Master's
MPH with a Concentration in Maternal and Child Health
The mission of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program is to produce an MCH workforce who will be change-ready leaders equipped with the necessary tools to address contemporary emerging MCH issues, promote healthier children, families, and communities, and address persistent disparities in MCH and public health across all systems. This mostly in-person degree program can be completed in two years and requires no pre-requisites.
The MCH concentration prepares individuals and health professionals in related fields for leadership roles across a variety of settings that focus on major public health problems of women, children, and families, especially among culturally diverse and under-served populations. Using multidisciplinary approaches, students develop programmatic, analytical, advocacy, and evaluative skills to facilitate health promotion and disease prevention and achieve health equity.
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Faculty who teach in the MCH concentration are local, national, and international leaders who engage in a variety of translational research and practice activities to improve the health of MCH populations.
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MCH concentration students have the opportunity to engage in experiential learning through the Applied Practice Experience (APE) course. APE allows students to apply the knowledge, skills, and theories learned in the classroom to real-world public health issues outside of the classroom. Students have had the opportunity to work closely with a community partner in settings such as city, county, and state health departments; local MCH-related organizations; community health clinics; research centers; and more. In addition to fulfilling the APE requirements, students are encouraged to get involved in valuable, hands-on learning experiences offered by the College of Public Health’s centers, student organizations, and other collaboratives.
Examples of community partner sites: Champions for Children; Early Childhood Programs (e.g., Head Start, Early Steps, and Early Learning Coalition); Healthy Start; Moffitt Cancer Center; ReachUP; and Tampa General Hospital. For more examples, please visit the Center of Excellence in MCH Education, Science, and Practice website.
Examples of COPH centers, student organizations, and other collaboratives: Activist Lab; Chiles Center; Harrell Center for the Study of Family Violence; Maternal and Child Health Student Organization (MCHSO); and Salud Latina USF.
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Those with a MPH degree in MCH may find work in various settings such as city, county, and state health departments; non-profit organizations; hospitals and healthcare centers; universities; research institutes; federal and Title V agencies. Additionally, some MCH graduates continue to pursue advance training in research (doctoral programs) or clinical professions (e.g., medicine and nursing). Some job titles held by recent graduates include Data Analyst, Program Manager, Health Education Consultant, Research Coordinator, and Maternal & Child Health Epidemiologist.
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To learn more, please contact a Pre-Admissions Advisor at (813) 974-6505 or preadmissions@usf.edu