What Can You Do With a Master of Public Health?
The fully online Master of Public Health Program for Experienced Professionals (MPH-PEP) was created for individuals in the workforce who are ready to expand their knowledge and grow their promise in public health, community health and health care. With a curriculum focused on population health leadership and management, organizational operations, decision-making and real-world public health practice, MPH-PEP students learn to work across sectors to drive meaningful change in the populations they serve.
But you may be wondering: To what professional opportunities does an MPH open the door? What types of jobs might you pursue or enhance? Here are just a few examples of post-MPH careers:
Career outcomes for Master of Public Health graduates can vary greatly. We referred to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for more insight into the projected growth of careers in community health, health education and health services management.
According to the BLS, the employment of community health workers and health education specialists is expected to grow 13 percent between 2019 and 2029, due to an increasing desire to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs nationwide. The employment of medical and health services managers is also expected to grow by 32 percent, while demand for occupational health and safety specialists will increase by 4 percent.
Explore the stories below to learn more about student and alumni experiences in the online Master of Public Health Program for Experienced Professionals, and reach out to us directly for more information on what you can do with a Master of Public Health.
Director of a Community Health Institute
Julia Applegate has spent her career fighting for reproductive justice and raising awareness about HIV/AIDS. A bachelor’s in political science and a master’s in women’s studies led Applegate to roles in academia and government, and it was while working for a local health department that she realized she would benefit from a degree in public health.
“Being closer to the communities served on the local level helped me see what a big and real impact public health work can have on the lives of individuals and communities, and the social justice aspect of public health combined perfectly with my interests in gender, sexuality and the politics of health,” Applegate said.
Today, she is director of the Equitas Health Institute, a nonprofit health institute focused on LGBTQ+ health education, research and community engagement to improve health and wellness among sexual minority communities in Ohio.
“I really enjoyed that the MPH-PEP classes had practical application to my work, specifically the courses that focused on health care administration and program planning,” Applegate said.
Pediatrician
Dr. Akua Amponsah keeps busy between her roles as a professor of pediatrics and lead pediatrician at the Linden Primary Care Center, where she mostly cares for underserved patients. Amponsah had always considered getting a Master of Public Health to advance her work and interests in health equity but wasn’t sure how she’d fit courses into her jam-packed schedule. Then, she discovered Ohio State’s 100% online MPH-PEP.
“The online format is invaluable, as it gives great flexibility for someone like me,” Amponsah said. “The courses have already helped me look at my professional interactions and work I do through a different lens … This degree will give me more tools to do the work I’m doing with more impact and enable me to better respond to the health needs of the population I serve.”
Behavioral Health Clinical Coordinator
When mental health counselor Heather Thobe began working for a children’s hospital, she noticed an increasing number of transgender and gender-diverse youth seeking therapy. Around the same time, the hospital announced it would be launching a new mental health program surrounding gender development. Thobe applied and secured a job as the program’s behavioral health clinical coordinator, where she now focuses on serving this population. For Thobe, deciding to pursue the online MPH-PEP was as much about furthering her education as it was about furthering her ability to help and understanding of children in need.
“I wanted a degree that complemented what I was doing in my clinic and would help me fine-tune my leadership skills, as well as identify gaps in care,” Thobe said. “I find myself using articles, techniques and strategies I’ve learned in class in my daily work practice. And the best thing is that it happened right away — the first chapter I read, I was taking notes for work, not just for class. It's practical information that can be added on top of so many different careers.”
Earning your Master of Public Health online through Ohio State’s MPH-PEP is flexible and relevant to a wide range of professions in diverse fields — better positioning you to advance the well-being of your community and your career.
Ready to give online classes a try? Test drive an online course.