The Master of Public Health Program at Morehouse School of Medicine prepares individuals to organize and implement programs to improve the health, quality of life, and well-being of communities through education, research, and service in public health.
MSM is one of five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that comprise the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC). MSM is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities; increasing the diversity of the health professional and scientific workforce; and addressing primary health care needs through programs in education, research, and service, with emphasis on people of color and the underserved urban and rural populations in Georgia and the nation.
The M.P.H. Program provides the public health theory that supports the social mission of MSM. The mission of the M.P.H. Program is to develop, through graduate education, public health leaders who are fluent in community-focused public health research and practice,particularly in underserved communities. We offer a generalist curriculum focused on community health in underserved populations. The M.P.H. Program was established in 1995 to address the increasing shortage of underrepresented minorities in leadership positions in the field of public health. The Program was accredited initially in 1999 by the Council on Education for Public Health making it the first accredited M.P.H. Program at an HBCU. The Program was reaccredited in 2007. Graduates of the program are working at community-based organizations, as well as local, state, national and international agencies. Additionally, many have pursued terminal degrees including M.D., Ph.D., DrPH, J.D., and other advanced degrees (eg. MBA and PA).
MSM is located within the historic West End community in Atlanta, GA. As such, there are ample opportunities for student engagement within the community through participation in service-related activities and community planned events. Our core courses equip students with foundational knowledge and concepts essential for them to better understand the needs of the populations they serve. Additionally, our Community Health course and required community service hours ensure a strong service-learning component to our M.P.H. Program.
Our community service efforts target the Atlanta Promise Neighborhood (APN), an area encompassing a 1.7 mile radius of the AUCC. M.P.H. students provide services to schools, churches, food banks, advocacy groups and other community-based organizations.
The mission of the MSM Master of Public Health (MPH) program is to develop, through graduate education, public health leaders who are fluent in community-focused public health research and practice, particularly in underserved communities. WE EXIST, BECAUSE WE MUST…Honor the mission, Serve the community, Do the work.
VISION
Our vision is to be the leading national model on community-focused public health education, research and practice, particularly in underserved communities. We will develop public health leaders who advance public health research and practice through a commitment to community service, and through targeted approaches to reduce health disparities.
CORE VALUES
The core values guiding the Program are:
Leadership
Ethics
Academic Excellence
Community Service
GOALS
Goals for the Program
Goal I- Excellence in Leadership: Develop public health leaders who are fluent in community-focused public health research and practice.
Goal II- Excellence in Education: Foster critical thinking and academic rigor while providing a unique connection to community health research and practice.
Goal III- Excellence in Research: Engage in research that addresses the needs of communities with emphasis on underserved populations.
Goal IV- Excellence in Service: Create strong sustainable partnerships that will improve the health of underserved communities.
The generalist degree program consists of 48-credit hours of core courses, electives, and additional required courses. Our generalist curriculum ensures that all MSM MPH degree recipients are proficient in the community-focused work that undergirds the social mission of the institution while still meeting or exceeding the accreditation standards set forth by the Council on Education for Public Health. Additionally, students have the opportunity to customize their MPH degree through 14 credit hours of electives leading to the concentration of their choice. The additional requirements of Practicum Experience, Public Health Lecture Series, Career Development Workshops, and Culminating Experience ensure that students have the practical, research, communication and professional skills necessary to become leaders in the public health profession.
