Public Health Major
Program Goals
The Tennessee State University Master of Public Health within the College of Health Sciences is committed to the education of students and public health professionals in practice, research, and life-long learning. The Master of Public Health Program seeks to train professionals who will work to preserve and promote the health of local, state, national, and international populations through a focus on cultural competency.
Public Health Science Concentration:
The Public Health Science Concentration emphasizes the traditional core competencies of public health to enable students to become more effective public health practitioners.
Cultural Competency Concentration:
The Cultural Competency Concentration emphasizes the core competencies of public health and provides an in-depth examination, understanding, and analysis of diverse populations. Graduates in this concentration are trained to become competent public health practitioners who will develop and implement practices, and policies that respect and respond to the cultural diversity of communities in the United States and beyond.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must possess a baccalaureate or graduate degree from an accredited college or university with a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher (on a 4.00 scale) for the undergraduate degree or a graduate cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in the major subject area. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores from within the past five years will be required for all applicants. Verbal and quantitative scores will be reviewed. Applicants who hold a doctoral degree may be exempt from the GRE requirement. Other professional school standardized test scores (for example, GMAT, MCAT, DAT, and LSAT) may be substituted for GRE scores. Applicants whose native language is not English will be expected to submit certificates of proficiency in English or a minimum score of 500 (paper test) or 173 (computer-based test), or 61 (Internet-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Three letters of recommendation are required from three individuals (at least one letter from a former instructor, professional reference, or employer) familiar with the applicant’s academic background and/or interest in public health. Applicants must also submit a personal statement of approximately 500-1,000 words indicating their interests and career goals, including why the applicant wants to complete an MPH degree. Overall admission into the program is competitive; therefore, students with the strongest credentials will be selected over those who are less competitive.
A minimum of 30 semester hours of coursework must be completed in residency. Students may be allowed to take up to (9) credit hours without being fully admitted into the program. (Successful completion of the nine hours does not guarantee acceptance into the MPH program.)
Program Requirements
1. Students are required to maintain a grade point average of at least a B (3.0) in their program of study in order to maintain good standing in the MPH program.
2. Students must maintain a B or above in all required core courses. This is consistent with the University’s policy of a 3.0 GPA for core courses and for the overall GPA in the program.
3. A student may receive a grade of C (2.0) in two courses only. The Program GPA and the overall GPA must be 3.0 at all times. Students will only be allowed to repeat a grade of ‘C’ in one course; the receipt of three grades of ‘C’ or any grade below ‘C’ is not acceptable for graduate credit and will result in automatic dismissal from the program.
4. Academic probation and dismissal will be addressed by the advisor, program director, and dean of the College of Health Sciences.
5. Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 at the end of each semester while a student is enrolled in coursework at Tennessee State University. In accordance with the Graduate School guidelines, any student who does not meet these conditions will be placed on probation by the program.
6. Courses applied to the MPH degree program must be approved by the director and advisor. Only one (1) core course may be transferred into the major and the course must be comparable to the required course. In addition, the core course must be taken within 3 years from an accredited program.
7. Students must complete a Public Health Field Placement Project, rather than a Thesis. This requirement is represented as PUBH 6000 in the MPH program.
8. Students in both concentrations must pass a comprehensive examination prior to graduation.
