Studying Public Health Degree at UNC Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Cheapest MPH Degrees Online.
The University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health is the top-ranked public school of public health and the second-ranked school of public health in the U.S., according to a list of top public health schools published by U.S. News & World Report in 2015.
The School of Public Health offers an online Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with a concentration in public health leadership that is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2018. The MPH degree is designed for working professionals with a minimum of two years of work experience in diverse disciplines who are looking to strengthen their public health leadership skills. The online program is a flexible option for students seeking a high-quality MPH degree but who also have prior work and/or family commitments to which they must attend.
The 42-credit-hour program will allow students to build on their work experiences to develop effective implementation science and leadership skills as well as broaden their understanding of public health as a whole. The program features dynamic multimedia coursework that students can access anytime, anywhere as well as live, webcam-based online classes with other public health professionals. The core curriculum includes five courses: Conceptualizing Public Health Solutions, Data Analysis for Public Health, Methods and Measures, Understanding Public Health Issues, and Developing, Implementing and Evaluating Public Health Solutions.
Full-time students can complete the program in 24 months, and those enrolling part-time can complete the program in 32 months. Students must complete 12 credit hours of Gillings MPH core courses, 15 credits in concentration-specific courses, and nine credits of electives, as well as a three-credit, applied practicum experience and a three-credit integrated learning experience.
With the concentration in leadership in practice, students will gain the necessary skills to lead organizations and teams that are working to eliminate health inequities and improve public health conditions. Foundational courses for the concentration cover topics such as leadership in public health quality improvement, leadership for health policy and equity, leadership for system transformation, principles of public health leadership, and leaders’ role in implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. After graduation, students will be able to foster meaningful change in communities and populations on the global, national, and local scale.
About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also known as Carolina, UNC Chapel Hill, or simply UNC, is a public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It is the flagship institution of the 17 campuses that make up the University of North Carolina System. The school was chartered in 1789 and began to enroll students six years later, allowing it to be one of the three oldest public universities in the country. UNC opened its doors on February 12, 1795 as the first public institution of higher education in the state. It became coeducational in 1877 and started the desegregation process in 1951 when it allowed African-American students to graduate. UNC opened its own hospital, UNC Health Care, in 1952, for treatment and research, and the university continues to specialize in cancer care. Currently, the school offers degree programs in more than 70 courses of study throughout its 14 colleges.
The 729-acre campus is located in downtown Chapel Hill and encompasses the many shops on Franklin Street as well as the Morehead Planetarium. Students may choose from more than 550 official student organizations. The student radio station, WXYC, is known for providing the first internet radio broadcast in the world, and the student-run newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel, has won national awards and recognitions for collegiate media. Notable alumni include former U.S. President James K. Polk, actors John Forsythe and Andy Griffith, and other highly recognizable leaders in business, sports, and pop culture.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Accreditation Details
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), a regional accrediting agency that is responsible for overseeing universities and colleges in an 11-state area. All members of the SACSCOC must undergo a full review every 10 years and submit a five-year report in between the reviews. UNC is accredited to award professional degrees and certificates as well as doctoral, master’s, and baccalaureate degrees. In addition, the School of Public Health, and all of its programs and degrees, are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Application Requirements
In order to be considered for admission into the online MPH program, students must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and have taken the MCAT, GMAT, or GRE exam. To apply to the MPH@UNC program, students must complete the online application and pay a nonrefundable $87.50 application fee. Other required documents include a resume, unofficial transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended, three letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose in which the applicant discusses his or her interest in pursuing an MPH degree, his or her experiences, and what he or she hopes to accomplish after graduating with a degree in public health.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition for the online Master of Public Health degree is $26,854. Graduate and professional students seeking financial aid assistance should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine eligibility. In order to receive financial aid, students must enroll at least part-time in a master’s degree, complete the FAFSA, be a U.S. citizen, make satisfactory academic process throughout the program, and not be in default or owe on a prior federal loan or grant. Although graduate students do not qualify for most types of federal and state grants that are available to undergraduates, they may still qualify through their respective school or department. The most common form of financial aid offered by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to graduate students is the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, which is awarded at a maximum of $20,500 per academic year.
