Public Health Degree Programs at the University of South Florida
The University of South Florida appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Master’s in Environmental Health Degrees Online.
The College of Public Health at the University of South Florida offers many different graduate and doctoral degree programs. One of those is a traditional Master of Public Health (MPH). Designed to look more in depth at some of the issues in the public health field, it requires that students complete a minimum of 42 semester hours of classes. Students in the traditional on-campus program can pick from concentrations that include applied biostatistics, epidemiology, global communicable diseases, health policies and programs and maternal and child health. Some concentrations include more hours of credits than others.
A Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) is also available. It includes nine concentrations such as public health education, occupational exposure science, epidemiology, and behavioral health. A concentration in genetic counseling is also available, but this program requires that students apply to both the MSPH program and the genetic counseling program. The university’s Master of Health Administration program requires that students demonstrate competency in key areas, including strategy and leadership, professionalism and communication skills and management science and technology.
Students can earn an MPH online from the university. This program features other concentrations, including public health practice, epidemiology, nutrition and dietetics, global disaster management, infection control, social marketing and health, safety and environment. Graduate students can earn a public health certificate while working on one of these degrees. These certificate programs are also open to students with a bachelor’s or a graduate degree from another school. Some of the options they can choose from include disaster management, toxicology, assessing chemical toxicity and public health risks, concepts, and tools of epidemiology and social marketing and social change.
The university offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health too. Students in the on-campus program will need to do research work and teach undergrads to gain experience in both research and education. They will also need to pick a concentration in community and family health, epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, health service research or global communicable diseases. Each program asks students to do a dissertation. The doctoral program is available online too. Other degree programs offered by the university include dual programs with focuses on public health and another subject and a Doctor of Public Health in Advanced Practice Leadership.
About the University of South Florida
The University of South Florida is a large public university located in Tampa, Florida. Established in 1956, it is a newer university that offers modern amenities for students on its campus. Students will find modern libraries that allow them to contact with those on other campuses and resources that they can use online. ARWU and U.S. News and World Report both rank the university, which uses the USF name, within the top 100 of colleges in the United States. It also ranks as one of the top 500 colleges in the world. The College of Public Health at USF is home to some of the nation’s best public health programs because students learn the skills they need to work in public policy and other fields. USF now ranks among the largest college campuses in Florida and in the entire southern region with an enrollment of more than 50,000 students.
University of South Florida Accreditation Details
Thanks to the accreditation given to the university by the Council for Education of Public Health (CEPH), public health majors will know that its programs follow some of the standards established by that organization. Students should also know that USF has regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). This ensures that the university can accept credits and that it can offer financial aid.
University of South Florida Application Requirements
The university’s College of Public Health will only accept students who have a bachelor’s degree from a university or college that has regional accreditation. Those applying before they complete their degrees can submit their unofficial transcripts, but all others will need to submit their official transcripts. Students must use the SOPHAS website to apply, which allows them to submit applications to schools other than USF. Most public health degree programs at the graduate level in the US now use this site. Students will need to submit GRE scores from exams taken in the last five years and two letters of recommendation. Some concentrations require three of these letters. They should also submit a resume and a statement of purpose.
Doctoral students applying to any public health program must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 and a graduate degree in public health, health administration or a similar field. They will use the SOPHAS website when applying and supply a GRE score or a score from any other graduate entrance exam. As with graduate students, the university will not accept scores that are older than five years. The university asks for a personal statement of up to five pages in length, three letters of recommendation and a resume. Doctoral students must have at least two years of public health experience also. The deadline for graduate and doctoral applications ranges from November 15 for some programs to the beginning of May for others.
Tuition and Financial Aid
USF charges the same rates for both graduate students and doctoral candidates. They pay $7,840 per year as a Florida resident and $15,864 per year as a nonresident. Those who choose to live on the USF campus will pay an extra $12,600 each year for room and board. The university charges students for textbooks too. Any student taking online classes will pay an extra $30 fee per course.
Graduate and doctoral students who need financial aid can apply for USF scholarships and grants. Some of these programs come from other organizations and give students an award of $500 or more. Graduate assistantships are also available. Students can work between 10 and 20 hours a week and receive a stipend that reduces their tuition. The university has a few scholarships available for graduate students that public health majors can apply for also. Students using the FAFSA can find out if they qualify for one of the unsubsidized loans from the federal government. The University of South Florida has an online database that shows all the financial aid programs open to students in its public health degree programs.