- Online
Master of Public Health (MPH)
Where will your passion for public health take you?
Rooted in science and social justice, a master’s in public health will lead you to one of many careers that are prevention-oriented, multi-disciplinary, and promote conditions to protect and improve the health of people and communities.
Whether you already have a background in public health, healthcare, or nursing, or you’re looking to reroute your career path into a highly rewarding, interdisciplinary field, our online master of public health program is your path forward to a wide variety of positions and future outcomes.
Fairfield University’s online MPH program is an applicant for Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation. Our site visit is scheduled for January 2025 and we expect a final accreditation decision in spring or summer 2025. For more information on accreditation, please visit CEPH.
Completion Time: 15 (full-time) – 28 (part-time) months
Schedule: Full-time | Part-time
Start Dates: Fall (September) | Spring (January) | Summer (May)
Open your career up to a wide range of possibilities – all in the advancement of community health.
Curriculum
Design your online MPH degree around your career goals.
To effectively meet the broad spectrum of in-demand career possibilities with an MPH degree, the curriculum has been made customizable, allowing you to tailor your education experience to match your goals and interests. Courses are asynchronous and designed to provide more flexibility to learn on your own schedule and at your own pace. And because of the interdisciplinary nature of community health, our program offers all the hands-on advantages of the Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies. You’ll learn from – and alongside – the same types of professionals you will work with in the future.
The Public Health Program vision, mission, goals, and values are grounded in the mission and purpose of Fairfield University and the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, which houses the Public Health Program.
The program’s vision is a world where health, wellness, and justice are prioritized and inequities are minimized.
The program’s mission is to ensure students develop a comprehensive foundation in the theory and practice of public health with a strong emphasis on interprofessional collaboration, health equity, and evidence-based problem solving.
The program’s goals that describe strategies to accomplish the defined mission:
- Provide education, mentorship, and practice opportunities to promote students’ attainment of core competencies of public health practice.
- Contribute to public health knowledge through interdisciplinary research and practice.
- Impact public health practice through responsive and sustainable community engagement.
The program’s values support the advancement of Fairfield University’s Mission by promoting the values of inclusive excellence, a diverse community, global engagement, and radical hospitality.
- Inclusive Excellence as a critical dimension of the academic mission. Fairfield strives to educate through engaging with the broadest possible range of dynamic ideas, perspectives, and identities in an ever-changing world. Embracing the challenges of competing viewpoints is integral to the rigor of the academic enterprise, pushing the horizons of what is known and possible in committing to excellence in teaching and learning.
- A Diverse Community, which is a distinguishing hallmark of Jesuit education. Fairfield recognizes the inherent value and dignity of each person, guided by our Jesuit heritage as informed by the contemporary context. Fairfield is committed to shaping a community of learners from diverse social, economic, racial, cultural, national, and religious backgrounds.
- Global Engagement as a defining outcome of a modern Fairfield education. Fairfield hopes to develop men and women to serve as global citizens, at home in the world, able to engage in diverse cultural circumstances with an open mind and the capacity to empathize with the perspectives of others. Fairfield actively promotes an awareness of and sensitivity toward the full range of differences within and well beyond our community of learners.
- Radical Hospitality as a way of relating with others, shaped by our Jesuit traditions. Fairfield recognizes the importance of learning about, and living in, an increasingly interconnected, intercultural world and reflects this by striving to become a microcosm of the global community, in which the other is unconditionally welcomed, respected, and valued.
- Foundations of Public Health (waived if you currently have a bachelor’s in Public Health)
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics II
- Program Planning and Evaluation
- Public Health Capstone I & II
- Fieldwork Experience
- Electives (Choose 2-3)
Career Opportunities
Potential career settings with an MPH degree:
- Data Analyst
- Community Outreach Specialist
- Health Policy Analyst
- Health Educator
- Program Planner
- Program Evaluator
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects faster-than-average growth for the following careers between 2021-2031:
- Health education specialists (12%)
- Epidemiologists (26%)
- Statisticians (31%)
Earn your master of public health online and launch your career in a whole new direction.
