Masters Degree (MPH) in
Public Health

Our students in the online Master of Public Health (MPH) program explore all facets of health management and policy, including the management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.  Through the choice of electives, students are able to tailor their program to include training in how to develop, implement, and evaluate policy. This combination of management and policy is a critical component to a successful career in public health management.    

Classes are offered in a hybrid online format. All classes will be online. Classes will be offered both asynchronously and synchronously. Asynchronous classes do not have scheduled class meeting times. Synchronous classes will meet virtually at a particular day and time of the week.
 

Focus Areas

• Evidence-based approaches to public health
• Public health and health care systems
• Planning and management to promote health
• Policy in public health
• Leadership
• Communication
• Inter-professional practice
• Systems thinking

Choose Your Track

There are three concentration options to complete your MPH fully online at the University of Kentucky:

Health Management and Policy

Gain the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the complexities of healthcare systems, policy development, and organizational leadership. This concentration explores key topics such as healthcare economics, policy analysis, strategic management, and health law, equipping students to assess and improve healthcare delivery and public health infrastructure. Through coursework that blends theoretical insights with real-world applications, students learn to evaluate policies, manage healthcare organizations, and advocate for effective and equitable health policies. Graduates of this track are well-prepared for leadership roles in government agencies, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, and health policy think tanks, where they can drive meaningful change in the public health sector.

Program Planning, Management, and Evaluation 

If you are interested in learning how programs and interventions can improve health in communities, consider applying for the program planning, management and evaluation (PPME) MPH concentration. PPME practitioners aim to understand individual, social, environmental, and policy influences that shape health so that they can choose appropriate, evidence-based programs to address these influences, ultimately using strategic resource management and leadership approaches to implement and evaluate program impact. 

PPME concentrators work with faculty who specialize in community health assessment and improvement, evidence-based public health programming, program evaluation, cross-system coordination, program management, health disparities, law and policy, community-based participatory research methods, and health communication. 

Community engagement, systematic planning, implementation processes, and assessment strategies that PPME concentrators learn position them for leadership roles in healthcare, education, public health, government, and nonprofit organizations. PPME graduates are prepared to partner with communities and organizations to find, plan, deliver, and evaluate multi-level programming that addresses complex, community-focused population health challenges.

Personalized

With guidance from faculty advisors, students design a personalized course of study that aligns with their aspirations—whether they aim to work in public health research, community health initiatives, global health, or another specialized area. This concentration is ideal for professionals seeking a diverse skill set or those pursuing emerging fields in public health, ensuring they graduate with the expertise needed to make a meaningful impact in their chosen area.