Program: Public Health (M.P.H.) - University of South Dakota

Apr 03, 2025

2021-2022 Graduate Catalog

This program is a cooperative program and courses are taught by both USD and SDSU.

Program Overview

This online master’s program develops public health practitioners and leaders to address public health needs of rural communities. Offered in partnership with South Dakota State University, the program adopts an interprofessional approach in addressing the five core areas of public health: biostatistics, epidemiology, health services administration, social and behavioral sciences, and environmental health. The MPH degree is the most widely recognized professional credential for practice and leadership in public health. Learn more at usd.edu/onlinemph.

DELIVERY: Online

Master of Public Health - 42 credit hours

Major Area Coursework (33 credit hours)

PUBH 701 - Biostatistics for Public Health 3 cr
PUBH 702 - Public Health Theory and Practice 3 cr (taught by SDSU)
PUBH 710 - Epidemiology 3 cr
PUBH 721 - Public Health Applied Practice Experience I 1 cr
PUBH 722 - Public Health Applied Practice Experience II 1 cr
PUBH 723 - Public Health Applied Practice Experience III 1 cr
PUBH 729 - Leadership and Project Management in Public Health (C) 3 cr
PUBH 730 - Public Health Integrative Learning Experience 3-6 cr (3 cr hrs required)
PUBH 733 Environmental Health (taught by SDSU) 3 cr hrs
PUBH 740 - Introduction to Health Systems and Policy 3 cr
PUBH 750 - Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health 3 cr
PUBH 755 Program Planning and Evaluation (taught by SDSU) 3cr hrs
PUBH 760 - Public Health and Native American Communities 3 cr

Supporting Area Coursework (Select 9 credit hours)

Students must take at least 9 credit hours of supporting area coursework from either USD or SDSU. 6 credits must be from PUBH prefix courses.

ACP 754 - Public Policy & Addiction 3 cr
HSAD 559 - Health Services for Long-Term Care 3 cr
HSAD 560 - Long-Term Care Administration 3 cr
HSAD 710 - Contemporary Issues in Health Services Administration 3 cr
HSAD 740 - International Health Systems 3 cr
HSAD 770 - Managing Health Services Resources 3 cr
HSC 575 - Process and Outcomes Evaluation 3 cr
OCTH 733 - Promotion of Health and Prevention of Disability 3 cr
PSYC 784 - Disaster Mental Health 3 cr
PUBH 711 - Topics in Applied Biostatistics 3 cr
PUBH 763 - Causal Inference in Public Health 3 cr
PUBH 765 - Community Health Assessment and Action Planning 3 cr
PUBH 770 - Public Health Immunology 3 cr
PUBH 791 - Independent Study (C) 1-3 cr
PUBH 792 - Topics (C) 1-3 cr
SOCW 600 - Social Policy Analysis 3 cr
SOCW 601 - History and Philosophy of Social Work 3 cr
SOCW 640 - Diversity and Social Justice in Rural and Urban Communities 3 cr
Other graduate-level electives with advisor approval 3cr

Supporting Area Coursework offered by SDSU

NURS 670 HEALTH POLICY, LEGISLATION, ECONOMICS, AND ETHICS 3
NURS 675 CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN HEALTH CARE 3
NURS 760 HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASES PREVENTION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 3
NUTR 660 MATERNAL AND CHILD NUTRITION 3
NUTR 715 PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION 3
NUTR 724 NUTRITION EDUCATION IN THE COMMUNITY 3
NUTR 727 OBESITY ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 3
NUTR 760 VITAMINS & MINERALS IN HUMAN NUTRITION 3
NUTR 761 NUTRITION AND AGING 3
NUTR 715 PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION 3
PUBH 540 HEALTH GEOGRAPHY 3
PUBH 751 PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH 3
PUBH 762 CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES IN PUBLIC HEALTH 3
PUBH 764 APPLIED DISSEMINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH IN HEALTH 3
PUBH 767 PUBLIC HEALTH TOXICOLOGY 3
OTHER GRADUATE-LEVEL ELECTIVES WITH ADVISOR APPROVAL 3

Application Requirements

Completed application
$35 application fee
Official transcripts*
Letters of recommendation*
Admission test scores*
Statement of purpose
Resume/CV*

*Requirements for admission vary by program and may require different documentation and have different deadlines. For specific program requirements and submission deadline, visit: catalog.usd.edu.

Courses or Programs Leading to Professional Licensure or Certification

The educational curriculum for your academic program may or may not meet educational prerequisites for professional licensure or certification in states other than South Dakota. If you are planning to apply for licensure/certification in a state other than South Dakota after completion of your program, please review that state and your program on USD’s Licensure-Track Programs webpage. Licensure-Track Programs

If your learning placement course (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) or your online course will be taken outside South Dakota, please reference USD’s State Authorization webpage.

State Authorization

Questions?

Public Health
605-658-6500 | health@usd.edu | usd.edu/publichealth

Graduate Admissions
605-658-6200 | gradadmissions@usd.edu | usd.edu/grad