Master of Public Health - Generalist

Graduates from the Master of Public Health - Generalist (MPH) program will have general competency in the evaluation of the status of health of differing populations and in the development of rigorous plans and strategies to implement them to fulfill the primary objective of Department of Public Health Sciences, namely, to improve population health in and around the Lowcountry and across the state and globe. This program will strive to educate a broad-ranging public health workforce, including working adults and students who may have difficulty with attending a traditional graduate degree program taught with in-person requirements. It also enables students to develop expertise in innovative research, take on leadership roles, and advocate for improved health outcomes for communities in South Carolina and beyond. These goals align with MUSC's missions in disease prevention, patient and community wellness, and population health. The program will provide graduates with marketable skills for careers in public health agencies, health departments, hospitals, other health care organizations, government regulatory agencies, not-for-profit agencies, academic institutions, and industry.

Curriculum

Each MPH degree requires the completion of a total of 45-47 credit hours including coursework in the core concentration, along with an internship and a capstone project. The degree can be completed in 4 semesters.

For those students admitted with Advanced Standing from Clemson University, the MPH degree requires the completion of a total of 33-35 credit hours, including coursework in the core concentration, along with an internship and a capstone project.

Internship

Complete 180 hours of field placement in a comprehensive public health setting in the chosen concentration with a local or regional sites. Internship sites include hospitals, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and pharmaceutical companies.

Capstone Project

A professional paper or report which is the culmination of the internship experience.

Year 1, Fall B (8/25/25-12/12/25)

PHGEN706	Introduction to Public Health	3
PHEPI736	Foundations of Epidemiology I	3
PHBIO700	Introduction to Biostatistics	3
Semester Total		9

Year 1, Spring (1/5/26-5/1/26)

PHGEN708	Prin Environmental Health Sci	3
PHHBP700	Social and Behavioral Sciences	3
PHGEN710	Introduction to U.S. Health Policy	3
Semester Total		9

Year 1, Summer A, Trailer (5/4/26-8/14/26)

PHGEN715	Prog Planning, Dev, Eval	3
PHGEN716	Public Health Ethics & Leader	3
PHGEN717	Applied Research Methods	3
Semester Total		9

Year 2, Fall B (8/25/25-12/12/25)

PHGEN790	Topics in Public Health	3
PHEPI759	Health Disparities Epidemiolo	3
ELEC	Elective	3
Semester Total		9

Year 2, Spring (1/5/26-5/1/26)

PHGEN780	App Practice Experience-Intern	6
PHGEN970	MPH Capstone	3
Semester Total		9

Curriculum Total

45