Master of Public Health (MPH) The public health profession focuses on preventing disease, addressing inequities and developing policies and programs that help communities achieve optimal health and wellbeing. Our program aims to educate and empower the emerging generation of public health leaders. As the most frequently awarded graduate degree in the public health profession, the MPH prepares students for applied public health practice and leadership in diverse environments such as local, state, and federal agencies, hospitals and clinics, community-based and non-profit organizations, research institutions and other agencies in both domestic and global settings.

The Master of Public Health at CWU is a 56-credit graduate degree, designed to be completed in as few as 2 years. Course delivery options are flexible, with distance education, hybrid, intensives, and online courses available. All students are required to complete a portfolio capstone with a project-based or research thesis, under the guidance of their faculty mentor.

Graduate students in public health can also choose to start the program with the Rural and Community Health Graduate Certificate, of which 15 credits may transfer in toward completion of the MPH degree.

Admissions Criteria

Applicants to the MPH program at CWU are required to submit the following materials by the admissions deadline for Fall Quarter Admission (February 1st):

• Application fee to the CWU School of Graduate Studies and Research
• Cover Letter or Personal Statement of 1 page or less 

• Resume/CV 

• Transcripts from a completed undergraduate degree program. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the event of a pending graduation date, and official transcripts must be received prior to matriculation. 

• Official GRE examination scores. GRE must have been completed within the past 5 years. The GRE examination requirement will be waived for students who have completed the CWU Rural and Community Health Graduate Certificate.
• Professional writing sample of 1,000 words or more. Examples may include: Peer reviewed manuscript, policy analysis, technical report, or white paper on which the applicant is the primary author. 

• Two (2) letters of recommendation. The admissions committee places preference on one letter from an academic reference and one from a professional or community reference.

Applications for both programs will be available at http://www.cwu.edu/masters/apply-cwu-graduate-school and priority deadline is February 1st.

For more information, contact Dr. Tishra Beeson, Graduate Program Director for Public Health tishra.beeson@cwu.edu or 509-963-2494,

Or complete the Webform here.