Master of Public Health

Training Tomorrow's Public Health Leaders and Practitioners

The Master of Public Health (MPH) program at the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science is an academically rigorous two-year program designed to train aspiring public health researchers and practitioners to effectively address the public health problems of today and tomorrow. It has the flexibility to accommodate medical students, physicians and those with previous health sciences doctoral degrees with a "one year option.”

The MPH program provides instruction in these core public health disciplines: biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, health policy and management, and social and behavioral sciences.

The program offers six concentrations:

• Epidemiology • Learn careers in epidemiologic practice and research across diverse public health settings.
• Health Behavior • Discover the behavioral, social and cultural factors related to individual and population health and health disparities.
• Public Mental Health • Recognize and address mental health issues at a population level, and understand the relationship between mental and physical health.
• Technology & Precision Health • Train to use cutting-edge technologies to address public health issues.
• Health Policy • Develop, analyze and evaluate current health policies in local, state and federal government, health care organizations, advocacy organizations and private foundations. 
• General Public Health • Utilize public health training within or in conjunction with the health care field (designed for U.S. medical students, practicing physicians and other health care professionals).

Director's Welcome

Welcome to the Master of Public Health program at the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science. Public health has been described as the intersection of epidemiology and social justice. Our program strives to address both of these critical aspects of public health with a program of academic rigor and an emphasis on equity and social justice across the MPH and the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health. 

We are delighted to be part of the dynamic and diverse San Diego public health community. Our faculty and students exemplify the diversity, innovation and excellence of 21st century California and public health. The MPH is an academically rigorous two-year program with a thesis option. It has the flexibility to accommodate medical students, physicians and those with previous health sciences doctoral degrees with a “one year option.” The MPH will be accredited as part of the new school of public health and will meet all of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) requirements. The MPH program provides instruction in the core public health disciplines:  biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, health policy and management, and social and behavioral sciences as well as engaging across campus to address key aspects of 21st century public health including population health, mental health, climate change, social justice and data science. We hope that you will join us in growing an innovative, world-class public health program at UC San Diego.

Michael Pratt, MD, MSPE, MPH
Professor and Director, Master of Public Health Program
UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science