Public Health (Professional Programs: MPH and DrPH)

Mailing Address: 
School of Public Health
1603 West Taylor Street
Chicago, IL 60612-4394

Contact Information: 
Office of Student Affairs, Room 190, SPH-PI Building 
(312) 996-6628 
Brandon Sieglaff,  
publichealth.uic.edu

Administration: 
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Dr. Rashid Ahmed

The School of Public Health is dedicated to excellence in protecting and improving the health and well-being of people around the world by educating public health professionals and the community, conducting research and affecting public health policy.

Through its diverse educational programs, centers, institutes, and collaborations, the school represents a formidable and unique educational resource in the city of Chicago. Situated on one of the nation’s most diverse campuses in one of the world’s largest concentrations of advanced public and private healthcare facilities, it offers students extensive opportunities to translate classroom learning into hands-on experience and engaged research. Students have access to nearly all aspects of public health—locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally. The intellectual vibrancy within the school, paired with the vitality of Chicago and its multicultural communities and neighborhoods, provides an outstanding educational setting for the preparation of future public health practitioners and leaders.

The School of Public Health offers two professional degrees:

  1. Master of Public Health (MPH)
  2. Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

The MPH provides graduates with a general understanding of the field of public health along with specific expertise in a selected area of study. Students matriculate into one of four divisions: (1) Community Health Sciences, (2) Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, (3) Epidemiology and Biostatistics, or (4) Health Policy and Administration. The comprehensive program, which may be completed in two years, includes course work inside the classroom and field experience that culminates in the completion of a capstone project. A shorter professional enhancement program is available for those who already possess three or more years of practice in the field. The program may be completed in a distance-based or residential format.

The DrPH program is the advanced professional degree offered by the school. This program is tailored to meet the goals of midcareer public health professionals who want to expand their knowledge and practice of public health and attain the leadership skills necessary to enable them to advance the field. The program aims to help students become leaders of the public health community at the local, national and international levels. The program is offered in a distance-based format.

The school encourages collaborations with other colleges by offering joint degree programs including MBA/MPH, MD/MPH, MD/MPH Population Health for Healthcare Professionals, MUPP/MPH, DMD/MPH, MA in Anthropology/MPH, DVM/MPH, MSW/MPH, JD/MPH, as well as a coordinated DC/MPH with National University of Health Sciences.

The School of Public Health is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the only fully accredited school of public health within Illinois. The MPH and DrPH degrees at UIC are considered professional programs and are not administered by the Graduate College. To learn more about the degree programs and how to apply, please visit the following websites:

Interdepartmental Concentration

Students earning the Master of Public Health at UIC may complement their courses by enrolling in select concentrations after consulting with their graduate advisor. Interdepartmental concentrations available for this degree include: