About this Program
Old Dominion University's Master of Public Health is a CEPH-accredited graduate degree that prepares students for leadership roles across community health, government public health agencies, healthcare administration, epidemiology, environmental health, and global health practice.
The program is offered through ODU’s Joint School of Public Health, with faculty from the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health. The curriculum combines classroom-based learning with a community-based Practicum that places students in working public health organizations across Hampton Roads.
The CEPH-accredited MPH is open to applicants from any undergraduate background. No GRE, GMAT, or MCAT required.
CEPH-Accredited MPH
The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is the gold-standard accreditor for graduate public health programs in the United States. CEPH accreditation signals to employers, professional associations, and credentialing bodies that a program meets rigorous standards for curriculum, faculty qualifications, and student outcomes.
MPH vs MS in Public Health
Many students choose between the Master of Public Health (MPH) and the Master of Science (MS) in Public Health. The degrees lead to different career outcomes:
- A Master of Public Health is practitioner-focused. The curriculum emphasizes applied public health skills like program planning, policy analysis, community engagement, epidemiology in practice, and population health management. MPH graduates typically enter the workforce as practitioners in government public health agencies, nonprofits, healthcare systems, or consulting.
- An MS in Public Health is research-focused. The curriculum emphasizes quantitative methods, statistical analysis, and original research. MS graduates often continue to PhD programs or enter research-track roles in academic, government, or industry research settings.
CEPH-Accredited MPH
The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is the gold-standard accreditor for graduate public health programs in the United States. CEPH accreditation signals to employers, professional associations, and credentialing bodies that a program meets rigorous standards for curriculum, faculty qualifications, and student outcomes.
MPH vs MS in Public Health
Many students choose between the Master of Public Health (MPH) and the Master of Science (MS) in Public Health. The degrees lead to different career outcomes:
- A Master of Public Health is practitioner-focused. The curriculum emphasizes applied public health skills like program planning, policy analysis, community engagement, epidemiology in practice, and population health management. MPH graduates typically enter the workforce as practitioners in government public health agencies, nonprofits, healthcare systems, or consulting.
- An MS in Public Health is research-focused. The curriculum emphasizes quantitative methods, statistical analysis, and original research. MS graduates often continue to PhD programs or enter research-track roles in academic, government, or industry research settings.
Program Highlights
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Fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health to ensure academic rigor and open doors to several public health credentialing pathways, including the CPH (Certified in Public Health) credential.
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Offered through the Joint School of Public Health, with faculty connections to a major medical school for research opportunities, clinical and community placement options, and direct exposure to the operational realities of healthcare delivery.
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Curriculum includes coursework in epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, and global health.
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Community-based Practicum placement with a working public health organization in Hampton Roads, applying classroom learning to active public health work.
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Open to applicants from any undergraduate background. No GRE, GMAT, or MCAT required.
Featured Courses
Requirements
Starting with the Fall 2026 semester, applications to the ODU Master of Public Health program should be submitted through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS). The SOPHAS Application can be accessed through the link below.
Apply on SOPHAS Here >
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Minimum GPA of 2.8 on 4.0 scale
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Tests | The MPH does not require the GRE, GMAT or MCAT
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Recommendations | 2 recommendations need to be academic and/or professional
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Essay | 500 word personal statement detailing reasons for interest in the MPH Program
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Transcripts | From all prior institutions
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International Applicants:
- TOEFL iBT minimum 79, or IELTS overall band minimum 7.0
- WES (World Education Services) course-by-course evaluation available but not required
Public Health Career Pathways
Public health is a broad field, and the MPH opens career pathways across several sectors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 7% growth for community and social service occupations through 2032, with stronger growth in healthcare and health services management roles (28%) and epidemiologists (27%). Median salaries vary significantly by sector and seniority.
Public health roles in federal and state government, large healthcare systems, and policy and consulting positions cluster toward the upper end of these ranges. Entry-level community health and program coordinator roles cluster toward the median.
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.
Conduct research or perform investigation for the purpose of identifying, abating, or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or the health of the population. Using knowledge of various scientific disciplines, may collect, synthesize, study, report, and recommend action based on data derived from measurements or observations of air, food, soil, water, and other sources.
Plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies, or similar organizations.
Plan, implement, and coordinate safety programs, requiring application of engineering principles and technology, to prevent or correct unsafe environmental working conditions.
Alumni Careers
Cost of Attendance
Tuition is charged per credit hour. Amounts shown are tuition only and do not include mandatory fees, technology-delivered course fees, course-specific fees, books, housing, meal plans, or other costs. Campus-based students may take technology-delivered or online courses. Tuition is based on student classification. Fees for technology-delivered courses and other costs are listed on the ODU tuition and fees page.
Ways to Fund Your Degree
There are a few ways for you to save on the cost of attending Old Dominion University, including scholarships, assistantships, and student loans. For more details about financial aid at Old Dominion, visit the Financial Aid Office page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. ODU's MPH is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the gold-standard accreditor for graduate public health programs in the United States. Old Dominion University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The MPH is practitioner-focused, with a curriculum that emphasizes applied public health practice, and graduates entering roles in government agencies, healthcare systems, nonprofits, and consulting. The MS in Public Health is research-focused, emphasizing research methods and quantitative analysis, with graduates often continuing to PhD programs or entering research-track positions. ODU offers an MPH.
ODU offers an online version of the MPH through ODUGlobal. The online MPH leads to the same CEPH-accredited degree as the on-campus program. For more information about an online format, visit the ODUGlobal page.
No. ODU's MPH does not require the GRE, GMAT, or MCAT.
The Joint School of Public Health is the joint school of Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University, formed in 2024. The MPH is offered through the Joint School, with faculty from the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health. The joint structure provides direct connections to a major medical school for research, clinical and community placements, and faculty access.
ODU MPH graduates work across public health sectors, including community and population health, epidemiology, health policy, healthcare administration, environmental and occupational health, and global health. Named alumni employers include the Department of Health, Sentara Foundation, Healthy Chesapeake, and Health Services Research Doctoral Programs.
Yes. The MPH is designed to accept applicants from any undergraduate background. Many students enter the program from biology, healthcare, social work, education, policy, business, or other fields.
Starting Fall 2026, applications to the ODU MPH are submitted through SOPHAS (Schools of Public Health Application Service) at sophas.cas.myliaison.com. SOPHAS is the centralized application portal used by CEPH-accredited public health graduate programs across the United States.
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