Apply leadership and/or management principles to address a relevant issue Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges

Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors Communicate audience-appropriate (i.e., non-academic, non-peer audience) public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content

Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue

Curriculum and Competencies — MPH | Des Moines University

Q: Public Health and Health Care Systems

Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels

Q: Interprofessional Practice

Integrate perspectives from other sectors and/or professions to promote and advance population health

A student wearing a purple DMU shirt uses a laptop while smiling.

Coursework You Can Put to Work: One Degree, Three Concentrations

Epidemiology

Analyze Data. Inform Decisions. Protect Populations.
Public Health Administration and Policy

Lead Organizations. Strengthen Systems. Shape Policy.
Public Health Practice

Design Programs. Mobilize Communities. Improve Outcomes.

How Long Will It Take To Complete?

You can complete the Master in Public Health degree at Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences in as little as two years. You’ll earn 42 total credit hours, including five concentration courses, an applied practice experience and an integrative learning experience.

Visit DMU’s academic catalog for an overview of MPH curriculum and course descriptions.

Foundational Competencies

DMU’s MPH program aligns with the foundational competencies established by the Council on Education for Public Health. Through required core coursework and applied learning experiences, you’ll develop and demonstrate the essential knowledge and skills expected of today’s public health professionals.

Evidence Based Approaches to Public Health

Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice
Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context
Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate
Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice

Public Health and Health Care Systems

Planning and Management to Promote Health

Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health
Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs
Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention
Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management
Select methods to evaluate public health programs

Policy in Public Health

Discuss the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity

Leadership

Communication

Interprofessional Practice

Systems Thinking

Applied Practice Experience

Learn public health by doing public health. As part of the MPH program, you’ll complete a 120- to 180-hour internship in a public health setting that supports your academic interests and career goals.

Working closely with experienced field preceptors, you’ll develop at least two practice-based deliverables that serve a real organizational need. These could include project plans, grant proposals, training manuals, surveys, podcasts, presentations or other impactful products.

To wrap up your experience, you’ll develop at least two professional work products that provide real value to a partner organization, along with a reflective analysis of your own professional development — giving you meaningful, practice‑ready evidence of your growth and readiness to lead in public health.

Integrative Learning Experience

The integrative learning experience is the capstone of your MPH program — a chance to synthesize everything you’ve learned and apply it in a professional setting. You’ll choose a project that reflects your interests and demonstrates your ability to translate theory into practice.

Working closely with faculty and a host organization — such as a public health agency, health care organization or nonprofit — you’ll design and complete a capstone project that demonstrates your mastery of program competencies.

You may also choose to center your internship and capstone on international or global health initiatives. MPH students — including those in DMU’s dual degree programs — have completed experiences abroad and with international and federal health organizations such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Partner With DMU to Host a Public Health Learning Experience

DMU invites community organizations, agencies and nonprofits to collaborate on applied public health projects that benefit your mission and the community you serve. Master of Public Health students contribute approximately 120 hours of project-based work, producing practical deliverables such as program plans, evaluations, needs assessments, data analysis or policy reviews — all tailored to your organization’s goals.

Tell Us About Your Student Project Opportunity

Expand Your Impact with Dual Degrees

MPH + Clinical Dual Degree

Students enrolled in DMU’s clinical programs (DO, DPM, DPT or OTD) may be eligible for a dual degree option leading to a Master of Public Health.

This option lets you combine your clinical training with public health expertise, broadening your impact and enhancing your career opportunities.

Interested students typically apply during the first year of their primary clinical program. You may be able to apply up to six semester hours from your clinical coursework toward the MPH degree.

MHA + MPH

Students in the MPH program may also pursue a dual degree with a Master of Health Care Administration. Faculty guide students toward culminating experiences that allow them to use both the MPH and MHA competencies and skills.

To apply, you must first complete nine semester hours in the MPH program.

The dual curriculum includes overlapping credits, requiring a total of 78 semester hours to complete both degrees.

Current DMU students can apply through the DMU Direct Application — no need to resubmit transcripts or test scores, as these are retrieved from the registrar’s office.

University Partnerships

DMU partners with select universities and colleges in the health sciences, allowing eligible students to begin MPH coursework during their undergraduate studies and apply approved credits toward both degrees.

Curriculum and Competencies — MPH