#1 trusted resource for the latest information about a public health degree

Master’s in Public Health Degrees in Louisiana

Living within one of the Bayou State’s 64 parishes would qualify you for in-state tuition at Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Louisiana.

Located in the Gulf South, Louisiana may be a tourist destination for its famed French Quarter, but its health care quality and access ranks in the bottom 10th percentile. Placed dead last at #50 for the United Health Foundation 2015 Annual Report, Louisiana is facing high obesity, child poverty, smoking, physical inactivity, and occupational fatality rates. Since Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc in 2005, health reform has run rampant to help improve outcomes for its racially diverse population of 4.5 million. The Louisiana Office of Public Health currently employs 1,100 practitioners who operate 50+ efforts, including the Safe Drinking Water Program, Reproductive Health Program, and Emergency Preparedness Program.

If you’re called to guide Louisianans to greater lifespan longevity, here are the accredited MPH degrees in Louisiana.

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans

School of Public Health

Housing 12 Centers of Excellence, the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center- New Orleans is a public, coeducational graduate school founded by Governor Huey Pierce Long, Jr. in 1931 that’s grown to serve 2,699 Tigers and employ 649 faculty in the Big Easy, Forbes’ 114th best city for education. LSUHSC is ranked America’s 549th safest college on Niche and 36th best nursing college by the U.S. News. Launched in 1931, the CEPH-accredited School of Public Health has made historic contributions to fighting endemics like malaria and responding to Hurricane Katrina.

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Chaired by Dean G. Smith, PhD, New Orleans’ Master of Public Health (MPH) is a 45-credit, practice-based terminal degree for health care professionals to learn the field’s five basic disciplines for activating effective community wellness initiatives. Starting in year two, post-grads choose from five concentrations: Biostatistics, Behavioral and Community Health, Epidemiology, Health Policy and Systems Management, or Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences. Presently priced at $4,931 in-state and $7,841 out-of-state per semester, the program also integrates field preceptorships and research like the LEAD Study.

MD-MPH Dual Degree Program

Estimated to cost $19,658 yearly, the MD-MPH Dual Degree Program stands out among Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Louisiana by letting LSU post-grads integrate community health courses into four challenging years of medical school. Admitting cohorts each May, the 1,216-hour curriculum directed by Dr. Benjamin Springgate builds on first-year lectures with 12-week clinical blocks from urology to psychiatry. Aspiring physicians can also intern at St. Elizabeth Hospital, conduct NIH research, join the Aesculapian Society, and volunteer at the Ozanam Inn Clinic.

Accreditation

• Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)

• Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

Contact

2020 Gravier St. 3rd Floor

New Orleans, LA 70112

(504) 568-5700

SPH@lsuhsc.edu

Program Link

Louisiana State University-Shreveport

School of Graduate Studies

Belonging to the Red River Athletic Conference, Louisiana State University-Shreveport is a public, state-funded regional branch founded by Plain Dealing native Donald Eugene Shipp, Jr. in 1965 that’s now educating 1,564 post-grad Pilots from its 200 acres in Forbes’ 198th best city for job growth. LSUS is ranked America’s 205th most conservative college on Niche and the South’s 163rd best bang for the buck in Washington Monthly. The School of Graduate Studies received 4.2/5 stars on GraduatePrograms.com for its 13 majors, including one of the Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Louisiana.

Master of Public Health

Mandating an upper-division GPA of 2.75, the LSUS Master of Public Health is chaired by Dr. Jill Rush-Kolodzey under CEPH guidelines to intellectually stimulate future practitioners with the clinical skills to promote healthy habits and reduce risks of disease globally. Currently costing $408 for Louisianans and $1,102 for non-residents per credit, the 48-credit generalist degree offers courses from health disparities to public health nutrition. Leading to the MPH Capstone project, the curriculum features 200+ practicum hours at partners like Promise Hospital of Louisiana.

