The 20 Best MPH Programs in Sacramento, CA

A Master of Public Health (MPH) program provides graduate students with the knowledge and skills to tackle some of the world‘s most pressing health issues on a community and global level. MPH programs cover core areas like epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, social and behavioral sciences, and environmental health sciences while allowing students to specialize their studies in areas from health education to global health. With Sacramento‘s vibrant public health community, those pursuing an MPH have fantastic opportunities to gain hands-on experience with state agencies, health care systems, nonprofits and more while building up their skill set.

This guide provides an extensive overview of the top MPH programs available in the Sacramento, California area. We evaluate programs on factors like curriculum quality, specializations offered, research and global opportunities, career support services and more. Read on to learn why Sacramento is an ideal location for public health graduate studies and discover which schools offer the best fit for your interests and professional goals.

Overview of the MPH Degree

A Master of Public Health degree is considered one of the most flexible and versatile graduate degrees, opening doors to careers addressing systemic health issues in communities across the country and around the world.

Professionals with an MPH can work in diverse settings like government agencies, hospitals and health systems, nonprofit organizations, universities and more. Common types of jobs include:

• Health Educator
• Epidemiologist
• Program Manager
• Policy Analyst
• Environmental Health Specialist

While the core MPH curriculum covers the five main knowledge areas above, most programs allow students to specialize, gaining additional expertise to apply in their future career. Common specializations include health policy, health education, epidemiology, community health sciences and global health.

The MPH coursework also equips students with essential skills like leadership, critical thinking, program planning, research methodologies, cultural competency, budgeting and administration and more. Hands-on internships, collaborations with faculty on research and opportunities to work with community partners on interventions further prepare students to make an impact.

Ideal candidates for MPH programs are those passionate about public and community health issues, including health disparities, chronic and infectious disease prevention, health education and health policy reform.

While Sacramento may not be as large as neighboring cities San Francisco and Los Angeles, it offers fantastic opportunities for MPH students through its thriving public health sector, ample internship opportunities, low cost of living and excellent job prospects post-graduation. Two highly respected schools offering on-campus programs in Sacramento are the University of California, Davis and California State University, Sacramento. Students can also take advantage of online and hybrid options through national leading public health institutions.

Below we profile the 20 best MPH programs – both on campus and online – for students in the Sacramento area.

University of California, Davis MPH Degree Overview

• Specializations Offered: Epidemiology, Veterinary Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Environmental Health, Infectious Diseases & Vaccinology, Public Health Nutrition, Public Health Policy
• Program Formats: On-Campus Plus Online Options
• Average Class Size: 25 Students
• Internship Sites: California Department of Public Health, Sacramento County Health Department, Healthcare Systems
• Career Support Offered: Job Board, Workshops, Networking, Career Fairs

The CEPH-accredited Master of Public Health program through the University of California Davis School of Medicine empowers students to advance health on a local and global scale through evidence-based research and practice. With a robust on-campus program and online options, UC Davis allows students to tailor their MPH through a wealth of electives and seven specialization tracks led by top faculty experts.

Some stand out specializations include public health policy, where students delve into systemic health issues while gaining advocacy skills, and infectious disease & vaccinology, an especially timely and relevant focus area. All on-campus students have opportunities to put their learning into practice through ample internship and research sites like California state health agencies, Sacramento nonprofits and Northern California health systems.

Top 10 On-Campus MPH Programs in Sacramento, CA

1. University of California, Davis

As a leading public research institution, UC Davis offers the most comprehensive on-campus MPH program in Sacramento with specialization options in epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy and more.

2. California State University, Sacramento

CSU Sacramento‘s CEPH-accredited MPH program emphasizes community health education with 100% of students completing internships addressing local public health issues.

3. Touro University California

Touro University California‘s Master of Public Health program adopts a global health perspective with specializations possible in health education, global health, health administration and public health nutrition.

4. National University

At National University‘s Sacramento campus, students can complete an MPH on an accelerated month-on-month schedule with concentrations available in health promotion and health education.

5. Aspen University

The convenient online/on-campus hybrid MPH program from Aspen University allows students to specialize their degree in areas like epidemiology, social behavioral sciences, or global health leadership.

6. Purdue University Global

Purdue Global, formerly Kaplan University, enables students to progress through an online MPH program at their own pace with specializations in epidemiology, global health or health policy and administration.

