New Master of Public Health program debuts this fall

This fall, Oakland University and the School of Health Sciences will debut the new Master of Public Health Program, designed to produce highly skilled graduates in a growing field.

"The Master of Public Health Program will improve the health of individuals and communities by strengthening the foundational skills, core capacities, diversity, preparation and responsiveness of public health professionals," Ken Hightower, dean of the School of Health Sciences, said this spring when Oakland’s Board of Trustees approved the program.

"It will accomplish this under the guidance of highly accomplished scholars. We have an abundance of expertise in our program director, Dr. Patricia Wren, and her faculty members."

Students can complete the 44-credit program in as little as two years, and will be prepared for careers in international health organizations, federal government agencies, state and local health departments, voluntary and philanthropic organizations, corporations and worksite wellness sites, local hospitals and non-profit organizations.

Patricia Wren, Ph.D., MPH.

"We have received considerable interest – from current students across a range of majors to working health professionals and mid-career workers seeking job training," said Patricia Wren, Ph.D, MPH. "I am confident that we have created an exciting new academic home for all of these individuals."

Graduate study will focus on academic instruction, meaningful research, and community-based, participatory public health service – all while preparing students to help promote collaborations designed to improve the health of human populations.

The program will reach into the community to promote targeted public health needs assessments, program planning, implementation and evaluation, distribution of health policy information, and health literacy campaigns for key areas in the region.

Collaborative projects will also better position the university to compete for health-related grant funding.

Meanwhile, the master of public health's service-learning component will contribute to the area's expanding health care industry, which is among the most promising economic sectors in southeastern Michigan.

For more information about the new MPH program, view the website. To learn more about enrolling in graduate programs at the School of Health Sciences, visit oakland.edu/shs.

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