Accreditation

• Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

Contact

HPE Building 214

1 University Place

Shreveport, LA 71115

(318) 797-5218

Jill.Rush-Kolodzey@lsus.edu

Program Link

Tulane University

School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine

Known for health pioneering alums like Dr. Charles Bass, Regina Benjamin, Ruth L. Kirschstein, and Paul Wehrle, Tulane University is a selective private, nonprofit AAU member with research funding exceeding $157.5 million and enrollment of 13,581 Green Wave on its 110-acre New Orleans campus. Tulane is ranked America’s 62nd best research institute by Forbes, ninth best free application school on Niche, and 57th top value in Kiplinger’s. The School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine grants 12 Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Louisiana that rank 12th nationally and 186th globally according to the USNWR survey.

MPH in Community Health Sciences

Open for admission until January 15th yearly, the MPH in Community Health Sciences at Tulane is a professionally recognized degree that trains post-grad generalists for designing, carrying out, and monitoring health initiatives that address specific population needs. The 45-credit major marries courses like behavioral aspects of health with 300 fieldwork hours and a culminating experience. Students might also research in the Center for Applied Malaria Research, travel to Nigeria, and add the Biostatistics Certificate.

MPH in Disaster Management

Presently priced at $1,256 per credit, Tulane’s MPH in Disaster Management attracts post-grads with backgrounds in life and physical sciences who seek to implement evidence-based tactics for mitigating and preventing natural or manmade tragedies across Earth. Requiring a 3.0 GPA, the 45-credit degree injects courses from toxicology to environmental policy and risk assessment. Before the culminating experience, majors tackle 200 practicum hours at agencies, like FEMA, World Relief, the American Red Cross, and UNICEF.

MPH in Epidemiology

Operating the SPHTM Freezer Farm with valuable samples like DNA plasmids, the MPH in Epidemiology supports Tulane post-grads interested in researching chronic and infectious diseases for practical application protecting our globe’s vulnerable citizens. Featuring 31 percent admission, the 45-credit program has selective courses from clinical trials design to outbreak epidemiology and biostatistics. Chaired by Dr. Pierre Buekens, the program also includes 200 practicum hours and a culminating analysis project before the CBIC epidemiology certification exam.

MPH in Health Education and Communications

Satisfying CHES credentialing requirements, the Tulane MPH in Health Education and Communications is another of the generalist Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Louisiana where post-grads sharpen their disease prevention skills for teaching healthy lifestyle choices. Along with 300 practicum hours, the 45-credit major blends courses like community organization and social marketing. Students also help run the on-site Mary Amelia Douglas-Whited Community Women’s Health Education Center for outreach on breastfeeding, paid family leave, birth equity, and more.

MPH in Health Policy

Offering funds like the Return Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) Grant, the MPH in Health Policy at Tulane University trains post-grads for assuming government leadership roles crafting legislation related to health care or continuing for the PhD in Global Health Policy. Noted for its Murphy Institute, the 45-credit program includes 250 fieldwork hours atop of courses for health economics, comparative health systems, and policy analysis. Students may also pledge Delta Omega, join Students United for Reproductive Freedom, or intern in Congress.

MPH in Health Systems Management

Directed by Joni Steinberg, PhD, the MPH in Health Systems Management reports a median mid-career salary of $114,800 on PayScale for Tulane post-grads who master the fundamental business concepts involved with leading clinical operations for good quality outcomes. Accepting GRE scores in the upper percentiles, the 45-credit major includes some courses like managerial accounting and organizational behavior from the AACSB-accredited Freeman School. Alums could receive top-level positions with East Jefferson General Hospital, Touro Infirmary, Ochsner Medical Center, and more.

MPH in International Health and Development

Estimated to cost $56,520 total, the MPH in International Health and Development is a two-year, full-time Tulane program with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio for post-grads to take their practice skills globally for addressing community-based health problems in less fortunate countries. The 45-credit major grants further specialization in Population Studies, Reproductive and Sexual Health, HIV/AIDS, Complex Emergencies, or Child Health. Before the capstone, students will complete 300 practicum hours abroad from Lima to Beijing and Paramaribo.

