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University of Montana Catalog 2025-2026

Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) - Community Health and Prevention Sciences

General Graduate Program Requirements

Graduate School policies and standards can be found on the Graduate School Policies page

The minimum GPA for any graduate program is 3.0. Individual programs may require more than a 3.0 to remain in good standing. 

The minimum grade for a course to be accepted toward any master’s or doctoral requirement is C. The minimum grade for a course to be accepted toward a certificate program is B-. Individual programs may require higher grades for specific courses.

Master of Public Health - Community Health and Prevention Sciences Concentration

Students graduating with a concentration in Community Health and Prevention Sciences will be eligible to take the national exam to become a Certified Health Education Specialist.

An accelerated option is available to students in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health program with an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. To matriculate into the accelerated Master of Public Health program, students apply to the program in their junior year. If admitted, students are eligible in their last two semesters of the BS in Public Health degree to take up to 12 credits of required Master of Public Health coursework, approved in advance by the program director and the student's undergraduate advisor. These credits will count toward undergraduate program elective requirements and be applied toward the degree upon completion of the BS in Public Health.

Course Requirements

Complete all of the following courses:
COMX 480Health Communication3
or COMX 486 Health and Family Communication
PUBH 475EPublic Health Ethics3
PUBH 510Intro to Epidemiology3
PUBH 520Fundamentals of Biostatistics3
PUBH 530Public Health Administration and Management3
PUBH 535Health Policy3
PUBH 542Applied Theoretical Foundations of Community Health3
PUBH 544CBPR Methods for Health3
PUBH 546Theories of Community Health Promotion3
PUBH 550Program Evaluation & Research Methods3
PUBH 595Practicum (Applied Practice Experience)3
PUBH 599Professional Paper/ILE3
Electives
Complete 6 credits of graduate-level courses chosen in consultation with your advisor. The following courses are recommended:6
Communication in Health Organizations
Multicultural/Native American Public Health
Issues in Maternal and Child Health
Environmental & Rural Health
Rural Health Issues Global Context
Data Science and Research Methods Using R
Total Hours42