The Master in Public Health program has suspended enrollment and is not seeking applicants for the 2025-26 academic year. Students currently enrolled will continue coursework until the completion of their degree program.

Master of Public Health Program

The Master of Public Health program at St. Bonaventure University, offered by the Dennis R. DePerro School of Health Professions, prepares students for rewarding careers as leaders in the public health sector.

Be part of a global initiative

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic made public health a global focal point, there was a growing recognition of the need for a greater emphasis on the prevention of disease and the promotion of good health.

A Master of Public Health degree equips you with the knowledge to focus on the science of creating and sustaining good health in local communities through education, research and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. The need, and the opportunities, have never been greater.

An aging population has created unprecedented demand for dedicated professionals committed to preventing disease and promoting global health. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 15 percent growth in healthcare jobs over the decade ending in 2029 — much faster than the average for all occupations — and the creation of some 2.4 million new jobs.

The MPH at St. Bonaventure focuses on the application and practice of population health concepts. Graduates of the program are prepared for immediate employment in a number of public health fields including community health, health education, health/safety administration, public policy, health administration, biostatistics and epidemiology.

The MPH provides students with the opportunity to explore the history and principles of public health, international health, public health leadership, health promotion, marketing, diverse populations, environmental health and health policy within a rigorous curriculum.

Students in this major will be prepared to succeed and lead in a public health environment (e.g. community health, health education, health/safety administration), advance their education and experience outside of clinical health and medicine, and/or pursue advanced studies in various health-related fields.

Courses are delivered through classroom-based and online instruction.

Each semester there will be two 1-credit courses offered where students will spend two weekends per semester to complete the courses (each weekend will cover only one topic) either through on-campus classes or delivered through an online (synchronous) environment.

These intensive weekends will commence on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. (ET) and will end at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Sunday’s session will begin at 9 a.m. and end at noon.

All students will be required to complete external Public Health internship hours through a capstone experience (MPH 550 & MPH 551). A member of the School of Health Professions will coordinate these experiences.

The goals of the Master of Public Health program at St. Bonaventure University are to:

Educate students to be competent, ethical and effective public health professionals
Provide students with knowledge, and experiences, to evaluate complex public health problems
Have students demonstrate how to translate knowledge into interventions that address health disparities
Educate students on how to select effective communication strategies for a variety of stakeholders
Address how economic, behavior and social issues inform public health theories, practices and policies
Teach and apply the Franciscan values of dignity and worth for every individual

Applicants to the Master of Public Health program must submit the following:

Transcripts from all colleges/universities previously attended
Evidence of having earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a minimum cumulative college GPA of 3.0
Record of having completed these prerequisite courses: biology, statistics, sociology and psychology
Two letters of recommendation
A current resume
Proof of immunizations. See "Required Health Forms & Records" on our Health & Counseling Services website