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Director's Message
Wendy Ringgenberg, Ph.D.
Director of the MPH Program
Hello and welcome to the Master of Public Health Program website! I am the Director of the Master of Public Health Program at Des Moines University and I am extremely pleased to offer you this curriculum.
The MPH is a generalist program which requires the completion of 45 credits, with 38 credits earned in core courses and 7 credits of elective courses. The core courses provide you with a solid foundation of public health knowledge. We recommend that you complete the Block 1 courses before undertaking the Block 2 courses. The Overview of U.S. Health Care System, Basic Statistics and Research, and Survey of Human Health and Disease are three of the most important courses to take at the beginning of your MPH.
The electives we offer change frequently to reflect current public health issues. The most recent MPH calendar lists the electives currently available. Here are some examples of electives that we have recently offered:
- Health Promotion and Health Education, 3 cr.
- Grant-Writing, 3 cr.
- Global Health, 3 cr.
- Bioterrorism, 2 cr.
- RX for Survival (Global Health), 2 cr.
- Geographic Information Systems, 2 cr.
- Introduction to Research, 1 cr.
- Intimate Partner Violence, 1 cr.
- Applied Epidemiology, 1 cr.
- Excellence in Public Health, 1 cr.
- Seminar on International Internship, 1 cr.
Students have great flexibility in choosing which courses they would like to fulfill these electives. One 3-cr. MPH elective and one 1-cr. MPH elective are offered every term. Students may also choose to take MHA (Master of Health Care Administration) classes for elective credit.
The MPH degree is available in online and on-campus formats. MPH courses are offered face-to-face during evenings and/or weekends. MPH courses offered online have specified start dates and end dates, as well as assignement due dates, but you set your own schedule for when you complete the coursework. Students can complete their MPH entirely online, or on-campus, or through a combination of taking both online and on-campus classes. In fact, 100% of the 2007 graduates completed their MPH through a combination of online and on-campus classes. The schedule for course delivery can be found listed on the course calendar.
Graduates find employment in many areas, including state departments of public health, local boards of public health, national public health programs, and private agencies. In our 2007 Graduate Survey, 94% of MPH graduates were employed full-time. We provide links to many job opportunities through our MPH student portal.
Thank you for your interest in our MPH program. Good luck in all your endeavors!
Wendy Ringgenberg, Ph.D.
Director of the DMU Public Health Program
Mission
The DMU-MPH program serves humanity through advancing and disseminating core public health knowledge through teaching, research, and practice in an active partnership with our students and the public health community.
Vision
The DMU-MPH program will build a community of educated, ethical, and inquisitive high-functioning professionals who are capable and driven to invoke changes in public health promotion and disease prevention.
Values
- Education: We value a high quality educational experience where practiced professionals share their experiences, beliefs, and process of development guiding students through curriculum and public health understanding.
- Students: We value the diverse personal and professional life experiences of each student; their willingness and desire to engage in the program with fellow students and peer professionals; and how their involvement shapes the delivery of the curriculum for a unique and evolving classroom experience.
- Evidence-based practice: We value enhancing the curriculum through an active partnership between students, faculty, and the community in identifying authentic public health issues where students are involved in assessing and solving problems for the promotion of public health practice.
- Community: We value a connectedness with community organizations and groups in efforts to promote student learning and professional growth with emphasis on Iowa's vulnerable population needs, including rural and geriatric health.
