2023-2024

Public Health - Health Promotion, Master of Public Health

Department of Health Sciences

College of Health and Human Services

The Emphasis in Indigenous Health is only offered at the Flagstaff Campus.

This program prepares you for professional practice in public health and applied research settings as well as further academic study in public health related fields. Through quality classroom instruction, applied practice experience, and a public health project, students will be adequately prepared for employment within public health agencies.

  • Available Emphasis Areas:
  • Indigenous Health - Emphasis
  • Public Health Coursework

  • To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.

    You must additionally complete:

    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s). This may include a thesis.
    • All graduate work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.
    • All work toward the master's degree must be completed within six consecutive years. The six years begins with the semester and year of admission to the program.

    Read the full policy here.

In addition to University Requirements:

Minimum Units for Completion 48
Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Emphasis or Coursework Required

An emphasis or coursework is required for this degree.
Fieldwork Experience/Internship Required
Additional Fees/Program Fees Required
Progression Plan Link View Program of Study

Purpose Statement

The Master of Public Health (MPH) prepares students for public health professions emphasizing the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health programs and policies. We aim to prepare public health professionals to address the health needs of diverse and underserved communities in northern Arizona and beyond. Students gain knowledge and skills in biostatistics, epidemiology, public health research, program planning and evaluation, health policy and management, and environmental health. We support student development by offering high-quality instruction, which includes opportunities for professional growth and community engagement in public health and nutrition. The Health Promotion concentration addresses chronic disease prevention and epidemiology, social and structural determinants of health, and innovative uses of technology in public health and health promotion. Students in the Health Promotion concentration can tailor their program plan electives to align with their career interests. The Health Promotion concentration is designed for students who are interested in public health careers or other allied health fields. With the training, research, and internship experiences offered, graduates are well-prepared to address the health needs within their communities. Students may also apply to the Indigenous Health Emphasis, which prepares students to support public health initiatives relevant to tribal communities.

Student Learning Outcomes
 
We are pursuing accreditation from the Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH). We are aligning our core MPH coursework with their required learning outcomes, which are as follows: 

  • Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice.
  • Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.
  • Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming, and software, as appropriate.
  • Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy, or practice.
  • Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings.
  • Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities, and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community, and societal levels.
  • Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities’ health.
  • Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs.
  • Design a population-based policy, program, project, or intervention.
  • Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management.
  • Select methods to evaluate public health programs.
  • Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence.
  • Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes.
  • Advocate for political, social, or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations.
  • Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity.
  • Apply principles of leadership, governance, and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration, and guiding decision-making.
  • Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges.
  • Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors.
  • Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation.
  • Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.
  • Perform effectively on interprofessional teams.
  • Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue.

MPH Health Promotion Indigenous Health Learning Outcomes

  • Analyze and synthesize the unique challenges in implementing the Ten Essential Public Health Services in Tribal communities.
  • Develop public health resolutions at the tribal and national level through the National Congress of American Indians.
  • Organize, synthesize, and moderate stakeholder discussions on the systems and structures that create federal and state legislation, regulations, and their implications and effects on practice to American Indians residing on- and off-reservation.
  • Interpret and synthesize peer-reviewed and gray literature addressing factors influencing Indigenous determinants of health and resilience.
  • Propose and apply indicators of resilience and concepts of wellbeing to understand and address Indigenous health and develop an Indigenous framework of determinants of health.
  • Explain and integrate social and community dynamics and cultural contexts that have contributed to health disparities in Indigenous populations.
  • Identify, apply, and critique community-based research and evaluation conducted in Indigenous contexts.
  • Collect primary data from researchers and Indigenous partners engaged in Community Based Participatory Research activities.
  • Apply community-centered negotiation and mediation skills to identify asset-based evaluation or research solutions to address organizational or public health challenges in Indigenous communities (leadership).

Graduate Admission Information

  • The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.

    Admission requirements include the following:

    • Transcripts.
    • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.


    Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.

    Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

    International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.

Additional Admission Requirements

  • Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

    • Prerequisite courses complete with a grade of "C" or better, or in progress at the time of application to the program.

    • Health Promotion Emphasis:

      • One semester of a college-level introductory, or basic statistics course (minimum 3 units).
Master's Requirements

  • This Master’s degree requires 48 units distributed as follows:

    • Health Sciences Common Coursework: 36 units
    • Emphasis or Public Health Coursework: 12 units
      • Indigenous Health Emphasis: 12 units
      • Public Health Coursework: 12 units

    Take the following 48 units:
  • Indigenous Health Emphasis or Public Health Coursework Option (Select one):

    • Indigenous Health Emphasis - Only offered at NAU-Flagstaff (12 units)

      • HS 561, HS 624, HS 671 (9 units)
      • Select an additional course in consultations with your advisor (3 units)

  • Students enrolled in this plan may not enroll in or pursue the following due to the number of overlapping units:

Additional Information

  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

  • Program Fee Information

  • Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee of $260 per semester has been approved for this program.