Public Health Programs at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

11/23/2024

We have great news for SMU public health students (MPH Degree and CHW Certificate) and **prospective** students!

The Minnesota Public Health Association (MPHA) is now participating in SMSMU's "Trusted Partnership Program."

When a student becomes a member of MPHA, they pay only $20/yr for a student membership (scholarships are available for the membership fee). Then, they can receive a scholarship/discount of $50/credit for the CHW Certificate program and $70/credit for the MPH Degree program—for every semester!

After joining the MPHA, you must be on SMU's Student CenCentral's Sustained Partner list. To get added to the list, they can contact Student Central and confirm which Trusted Partner they are associated with.

SMU's tuition is already among the lowest in the nation for the MPH Degree ($545/credit) and CHW Certificate ($300/credit) programs (not including available scholarships). The Trusted Partnership makes our programs even more accessible!

https://www.smumn.edu/admission/trusted-partnership-program/

https://www.mpha.net/

Unlock career growth and tuition scholarships with Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. Partner with us and your employer today!

11/21/2024

Many who would like to earn a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree find the prospect daunting, given their work and family commitments.

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota (SMU) is committed to doing our best to enable our students to take the courses they need so they can complete an MPH Degree in a timely manner, given their work and family commitments. We strive to make an MPH Degree accessible through asynchronous online courses and low tuition, with faculty who are practicing public health professionals as their full-time work.

The SMU MPH Degree program has 14 courses: five Core, seven Application, and two Summative courses. Students complete the Core courses before moving on to the Application courses. When the Application courses are complete, students can enroll in and complete the two Summative courses, Field Experience and Capstone.

Ultimately, the students’ success is our success, so we want them to succeed in earning their MPH Degree!

The Master of Public Health curriculum provides students with core knowledge and skills in the foundational areas of public health. The program is geared towards social justice, addressing inequalities experienced by underserved communities. Special emphasis is placed on understanding social determi...

11/19/2024

Mary Xiong is a recent MPH graduate of SMU!

Mary is the Senior Director of Public Engagement at the Offices of Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan!

It was a mixture of grief and desire to improve public health during the pandemic that drove Mary Xiong M’24 to pursue a Master of Public Health Degree. “I was going through a very difficult time losing a sibling to COVID-19 complications and decided to go back to get my education, which was wha...

11/19/2024

The MPH Degree was initially designed to prepare workers for government public health agencies at the city, county, state, and federal levels. However, it has proven to be very versatile. According to a paper published in 2021*, less than 20% of MPH Degree graduates initially work for a government agency—the rest work for health care, pharmaceutical, insurance, and academic organizations.

Today, we admitted an individual to our MPH Degree program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota (SMU). In her Personal Statement, this applicant articulates her career aspirations with clarity and determination:

“My goal is to continue to grow with {the hospital where I currently work}, specifically to become a clinical research coordinator, and eventually grow even further either there or simply further in the research field in general.”

Upon graduating with an MPH, this applicant may well be one of the 80+ % of MPH graduates who find employment outside a government agency!

This applicant also wrote:

“As a child, I believed that to help others, I had to go into patient care. One thing that {my work experience} taught me was that you can help people without having to provide direct care.”

Saint Mary’s University is a Lasallian Catholic University. At the beginning of the 18th century, Father DeLasalle addressed the educational needs of orphan girls and poor boys in France not so much by providing them with education directly but by educating the teachers who would then work with these students. The applicant understands this concept and the fundamental public health principle of improving, protecting, and maintaining the health of populations vs. individuals, which aligns perfectly with the values of our program.

This applicant will do well in the SMU MPH Degree program!

*Plepys, C. M., Krasna, H., Leider, J. P., Burke, E. M., Blakely, C. H., & Magaña, L. (2021). First-destination outcomes for 2015–2018 public health graduates: focus on employment. American Journal of Public Health, 111(3), 475-484.

11/09/2024

Today, I admitted a student to the MPH Degree program at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. In his personal statement, the applicant made the following comment:

"I started taking an interest in public health issues after the pandemic. Controversy arose in a society that depends on social media to receive information, so **misinformation** drove me to do my own research on the issues at hand."
(emphasis added)

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo. Dr. Reed Tuckson, co-founder of the Coalition for Trust in Health and Science, addressed the issue of misinformation in his keynote address on October 27th at the conference.

Dr. Tuckson noted that mass amounts of misinformation have entered America's public square, including about public health, which has been particularly susceptible since the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We're learning that this historical moment requires thoughtful courage," Tuckson told thousands of attendees. Tuckson explained that mistrust and misinformation are symbiotic. Mistrust of federal institutions and the science they are based on leads to non-factual, unscientific beliefs, including conspiracy theories. "Manufactured distrust" is also happening. He said that partisan news agencies, people, and politicians spread untruths to serve their agendas.

The applicant's motivation and interest in attaining an MPH come at a time when the threats of misinformation and mistrust are challenging public health like never before. We need individuals like him to be trained in public health to provide the critical leadership needed to protect, maintain, and improve the public's health.

The MPH Degree program at Saint Mary's University provides the training and education needed for public health leadership in these uncertain times.

Mass amounts of misinformation have entered America’s public square, including about public health, which has been particularly susceptible since the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

09/19/2023

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's Master of Public Health (MPH) program has been recognized by Forbes Advisor as one of the 'Top Online MPH Programs of 2023.'

Discover what sets our MPH program apart and how earning a master's degree from Saint Mary's can advance your career toward making a meaningful impact on underserved populations and enhancing the overall well-being of individuals within our communities.

Read the article here: https://bit.ly/48fpeSo

Ready to make a difference? Explore our MPH program: https://bit.ly/46fu7sD

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/online-mph-degree-programs/

With a master's degree in public health, you can build a career dedicated to creating a healthier, safer world. The public health field unites theory, research and action to promote health equity, improve well-being, and help communities thrive. A master of public health (MPH) prepares graduates

09/19/2023

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7109902736954990592/?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A(activity%3A7109902736954990592%2C7109906292449648641)&dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A(7109906292449648641%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7109902736954990592)&fbclid=IwAR1BTRFQmiCjRNCu_HDu2QMieTwSaigL-Jd8ztG5hgu4z2AueJTNSSaZhn4

07/09/2020

MPH Students- consider applying to the Health Equity Scholars program!

The Health Equity Scholars Program is the Cambridge Health Alliance's extraordinary advocacy training opportunity for mid-career practicing clinicians who are passionate about social justice. Apply by 07/15/2020.