Master of Public Health degree programs in Oregon assist students hoping to work in the field of public health and to help the community at large. Graduates of these programs work in community health centers, for government agencies at the state, local and federal levels and for private organizations. They study a wide range of topics that teach them more about the laws regarding health information, how to protect themselves and how to advocate for others. Oregon has a number of health agencies and other organizations that provide students with internships and jobs once they finish a graduate degree program in the state.

Oregon Health and Science University/Portland State University

School of Public Health

Oregon Health & Science University is a small college that originally opened as the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center in 1973. It opened as a new school that offered only health programs. It became the Oregon Health Sciences University in the early 1980s, but it later adopted its current name after merging with the Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology. The university developed partnerships with other colleges across the city and state to expand its programs and offer more options to students, including a recent partnership with Portland State University to focus more on emerging medical fields.

Master of Public Health

The School of Public Health at Oregon Health & Science University partnered with Portland State University to offer its own Master of Public Health program. Students enrolling in the university will actually take classes through PSU until OHSU eventually completes its own program. This allows students to take classes on both campuses and online to learn from professors who have real experience working in the public health sector. The program strives to fulfill the need for public health professionals in the state, address current problems in the field and instill in students the importance of dependable research on medical topics. Though students will take courses in the classroom, the university also wants students to gain some real experience working in the field. Students must complete internships and do some research on their own as part of their upper level studies before earning a degree in Public Health from the Oregon Health & Science University.

Accreditation

  • Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)

Contact

3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Rd.
Portland, Oregon 97239-3098
(503) 494-8311
http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/student-services/about-us/provost/school-of-public-health.cfm

Oregon State University

College of Public Health and Human Sciences

The largest and oldest college of higher education in Oregon is Oregon State University, which operates three different campuses. Its oldest campus and flagship campus is in Corvaillis, but it also has a campus in Bend and operates an online college. The university received more than $280 million in money to fund its various research programs, which led to students gaining access to more research programs and opportunities. OSU offers more than 200 different programs at all levels of study and has a population of more than 30,000 students. ARWU and Washington Monthly called OSU one of the top 78 public colleges in the United States.

Master of Public Health

Unlike other schools that offer a more generalized look at public health, the Master of Public Health at Oregon State University requires that students select a concentration in a specific field. The six fields available include biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, epidemiology, international health, health management and policy and health promotion and behavior. Though students must select one of these concentrations, they will also have the chance to take at least one course in each topic too. Students will also take an internship that gives them 200 hours of experience working for a public health organization or agency around the university. Some may also enroll in the Peace Corps dual program designed to help them enter the Peace Corp immediately after graduation. OSU also offers a dual DVM program that consists of several online classes and lets students complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and a Master of Public Health.

Accreditation

  • Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)

Contact

123 Women's Building
Corvallis, OR 97331-8577
(541) 737-3220
http://health.oregonstate.edu/degrees/graduate/public-health/mph

Those who want to help others and create changes in the health care industry often study public health. They gain both practical skills and some hands on experience that will help them support and assist others. Students develop those skills in the top Master of Public Health degree programs in Oregon.