The Master of Public Health (MPH) program in Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation is designed to train students as public health scientists and practitioners that focus practice and/or research activities on the understanding, analysis, evaluation, and development of health policy. Various agencies in the state (e.g., county and state health departments) and across the nation (e.g., NIH and CDC), including colleges/universities, health-related agencies, community groups, and even large corporations (health care systems and insurance plans), employ public health professionals with a deep understanding of health policy in order to design, implement, analyze and evaluate policies to improve the health of their constituents. This program prepares graduates to take leadership positions in government agencies, consulting companies, health care organizations such as hospitals, community clinics, or health systems corporations, as well as health policy research organizations.
The MPH concentration in Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation at UMD-SPH is unique in that it focuses not only on health care policies but on the analysis and evaluation of all policies that affect the public’s health such as policies related to public health organizations and other public policies in education, housing, nutrition, and environmental pollution, among others that have an impact on population health. Students in the program benefit from UMD-SPH location in the DC area, with its proximity to federal government and agencies tasked with developing and implementing health policies such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in particular the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, The Agency for Healthcare Policy and Research, the Environmental Protection Agency and Health Resources and Services Administration, as well as top private and non-profit research institutions such as RAND, Mathematica, The Urban Institute, and The Brookings Institution, which conduct high-quality, independent research and provide innovative, practical recommendations to health policy makers. Faculty in the HLSA department has active collaborations with several of these agencies and institutions and students in the department have access to internships, capstone projects and post-graduation positions at these organizations. In addition, students in the program benefit for the HLSA department’s close links with the State of Maryland legislature and students have interned with General Assembly members; in those experiences, they have conducted research on legislative issues, co-authored legislation, assisted in preparation for hearings, and other policy related tasks.
The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with a concentration in Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation is a 45-credit professional degree offered by the Department of Health Services Administration.
The curriculum is adaptable to both a full and part-time student status.
All MPH students with concentration in Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation will complete the following three modules:
| Module | Description | Courses |
|---|---|---|
| Module 1 | Integrated Core Courses |
6 courses
|
| Module 2 | Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation Courses | 8 courses |
| Module 5 | Internship and Capstone (or Thesis) | 2 courses |
The elective courses in the Heath Policy Analysis and Evaluation MPH cognate area are selected by the student and approved by the advisor so that the MPH competencies are met. Students may select at most two electives (up to 6 credits) from courses relevant to the study of health policy offered at other UMD-SPH departments, at the UMD - College Park campus, at the UMD- Baltimore campus, at UMBC, and at other institutions in the DC area (through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area).
Module Description and Course Details
| Module | Semester | Course# | Course Name | Credit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Module 1: Integrated Core Courses |
Fall - year 1 | SPHL601 | Foundations of Public Health | 1 | |
| Fall - year 1 | SPHL602 | Applied Data: Epidemiology & Biostatistics | 4 | ||
| Fall - year 1 | SPHL603 | Applied Data Laboratory | 1 | ||
| Spring - year 1 | SPHL610 | Program Planning, Development and Evaluation | 5 | ||
| Fall - year 1 | SPHL611 | Public Health Ethics | 1 | ||
| Fall - year 2 | SPHL620 | Leadership and Policy Analysis | 2 | ||
| Total Integrated Core | 14 | ||||
|
Module 2: Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation
|
Fall - year 1 | HLSA601 | Introduction to Health Systems (Required) | 3 | |
| Fall | HLSA611 | Intro to Health Equity | 3 | ||
| Fall (online) | HLSA702 | Politics and Policy of Health | 3 | ||
| Fall | HLSA711 | Health Care Economics and Analysis | 3 | ||
| Fall | HLSA720 | Health Law and Ethics | 3 | ||
| Spring | HLSA721 | Demographic Data for Health Policy Analysis | 3 | ||
| Spring | HLSA723 | Policy Analysis and Advocacy | 3 | ||
| Spring | HLSA740 | Healthcare Strategic Planning and Evaluation | 3 | ||
| Fall | HLSA750 | Health Information Management System | 3 | ||
| Fall | HLSA775 | Public Health Research Methods | 3 | ||
| Fall | HLSA776 | Community Health Program Evaluation | 3 | ||
| Spring | HLSA777 | Feild Experience in Program Evaluation | 3 | ||
| Elective Course from other modules, SPH, other schools at UMD, UMB, or consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitian Area** | Up to 6 | ||||
| Total Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation Module | 24 | ||||
|
Module 5: Internship, Capstone, Thesis
|
Fall, Spring, Summer | HLSA778 | Internship | 4 | |
| Fall, Spring, Summer | HLSA786 | Capstone Project (or HLSA 799 Thesis*) | 3 | ||
| Total Internship, Capstone or Thesis Module | 7 | ||||
|
Total Credits Required for Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation
|
45
|
||||
How to Apply:
- Applications to graduate programs in the University of Maryland School of Public Health are processed through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS).
- Please see the Applications, Deadlines, and Requirements page on how to apply to the MPH in Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation program.
For more information, please contact Dr. Dylan H. Roby at, droby@umd.edu(link sends e-mail) or 301-405 6545
Admission Criteria:
MPH applications are reviewed with consideration to the following criteria:
- Minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA
- Undergraduate and any graduate transcripts
- GRE scores taken within the past 5 years (Submit electronically to the University of Maryland, code 0485 & 5814)
- 3 letters of recommendation that address your academic capabilities
- Statement of goals and interests
- Relevant academic/work experience