Educational Programs
Degrees Offered:
Master of Public Health (MPH)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Master of Public Health (MPH)
The Department of Social and Behavioral Health (SBH) offers a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Two additional tracks in the VCU MPH Program are offered through the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health.
The program is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. The program is closely linked with local, state and national public health agencies, organizations and professionals in order to enhance the learner’s readiness to apply public health principles to practice. The MPH program typically takes two years to complete, and VCU offers a part-time option that takes additional time to completion. VCU offers three Master of Public Health dual degree programs combining public health with a clinical discipline. For information about dual degree programs see: http://www.epidemiology.vcu.edu/MPH_Program/dualDegrees.htm
To review the VCU MPH Program Mission visit:
http://www.epidemiology.vcu.edu/MPH_Program/MPHmission.htm
Admission requirements:
A minimum GPA of 3.0 in previous undergraduate/graduate work
Scores from the Graduate Record Examination [GRE] or its equivalent
To review the curriculum visit: http://www.epidemiology.vcu.edu/MPH_Program/tracks/mphtracks.htm
To Apply: Follow the instructions at www.graduate.vcu.edu.
It will be necessary to submit official transcripts of all prior undergraduate/graduate work, GRE, MCAT, or DAT scores, a Statement of Purpose, a current Curriculum Vitae or Resume, and three current letters of recommendation.
Additional questions: see Frequently Asked Questions on the Epidemiology and Community Health website.
Masters Program Director - Lisa S. Anderson
Education Coordinator - Diane Zotti
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
The PhD is an academic degree oriented toward a career in academics and research. Doctoral students acquire skills needed to study and address public health problems in a wide variety of contexts.
A new doctoral program in Social and Behavioral Health is accepting applications for Fall 2009. The program will equip students with an understanding of health as the intersection of structural, cultural, social, behavioral and biological factors. Graduates of the SBH doctoral program will have strong methodological and theoretical skills that will prepare them to make important contributions to the field of public health.
Sample PhD Curriculum
A minimum of 49 post-master's credit hours is required for the doctoral degree which is expected to involve 4 years of full-time study. Requirements include 12 hours of required courses in research methods, 9 hours of required courses in the behavioral and social sciences, 4 hours of departmental seminar and at least 6 hours of elective courses that reflect a student’s research interests. In addition, required research experience will include 9 hours of applied research practicum and 9 hours of dissertation credits.
Funding A small number of assistantships are available each year. The assistantships include annual stipends, waivers of tuition and fees, and health insurance.
Admission requirements Candidates must have a master's degree in public health or a related field from an accredited program and should have a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0.
To Apply: Go to the graduate school's website, where you will find detailed application information and forms.
It will be necessary to submit a statement of intent describing your background and research interests, 3 letters of recommendation, official transcripts and GRE scores less than 5 years old.
Deadline for Applications: Applications received by January 31 will receive priority consideration but applications will be accepted after that.
Contact: For further information on the new Social and Behavioral Health doctoral program, please contact Dr. May G. Kennedy, mgkennedy@vcu.edu or our Education Coordinator, Diane Zotti.
Additional information about the program is available in the online University Bulletin.