Public Health Programs at Indiana Wesleyan University
Indiana Wesleyan University appears in our ranking of the 10 Most Affordable MPH Degree Programs Online.
Indiana Wesleyan University offers a Master of Public Health (MPH) online that features eight-week classes. As an online program, it welcomes students to apply if they live in Indiana, Kentucky or anywhere across the country. By the end of the program, graduates will know how to take a Christian approach to health care issues, understand the relationships between health services and other areas and use their knowledge in the field.
All incoming students will take a course called MPH Student Orientation. Though the course is not worth any credits, it makes sure that students understand how the program works and what they need to do to graduate. Foundations in the Public Health Practice is another required class that looks at the jobs in public health and what each one entails. In Epidemiology in Public Health, they look at different diseases, including what populations are at risk of having those conditions and how they can interpret current research. Other courses include Biostatistics, Social and Behavioral Aspects of Health, Health Systems Administration and Management, Environmental Health and Health Program Planning, Implementation and Evaluation.
Two of the major components of the MPH program include a practicum and capstone. The capstone requires that students look at an issue in public health and find a possible solution. They should use their skills to create a paper or project and demonstrate those skills. The university requires that they take eight core classes before taking the capstone course. Another requirement is the public health practicum. MPH students must spend a minimum of 200 hours of fieldwork to get credit for this class. Indiana Wesleyan University asks that they work with their advisors to find a practicum location and that they get permission before any of their work will count towards this course.
About Indiana Wesleyan University
Indiana Wesleyan University is a private university often called IWU. Both the main campus and the headquarters of the university are in Marion, Indiana, which is close to the central region of the state. Established as the Marion Normal College in 1890, it became the Marion Normal Institute in 1912 and moved to Muncie a few years later where it merged with an existing school in the city called the Indiana Normal Institute. The merger between the two schools only lasted for a few years. After the old campus became Ball State University, the institute looked for a new location. It decided to move to Marion after the Wesleyan Methodist Church and locals offered the college land close to the Fairmount Bible School. It was here that the college became Marion College and later Indiana Wesleyan University or IWU.
IWU now offers more than 100 associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. Courses and programs are available from departments that include the Graduate School, Wesley Seminary and College of Adult and Professional Studies. Students can also enroll in programs that are available online and from educational centers in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and other cities in Indiana. IWU also has educational and regional study centers in four cities in Ohio and three cities in Kentucky.
Indiana Wesleyan University Accreditation Details
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) awarded IWU regional accreditation through the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS). Graduate students with an interest in public health can apply for financial aid when they apply to the MPH program because of this accreditation. They need to use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to get the help that they need. The MPH program also has accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
Indiana Wesleyan University Application Requirements
IWU picks students for the MPH program based on how well they performed in a bachelor’s degree program and other factors. Students need a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in a bachelor’s program and any graduate courses they attempted. Those with a lower GPA need to submit an official GRE score, but IWU waives this requirement for students with the minimum GPA. They need to provide official transcripts from all the colleges they attended and the School of Health Sciences application form for graduate students too. Other requirements for MPH students include:
- Three letters of professional reference
- A writing sample
- A resume
The writing sample should be a minimum of 500 words up to 750 words maximum. It needs to explain how the student’s background will help them in the program, what they want to get out of the program and how they will use an MPH later. IWU asks for at least one reference letter from someone familiar with the student’s academic work. Their other letters can come from any professional references they have or those who are familiar with their volunteer work. Students must also pay for a background check and make sure that the university receives their results by the application deadline of March first. IWU reserves the right to ask students to pass another background check or a drug screening later on.
Tuition and Financial Aid
IWU charges MPH students $595 per credit hour and requires that they take at least 43 credits to graduate. Students need to either pay their balances by August 15 to start in the fall or show that they will get enough financial aid to cover their balances. A $100 deposit is due before the semester starts and will apply to the student’s balance. Students can pay their costs out of pocket, use a reimbursement plan offered by an employer or have the university fill out and send a reimbursement form to their employer.
Veterans benefits are just one form of financial aid that students in the MPH program can use. Both adults and graduate students can get grants from the Indiana or Kentucky government such as the Frank O’Bannon Grant that gives them up to $9,000 a year. Those who belong to a Wesleyan Church can get a scholarship equal to those they get from their churches. Other scholarships include programs for pastors and Indiana teachers. The university can also accept special grants awarded to students with disabilities and federal student loans. Those who want to enroll in the public health program at Indiana Wesleyan University can learn more about the different types of financial aid before looking at the university’s degree requirements.