• Description of Program
• Degree Requirements
• Special Opportunities
• Careers

Description of Program

Public health organizations have recently turned their attention to physical inactivity, a modifiable behavior, as it has been recognized as a major risk factor for chronic diseases. The online MPH concentration in Physical Activity trains professionals to effectively quantify physical activity, monitor populations, and design interventions focused on improving health through the promotion of physical activity. You will learn how to assess physical activity behavior, to apply behavioral theories when designing physical activity interventions, use epidemiology techniques to describe the relationship between physical activity and health and to develop public health policies aimed at impacting physical activity behavior. You will have the opportunity to work with faculty with interdisciplinary interests such as health games, worksite wellness, recreation, and disabilities.

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 44 graduate credit hours is required for this program.  A minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation. A minimum grade of C is required in each course. All electives for completing the degree must be approved by the advisor. Prerequisite courses may be prescribed for students lacking sufficient background for graduate study in public health.

MPH Master of Public Health Degree Requirements (44-47 credits)

MPH Degree Core (20 credits)

Public Health Foundations Requirement (0 credits)
All MPH students must complete the Public Health Foundations online course no later than the end of their first semester of graduate study. Complete details and registration information for this course can be found at the following website: https://iu.instructure.com/enroll/MNG3L6

Integrated Public Health Core (12 credits)
Complete each of the following courses.

• SPH-X 601 Assessment and Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-X 650 Evidence-Based Approaches to Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-X 660 Population Health Determinants (3 cr.)
• SPH-X 685 Public Health Policy and Politics (3 cr.)

Professional Development and Practical Experiences (8 credits)
Complete each of the following courses.

• SPH-X 610 Professional Development Seminar 1 (2 cr.)
• SPH-X 611 Professional Development Seminar 2 (2 cr.)
• SPH-X 696 Professional Practice Experience in Public Health (4 cr.)

Physical Activity Concentration (24-27 credits)

Required Concentration Courses (12 credits)
Complete each of the following courses.

• SPH-K 553 Physical Activity and Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-K 556 Physical Activity Assessment in Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-K 557 Physical Activity Across the Lifespan (3 cr.)
• SPH-K 565 Physical Activity Behavioral Interventions (3 cr.)

Option 1: Additional MPH Concentration or Graduate Certificate (12-15 credits)

Complete all courses in one of the eight following choices. (12-15 credits)

MPH concentration in Social, Behavioral, and Community Health (12 credits)
Successful completion of the following four courses earns the student a second concentration in Social, Behavioral, and Community Health.

• SPH-B 589 Theory & Conceptual Frameworks in Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 602 Intervention Design (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 562 Health Program Evaluation (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 662 Acquiring and Managing External Funds (3 cr.)

MPH concentration in Public Health Administration (12 credits)
Successful completion of the following four courses earns the student a second concentration in Public Health Administration.

• SPH-H 661 Legal Issues in Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 662 Acquiring and Managing External Funds (3 cr.)
• SPH-P 680 Public Health Economics (3 cr.)
• SPH-X 561 Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.)

• SPH-E 651 Epidemiology (3 cr.)
• SPH-E 658 Intermediate Epidemiology (3 cr.)
• SPH-E 659 Intermediate Epidemiological Methods (3 cr.)
• SPH-Q 611 Statistical Packages in Research (3 cr.)

• SPH-E 650 Special Topics in Epidemiology (3cr.)
• SPH-E 653 Chronic Disease Epidemiology (3 cr.)
• SPH-E 655 Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3 cr.)
• SPH-E 656 Genetic Epidemiology (3 cr.)
• SPH-E 657 Social Epidemiology (3 cr.)
• SPH-E 680 Nutritional Epidemiology (3 cr.)

MPH concentration in Environmental Health (15 credits)
Successful completion of the following requirements earns the student a second MPH concentration in Environmental Health

• SPH-V 541 Environmental Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-V 542 Principles of Toxicology (3 cr.)
• SPH-V 545 Exposure Assessment and Control (3 cr.)
• SPH-V 546 Risk Assessment, Policy and Toxic Regulations (3 cr.)
• SPH-V 548 Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (3 cr.)      

Online Graduate Certificate in Gerontology and Health (12 credits)
Successful completion of the following requirements earns the student an online graduate Certificate in Gerontology and Health.

Complete the following courses.

• SPH-H 524 –or-- EDUC-P 513 Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Gerontology (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 675 Practicum in Public Health (3 cr.)

Complete two (6 cr.) courses from the following.

• EDUC-D 505 Adult Learning through the Lifespan (3 cr.)
• EDUC-D 506 Adult Education Planning and Development (3 cr.)
• EDUC-P 517 Adult Development and Aging (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 535 Contemporary Issues in Aging and Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 615 Health Longevity, and Integrative Therapies for the Later Years (3 cr.)

Online Graduate Certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health (15 credits)
Successful completion of the following five courses earns the student an online graduate Certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health.

• SPH-B 589 Theories and Conceptual Frameworks in Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 630 Sexual and Reproductive Health Surveillance (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 632 Sexual Health: Contemporary Discoveries and Controversies (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 634 Sexual Health Research and Evaluation (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 633 Advanced Instructional Methods in Sexual and Reproductive Health (3 cr.)

Online Graduate Certificate in Safety Management (12 credits)
Successful completion of the following four courses earns the student an online graduate Certificate in Safety Management.

• SPH-S 502 Instructional Strategies for Safety Education (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 513 Safety Management in Business and Industry (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 610 Occupational Risk Management (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 632 Safety & Health Program Design (3 cr.)

Online Graduate Certificate in Addiction Intervention (15 credits)
Successful completion of the following five courses earns the student an online graduate Certificate in Addiction Intervention.

• SPH-H 664 Public Health Approaches to Substance Abuse Prevention for Adolescents and Young Adults (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 665 Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents and Young Adults in the Context of Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 670 Introduction to Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders for Public Health Professionals (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 667 History of Public Health Approaches to Addiction Treatment and Recovery for Adolescents and Young Adults (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 668 Motivational Interviewing (3 cr.)

Option 2: Other Electives (12 credits)

Complete 12 credits of graduate level elective courses to be chosen in consultation with the student’s MPH advisor.

Special Opportunities

Faculty will identify opportunities to work within the academic and broader community to allow for skill building, networking, research, and practical experience. Degree programs in public health balance theoretical knowledge with professional experience through internships and opportunities to work with faculty on research, teaching, and service projects. The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program is accredited by the Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH).

Careers

Public interest in a healthy lifestyle is increasing the demand for public health professionals. Below is a list indicating a few of the settings in which you could work:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Local, state, and federal government
• Nonprofit organizations
• Businesses and corporations
• County and state health departments
• Universities
• Health foundations and health-based grant projects.

Individuals who earn a public health degree with a concentration in physical activity will be well suited to play an integral role in multidisciplinary team centered on health promotion and disease prevention. A public healthy degree in physical activity can lead to career positions such as the following:

• Community Health Promotion Specialist
• Community Physical Activity Specialist
• Physical Activity Epidemiologist
• Nutrition and Physical Activity Program Manager
• Physical Activity Policy Analyst
• Public Health Advisor