Highlights
Make your MPH degree your own.
At the core of our online master of public health program is the two-term capstone. This is your chance to work on an independent research project or an applied project – and have a term of field experience such as an internship at a location of your choosing. As your knowledge of public health grows, you’ll be able to incorporate your plans for your future into your experience.
Build meaningful connections and boost your skills.
You’ll benefit from the interpersonal learning experience that will expose you to the wide range of professions involved in public health. In addition to the individual attention you’ll have from our small class sizes, you’ll learn from the diverse perspectives of your classmates and professors as you partake in constructive dialogue about pressing social, ethical, and professional issues.
Elevate your success through a dedicated career coach. Students will participate in the BELONG program, a customized coaching journey focusing on career planning and building professional skills, positioning you for success beyond graduation.
"I knew Fairfield University’s MPH program was the perfect fit because of its interdisciplinary nature and the incorporation of Jesuit values within the program’s mission. Through my undergraduate degree from Fairfield, I learned what it meant to be an empathetic and insightful leader, how to strive for excellence, and incorporate service that is rooted in justice in everything that I do. I am so excited to be able to return to my second home to continue my education and foster my growth both personally and professionally."
– Lane Kelleher '15
Project Manager, Ambulatory Services, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Faculty & Academic Approach
Find your mentors here.
Our MPH program faculty are as diverse as the types of careers available with an MPH degree. Take advantage of their experiences and knowledge as you develop your path to enhance the quality of life of individuals, communities, and underserved populations – and, small classes mean a lot of opportunities for one-on-one mentoring and learning.
Co-Chairs
Kimberly Doughty, MPH, PhD, CHES
Assistant Professor of Public Health
Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
Anthony Santella, DrPH, MPH, MCHES, CPH
Professor of Public Health
Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
School Leadership
Meredith Kazer, PhD, APRN-BC, FAAN
Dean and Professor of Nursing
Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
Audrey Beauvais, DNP, MSN, MBA, RN
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Associate Professor
Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
Sally O. Gerard, DNP, RN, CDCES
Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Professor of Nursing
Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
Public Health Faculty
Bridget Hussain, PhD, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN
Assistant Professor of Public Health
Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
Jessica Planas, RN, PhD, MPH, CHES
Associate Professor of Nursing and Public Health
Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
Jennifer Schindler-Ruwisch, DrPH, CPH
Associate Professor of Public Health
Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
Bachelor of Science in Public Health Students
Catherine McConville ‘25
Fairfield University
Sara Rush ‘25
Fairfield University
Master of Public Health Students
Laurence J. Cass
MPH Candidate
Connecticut Employee Health and Benefit Practice Leader
Marsh McLennan Agency
Anne Wallace Juge
MPH Candidate
Treasurer
Greenwich Hospital Board
Lane Kelleher ‘15
MPH Candidate
Project Manager, Ambulatory Services
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Alumni
Samantha Lindsay ‘23
Nursing Assistant
Meadowood Senior Living
Kaleigh MacDonald ‘22
Regulatory Coordinator, Breast Cohorts Study Program
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Destiny McLellan ’21
Community Health Worker
Optimus Health Care, Emme Coalition
Anthony Silvestrone ‘22
MPH Candidate
Yale University
General Membership
Ellen Andrews, PhD
Executive Director
CT Health Policy Project
Theresa Argondezzi, MPH, CHES
Assistant Director of Health, Community Health
Norwalk Health Department
Marianne Buchelli, MPH, MBA
Public Health Services Manager
State of Connecticut Department of Public Health
Marc Donald, MAT
Executive Director
RYASAP
Tiffany Donelson, MPH
President and CEO
Connecticut Health Foundation’
Lawrence Eisenstein, MD, MPH, FACP
Vice President of Community and Public Health
Catholic Health
Ebony Jackson-Shaheed, MPH
Director of Health and Human Services
City of Hartford
Representative Nicole Klarides-Ditria, ATC.L.
