Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

Students must complete a total of 58 quarter hours consisting of 7 required core courses, 7 required concentration specific courses, and two elective courses.

All MPH courses are offered during the evening. The program uses a cohort-based model in that students are admitted once per academic year and move through courses together as a single group. Students can complete their degree in two, three, or four years. Students complete the practicum field experience and capstone course sequence in their last year.

Course Requirements

Required Core Courses (7 Courses, 22 Credit Hours)

Concentration Courses (7 Courses, 28 Credit Hours)

The list of courses required for each concentration can be found under "Concentration Requirements."

Elective Courses (2 Courses, 8 Credit Hours)​

Two elective courses, comprising eight credit hours, are required. Students are encouraged to select elective courses that align with their public health interests and career objectives. In addition to the MPH elective courses listed below, students should consider other graduate-level courses at DePaul. A student who chooses to take a course outside of MPH for elective credit must produce a brief rationale for the choice, discussing its relevance to the field of public health and the student’s course of study. Students must receive approval from the Program Director before enrolling in elective courses outside the MPH program.

Practicum Requirements

Students complete their practicum field experience during their last year in the program. Students are required to commit to 8-10 hours per week to their practicum site, for a minimum of 250 hours over the course of the nine-month placement. Students are required to be physically onsite at the agency for the majority of these hours providing students with a structured and integrated application of their coursework.

Capstone Thesis

During the practicum, students work on a project that address a need or fills a gap at their practicum site. The project serves as the foundation for the capstone thesis, which is developed over a three-course sequence that runs concurrently with the practicum.​​ Students must receive a passing grade on their capstone thesis in order to complete the program and obtain their MPH degree.

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