Master of Public Health

Master's Master's DegreeHybrid2 years

Master of Public Health

Overview

The Master of Public Health in Health Promotion, Policy and Leadership is designed to provide advanced training to address the health needs of diverse communities. Students will learn how to enhance their practical skills for the implementation of health policies and promotional tools to reduce health risks and protect populations. They will also gain the tools to work with legislators, health advocates and leaders in the profession to impact policies and regulations that affect public health.

The program is offered in a cohort-based, hybrid class format, providing working professionals the flexibility to attend classes at night and complete the degree in two years. As public health practitioners, students will prepare for leadership positions across promotion and policy in the public, private and government sectors. Please note this is not a STEM program.

Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation

The Program of Public Health at California State University, Sacramento is undergoing a review by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) for accreditation. Part of this process includes the provision of a third-party comment period, which allows anyone, including students, alumni, faculty, staff, community and practice partners, and members of the public, to share relevant information about the program directly with CEPH.

If you have any information about the Master of Public Health program you would like to share with CEPH to inform their review, send your comments to submissions@ceph.org by Monday, Aug. 25, 2025.

INFORMATION SESSIONS

Please join us at our Zoom information session to ask questions and learn about our MPH program and the Fall 2025 cohort admission process. Registration link follows:

Benefits

  • Flexible hybrid schedule, with one evening of classes per week 
  • Curriculum combines training in health policy and promotion
  • Culminating experience focused on solving a public health problem in the community
  • Learn to serve local populations through a social justice lens
  • Self-guided practicum requirement that helps students explore new areas of practice
  • Sacramento location allows for insight into policy-making in California
  • Degree can be completed in two years

Audience

Designed for working professionals, this program offers a high level of flexibility. A health-related background is not necessary to pursue this master’s degree; however, 2 or more years of full-time professional work experience in public health (or related field) is preferred. The program is ideal for advancing or transitioning to a career in Public Health leadership.

Applicants must have completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0 from the last undergraduate or graduate degree completed. 

Admitted students who do not have a baccalaureate degree in public health are required to take a non-credit, online, training module before starting classes, with a passing score of 80% or higher, in order to prepare them for the program content. The fee for the online training module is $200.  

Structure

The Masters in Public Health can be completed in two years, including one summer (five consecutive semesters). Classes are offered in a hybrid format, with classes taking place in person two evenings per week. With a practice-based approach to coursework, students will learn the foundational material and apply it in a real-world setting.

Three intensive residencies will be required throughout the program over one weekend: one at the start of the program, one in the middle and one at the very end. Students will also participate in both practicum and capstone project requirements that complement their professional experience. The practicum is a guided field experience that will be completed in the summer, which includes a consultative position providing technical assistance to local organizations to help solve community issues. The capstone is a culminating project, to be completed in the final term, where students devise practical solutions for a pressing public health concern.

Prerequisites

Foundational knowledge competencies are prerequisite knowledge that students are expected to have when entering the MPH program. Students may demonstrate mastery of the competencies in either of the following two ways:

  • Undergraduate degree in public health, community health from a CEPH accredited program.
  • Successful completion of the MPH 100 course with a score of 80% or higher on all course assessments.

Students are informed once they have submitted their Intent To Enroll (ITE) as a final step in the admission process whether they must complete MPH 100 in order to matriculate as a student in the MPH program. MPH 100 is a self-paced asynchronous course with a cost of $200. Students must complete the course and final exam before the first day of their first semester in the MPH program. 

Accreditation

Sacramento State is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Sacramento State’s Master of Public Health’s individual program accreditation application was accepted by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in January 2023. The MPH program now embarks on a two-year self-study for Council approval in the spring of 2026. If granted accreditation based on the self-study, the accreditation of the MPH is retroactive to the date of the application acceptance (January 2023).

Fees

Course fees for this program are on a per-unit basis and will remain the same for the duration of the two-year cohort. 

  • Fall 2024 cohort course fees are $650/unit.
  • Fall 2025 cohort course fees will be $689/unit.
  • Fall 2026 cohort course fees will be $730/unit.

Students pay for each course as they enroll. Additionally, admitted students who do not have a baccalaureate degree in public health are required to take a non-credit, online, training module before starting classes, with a passing score of 80% or higher, in order to prepare them for the program content. The fee for the online training module is $200.  

Application fees include the $70 non-refundable university application fee paid online through CSU Apply, and a $50 departmental fee which is paid upon formal admission to the program. Admitted students will be given instructions on how to pay the $50 departmental fee. 

You will be responsible for additional university fees related to program completion such as the graduation application, graduation date change (if needed), culminating experience workshop, thesis upload, graduation regalia and continuous enrollment (if needed).

Financial Aid

Financial Aid is available for qualified students in the program. Please visit the College of Continuing Education Financial Aid page for detailed information. 

To assist with completing some Financial Aid forms, please see the MPH Program of Study flyer for course titles and more information. You can also find semester begin and end dates in the University’s academic calendars. (Please note that CCE class dates may vary slightly.)

Still have questions about Financial Aid?
Email ccefinancialaid@csus.edu

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Winners of competition pose with prize.

Sac State’s CCE Master of Public Health Students Win Competition

On Saturday, Nov. 16, CSUS Healthcare Administration students and Master of Public Health (MPH) students participated in their first-ever California Association of Healthcare Leaders (CAHL) College Bowl Case Study Competition. 

Course Listing

MPH Courses

The program provides advanced training in mixed methodology, so some courses cover quantitative analysis from a variety of applications, while others cover qualitative analysis across several applications.  The concentration is in Health Promotion, Policy and Leadership.  There is fundamental training in epidemiology and biostatistics, with more advanced training in Program Planning and Policy Analysis. 

Learn more about MPH courses in the university catalog.

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Alexa Rabino

It All Starts with a Single Step: Meet Alexa Rabino

“What inspires me the most about public health is how interconnected the field is,” says Alexa Louise Rabino Yu, graduate of Sac State’s College of Continuing Education’s Master of Public Health program. “Because health is influenced by various factors, an improvement in one area has the potential to create ‘ripple effect’ improvements in communities. Seeing this change is exciting and inspires me to do more work in improving health outcomes.”