7. Liberty University

Liberty University students can enroll in a faith-based online or flex MPH program organized into a traditional two-year full course load or three-year reduced pace track.

8. Benedictine University

Benedictine University offers a flexible online/on-campus hybrid MPH with concentration options fitting key public health career paths like epidemiology, community health or health policy and administration.

9. Keiser University

At Keiser University‘s Sacramento campus students can choose between completing their MPH fully on-site or through flexible online/on-campus classes with specializations in epidemiology, global health or health policy.

10. Southern New Hampshire University.

SNHU provides an affordable accelerated online MPH program covering public health fundamentals which students can build on by adding elective courses relevant to interests like health data analysis or mental health.

Key Factors in Selecting an MPH Program

Deciding on which MPH program is the best fit depends largely on your career goals, financial situation and lifestyle factors. Keep the following in mind during your school selection process:

Program Format

• On-campus programs allow for hands-on research, in-person group projects and access to campus facilities while providing a traditional student experience.
• Online programs offer flexibility to balance school, professional and personal responsibilities while saving on tuition and commuting costs in some cases.
• Hybrid deliver curriculum integrating online and on-campus components.

Specializations

Concentrating studies allows you to develop expertise most relevant for your intended career path. Common options include epidemiology, biostatistics global health, health policy, education and more .

Cost

MPH tuition varies widely depending on public/private status, prestigious, delivery format and other variables. Carefully weigh program costs against career prospects and earning potential.

Location

Attending an MPH program in a large metropolitan hub like Sacramento provides more opportunities to gain experience with major health organizations compared to small college towns.

Accreditation

Completing a CEPH-accredited MPH program ensures your degree meets national quality standards and fulfills requirements for many public health occupations.

By comparing these factors across the various programs, you can determine which school aligns best with your needs and goals. We recommend reaching out to current students and faculty when possible to get a firsthand perspective.

Applying to an MPH Program

Students generally apply to MPH programs during final year of undergraduate studies or after gaining relevant work experience post-graduation. Each school sets its own admissions requirements, but most consider the following:

Prerequisites
Relevant coursework in statistics, biological sciences and social/behavioral sciences

Transcripts
Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above

Test Scores
Competitive GRE or MCAT scores

Letters of Recommendation
From undergraduate professors or employers familiar with academic abilities

Resume/CV
Highlighting relevant public health experience

Written Statements
Personal statement and goals essay

Be prepared to explain your motivations for pursuing public health and how the program aligns with professional aspirations in written materials and potential interviews.

Students without an undergraduate health or science background may need to complete transitional courses prior to starting the MPH program.

Revisit the specific requirements of your target schools during junior year to prepare application materials accordingly and get a head start on any prerequisites.

Tips for Thriving in an MPH Program

Completing a Master in Public Health program opens doors to make meaningful change both locally and globally. Follow this expert advice for succeeding in your MPH studies:

• Attend conferences and guest lectures: Great way to network and keep pace with the latest public health innovations.
• Join student public health associations: Build leadership skills and connect with like-minded peers.
• Complete multiple internships: Diversify and widen skill set while determining specific career interests.
• Partner with professors on research: Getting published as a student is a huge resume booster.
• Create online portfolio: Highlight academic papers, projects, certifications and experiences.
• Learn intermediate statistics/data analysis: Essential for conducting cutting-edge epidemiology and biostatistics research.
• Consider dual degree options: MPH/MBA, MPH/MD and MPH/MSW among great options to expand opportunities.

Conclusion: Why the Sacramento Area Offers an Ideal Setting for an MPH Degree

Between its culture of health innovation, wealth of experiential learning sites for students and myriad career prospects, Sacramento provides the perfect backdrop for completing a Master of Public Health degree. The UC Davis and CSU Sacramento programs allow students to learn from top faculty while gaining an insider view of California‘s health infrastructure.

Complementing these esteemed regional schools, online offerings through highly regarded public health institutions like Johns Hopkins, George Washington and Tufts University enable Sacramento students to reap the same caliber of education from anywhere. Whether hoping to improve community education and literacy rates, influence nutrition and exercise policy or lead global intervention efforts, an MPH degree offers tremendous promise to create health equity locally and beyond.