[MPH Program At-a-Glance]

• Mission
• Innovative Features of the SFSU MPH Program
• Curriculum
• About our Program  
• Student Portfolios
• Masters Student Organization (PHOGS)
• Resources for Masters Students and the MPH Student Manual
• Application and Admissions Procedures for Fall 2008 (deadline: Feb. 1, 2008)

MPH Mission Statement

The Mission of the MPH in Community Health Education at San Francisco State University is to promote health and social justice in urban communities.  Central to this vision is an emphasis on a community-based approach that builds diverse, collaborative leadership and recognizes the importance of understanding the multiple determinants of health to design effective, comprehensive solutions. 

To fulfill our mission, we engage students through contextual and participatory teaching approaches integrating theory and practice, with an emphasis on developing team, leadership and communication skills in our graduates.

The ultimate aim is to develop culturally and professionally competent leaders in public health able to work with communities to apply systems theory to prevent disease and promote the health of the public.

Innovative Features of the SFSU MPH Program

• Educationalpartnerships with Bay Area Departments of Public Health and community-based organizations to strengthen the link between theory and practice through hands-on experience.
• Students move through the program together for three years in a “learning community.”
• Supervised practice with a team of community-based, experienced public health professionals.
• Participatory learning that is focused on complex contemporary problems in diverse communities.
• Evening classes to accommodate working professionals.
• An ecological approach, emphasizing the importance of addressing multi-level determinants of health to achieve health equity.
• Student electronic portfolio development.
• Emphasis on written and oral communication skills development.
• Reflective Seminars to strengthen students’ skills in collaborative leadership.
• Faculty committed to social justice and active in advocacy and public policy work.

Curriculum

The MPH curriculum focused on Community Health Education is guided by the ten responsibilities and 200 competencies and sub-competencies developed by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) and the American Association of Health Education (AAHE). An eleventh responsibility was added to include health equity and cultural competence as a critical component of public health practice.  Check out specific course titles and sequencing in our curriculum section.

^ back to top

About our Program

• MPH with Community Health Education focus
• For working students with public health experience
• Three-year program
• Classes occur two evenings and one afternoon a week
• One summer 200 hour internship after 2nd year
• Grounded in theory and supervised community-based practice
• Collaborative learning, teamwork and reflective practice emphasized
• Cohort or learning community of students move through sequenced courses as a group
• Admissions Requirements

Student Portfolios

Electronic portfolios provide an opportunity for reflection, evaluation and presentation of skills and projects developed while in the MPH program. Learn more about the portfolios and see examples of student work.

Student Organization (PHOGS)

PHOGS stands for Public Health Organization of Graduate Students and serves as phonetic nod to the San Francisco weather. PHOGS provides a forum for student leadership, activism, socializing, and overall engagement on a programmatic level with the department.

Resources for Masters Students

Find links to important SFSU websites, university and department forms, health organizations, job resources and much more on our resources page.  You can also access the MPH Student Manual (PDF) here.

^ back to top