Master's Programs

Alumnus Jaffer Shariff with MPH diploma on graduation day

Tulane prepares students for careers in public health domestically and internationally with study in all five areas of public health plus tropical medicine. Students can pursue the professional public health degrees (the MPH, the MSPH, and the  MPH&TM), the academic (the MS), or the health administration degree (the MHA) in a total of 16 professional master’s programs, offered through six departments.

Professional Public Health Degrees

All students in the professional master's degree programs will receive a thorough grounding in the foundational aspects of public health by taking the five courses that make up the required Foundational Curriculum

Master of Public Health (MPH)

The Master of Public Health is the recognized professional degree for leadership careers in public health. The MPH degree is based on a multidisciplinary field of study that addresses the health of populations throughout the world and covers the five core areas of public health (epidemiology, behavioral science, environmental health, biostatistics, and management). Students with an MPH degree are prepared for practice in a wide range of public health settings including local, state, federal, and international organizations and the private sector. We offer the following MPH programs:

Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (MPH&TM)

The Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine is a practice-oriented program that prepares students to recognize and control infectious diseases found in tropical and subtropical regions and developing countries. This degree is unique to Tulane and reflects a century of work with tropical diseases.

Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH)

The Master of Science in Public Health is a professional degree that includes a science orientation. Students obtain a public health foundation in the five core areas (epidemiology, behavioral science, environmental health, biostatistics, and management) with additional study in a scientific topic. Students are prepared for public health practice in their area of study as well as in research. We offer the following MSPH programs:

Professional Master's Degree Requirements

All professional degrees (MPH, MSPH and MPH&TM) require the school-wide core requirements. No student may graduate without fulfilling all of the core requirements:

  1. Foundational Curriculum Requirements: Students must achieve the competencies in the public health core areas:

    SPHL 6020 Foundations in Public Health (3)
    SPHL 6050 Biostatistics for Public Health (3)
    SPHL 6060 Epidemiology for Public Health (3)
    SPHL 6070 Health Systems, Policy and Management (3)
    SPHL 6080 Design Strategies for Public Health Programs (3)

  2. Achieve the program competencies; Each program defines its requirements that include 18-21 credits of required courses that provide the program competencies. The Applied Practice Experience (APE) and Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) are tailored to the degree program. 
  3. Complete an APE (minimum 200 hours) to gain practical experience in the field.
  4. Complete an ILE that integrates and applies the core and programmatic knowledge and skills in practice settings.

Academic Master's Degrees

Master of Science (MS)

The Master of Science degree is an academic research degree with study in biostatistics, epidemiology or clinical research. Students are prepared to work on research projects as study managers, data analysts, and other research related activities. The MS degree requirements range from 36-45 credits. Click on the links below to learn more. We offer the following MS programs:

The Master of Science in Tropical Medicine is an academic degree that prepares students for a research career in the field of tropical medicine.

Health Administration Master's Degree

Master of Health Administration (MHA)

The Master of Health Administration trains future managers and leaders who strive to improve the delivery of health services in diverse settings. The MHA program is the most widely accepted management degree in the U.S. healthcare system. Graduates are employed with public and private hospitals, ambulatory care organizations, long-term care institutions, health maintenance organizations, insurance companies, multi-institutional systems, and other organizations concerned with the planning, delivery, and financing of personal health services. The MPH draws on the multi-disciplinary expertise of our faculty who create and disseminate knowledge that improves managerial practice and strengthens health systems worldwide. The program has been fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) since 1971.