MPH in Maternal and Child Health

Drawing resources from the Center for Emerging Reproductive Perinatal Epidemiology, Tulane’s MPH in Maternal and Child Health is chaired by Carolyn Johnson, PhD, to produce public health officials who can effectively address health concerns impacting mothers and their offspring. With a 95 percent placement rate, the 45-credit major interjects 300 practicum hours into courses like lifespan development and health education. Students may also travel to Havana, join the TSSHAG Society, contribute to Zika efforts, and receive the Fogarty Global Health Fellowship.

MPH in Nutrition and Food Security

Publishing Global Health Magazine biannually, the MPH in Nutrition and Food Security at Tulane stands out among the public health master’s programs in Louisiana for having AGPPHN membership to train practitioners who help satiate hunger with healthful diet choices. The 45-credit, two-year degree includes 300 practicum hours in resource-poor countries after courses like malnutrition and nutritional assessment. Additional credits could allow post-grads to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) for an average yearly salary of $59,670.

Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine

Chaired by Preston Marx, PhD, the Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine is one of the dual programs adhering to ASTMH guidelines for producing certified practitioners who plan disease control procedures for tropical regions from the Caribbean to Southeast Asia. Providing a public health or clinical focus, the 52-credit major spans courses from parasitology to helminthology and microbial diseases. Students also tackle 200 practicum hours, undertake research at the Health Office for Latin America, and join the GAPSA.

Master of Science in Public Health

Belonging to the CUGH, the Master of Science in Public Health traces back to 1912 as America’s oldest program structured with a scientific orientation to prepare researchers who can make monumental discoveries that exterminate significant global health threats. The 42-credit, lab-based degree currently offers four concentrations: Biostatistics, Global Environmental Health Sciences, Industrial Hygiene, or Tropical Medicine. Each option lets Tulane post-grads complete 200 fieldwork hours, research in facilities like the Renal Center of Excellence, and get recruited by agencies like the CDC.

MD/MPH Joint Degree Program

Attracting around 160 post-grads yearly, Tulane’s MD/MPH Joint Degree Program is chaired by Dr. Mark Dal Corso through the School of Medicine to train holistic doctors who have both the clinical licensing and community-based strategies for treating widespread health issues. Since 1971, the four- or five-year program has delivered emphases in Epidemiology, Global Biostatistics and Data Science, Global Community Health and Behavioral Science, or Global Health Management and Policy. Students with a minimum 28 MCAT score also progress through eight-week clinical rotations in Tulane Medical Center.

MSW/MPH Joint Degree Program

Accepting applicants until October 15th annually, the MSW/MPH Joint Degree Program is another of the collaborative options for GCHB majors to concurrently finish the School of Social Work curriculum and expand their clinical and human service delivery skills. Led by Dr. Catherine Taylor, the 89-credit program emphasizes relationship-centered practice with courses from policy advocacy to social welfare methods. Students might also research in the Elizabeth Wisner Center, tackle some of the 990 practicum hours abroad, join the ABSW, and take the Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy.

Accreditation

• Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)

• Commission on Accreditation for Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)

• Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)

• Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

Contact

1440 Canal St., Suite 2460

New Orleans, LA 70112

(504) 988-5388

sphtmadmissions@tulane.edu

Program Link

Headquartered in Silver Spring, the CEPH is a third-party accrediting agency that’s established important criterion for public health programs to exceed for quality education. Picking accredited MPH degrees means your courses and applied practice experiences will meet rigorous standards. Therefore, you’ll have the greatest marketability for landing jobs at top employers like The Carter Center, Center for Disease Control, National Institute of Health, Pan American Health Organization, Caribbean Epidemiology Centre, and more. According to the BLS, community service-oriented health careers in Louisiana provide an average yearly salary of $49,100. Although not lucrative, MPH jobs are satisfying, flexible, and culturally enriching. Take the time to review these Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Louisiana to find your match.

See also: Top 10 Best Online Masters in Public Health Degree Programs