitted to the health management and policy M.P.H. degree are required to complete 62 hours of coursework. Instruction is provided at Portland State University and Oregon Health & Science University. Students are required to pass the Certified in Public Health (CPH) examination before graduation.

Core courses (17)

PHE 512Principles of Health Behavior I

3

Bsta 525Introduction to Biostatistics

4

Epi 512Epidemiology I

4

ESHH 511Concepts of Environmental Health

3

HSMP 574Health Systems Organization

3

Health management and policy required concentration (24)

HSMP 541Organizational Behavior in Health Service Organizations

3

HSMP 571Health Policy

3

HSMP 573Values and Ethics in Health

3

HSMP 576Strategic Management of Health Care Organizations

3

HSMP 577Health Care Law and Regulation

3

HSMP 586Introduction to Health Economics

3

HSMP 587Financial Management of Health Services

3

HSMP 588Program Evaluation and Management In Health Services

3

Elective Credits from the following list (15):

PA 525Grantwriting for Nonprofit Organizations

3

PA 543Creating Collaborative Communities

3

PA 545Organizational Development

3

PA 549Cross-cultural Communication in the Public Sector

3

PA 553Sustainable Development Policy and Governance

3

PA 554Policy Analysis Research

3

PA 556Public Contract Management

3

PA 558Managing Public Projects and Programs: From Local to Global

3

HSMP 544Leadership and Governance in Health Services

3

HSMP 570/PAH 570Health Administration

3

HSMP 572Health Politics

3

HSMP 575Advanced Health Policy

3

HSMP 578Continual Improvement In Health Care

3

HSMP 579Health Information Technology and Systems Management

3

HSMP 580Health Services Human Resources Management

3

PHE 520Qualitative Research Design

3

PHE 541Media Advocacy and Public Health

3

Age 557National Long-term Care Policy

3

Other courses may be approved by the adviser.

Field work (6)

Interprofessional Education course (1-2 credits), the 1-credit Applied Practice Experience seminar, the 4-credit Integrative Learning Experience
HSMP 509/PAH 509Practicum

1-9

Total Credit Hours: 62