State Representative
Connecticut General Assembly
Licensed Athletic Trainer
Representative Sarah Keitt, MPH
State Representative
Connecticut General Assembly
Joan Lane, MPH
Project Coordinator, Southwest Community Health Center
Accreditation Coordinator, Naugatuck Valley Health District
Albana Lame, RDH, MS
Director of Community Strategy
City of Waterbury
Amy Lehaney, MPH, RS
Director of Health
Town of Monroe
Cristin McCarthy Vahey
State Representative
Connecticut General Assembly
Montrece McNeill Ransom, JD, MPH, ACC, BCC
Director, National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training
National Network of Public Health Institutes
Dawn Myles, MS, MSN, RN
Vice President, Population Health Operations
Nuvance Health
Pam Paulmann, MPH
Health and Wellness Coordinator
Fairfield University Counseling
Melissa Quan, EdD
Director, Center for Social Impact
Fairfield University
John Rossi, MBA, PMP
VP of Operations
St. Vincent's Medical Center, Hartford HealthCare
Thomas St. Louis, MSPH
Director, Office of Public Health Workforce Development
State of Connecticut Department of Public Health
Caprice Taylor Mendez, MEd
CEO and President
Universal Health Care Foundation of CT
Attend an Information Session
Compare Public Health vs. Healthcare Administration
Anthony Santella
Anthony J. Santella, DrPH, MPH, MCHES, CPH is a professor of Public Health and director of the MPH program. His research helps improve the sexual health of people living with and at risk for HIV/AIDS, gender and sexual minorities, justice-involved persons, youth, and people experiencing homelessness. Dr. Santella earned an MPH in Health Policy and Management from Emory University, a DrPH in Health Systems Management from Tulane University, an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Health Professions Education from Hofstra University and is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist.Meet Dr. Santella
Bridget Hussain
Bridget Hussain, PhD is an assistant professor of Public Health. She is clinically trained as a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. Her research examines the diet-disease relationship, identifying how nutrition can help prevent, treat, and manage chronic health conditions. Dr. Hussain earned a MS in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics and PhD in Epidemiology from New York University.Explore the Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
Ranked among the Top 5% Best Health Professions Schools the Nation by College Factual, the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies inspires students to become leaders across social and healthcare environments. These students are actively engaged with faculty in practice, policy, scholarship, and service. As a modern Jesuit institution, a central focus of our care is to improve health outcomes with particular attention to the needs of underserved or vulnerable populations.
Learn more about the Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
Discover the career possibilities with an MPH degree.
Admissions & Aid
Ongoing support for your MPH degree.
From your first admissions conversation to graduation and beyond, you’ll find support at every turn. The Fairfield University student support network is second to none, offering personal, academic, and financial guidance for students earning their master of public health online.
Admission requirements
The MPH degree program at Fairfield University is open to students with a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, provided you have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and a strong personal statement. No GMAT or GRE required.
Application Priority Deadline: Application and all supplemental materials must be received no later than three weeks prior to the start of each term.
Applications are being accepted for the Spring, Summer, and Fall 2024 semesters at this time and applicants may be asked to participate in a Zoom interview as part of the application process.
Please note that Fairfield University cannot supply I-20 documentation for international students enrolling in online or low-residency programs, like the Master of Public Health.
- A completed online application.
- A non-refundable $65 application fee paid by credit card. Application fee is waived for current Fairfield students and for those who attend an information session.
- A professional resume. Applicants are required to submit a current resume that includes employment and education history (submit online).
- A personal statement. Students should submit a 1–2-page statement describing why they want to undertake graduate studies in public health (submit online).
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended demonstrating a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by an approved evaluating service.
- Two recommendation forms and letters, one of which, preferably, from a current employer or supervisor. Recommendations are completed online. At the time of application, candidates must provide the email addresses and names of their two recommenders.
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The future you want starts here.
Earn an online graduate degree that fits your life and your goals. We’ll give you the flexibility and career skills you need to make it happen. Take the next step and learn more.