Public Health Programs

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Online and On-Campus Options

Career-Focused Concentrations

Distinguished Faculty

Transfer Credits Accepted

Programs Curriculum Careers

Flexible Public Health Programs for Working Professionals

The next step in your public health career begins with a credential from George Mason University. Featuring flexible graduate certificate programs and fully accredited master’s degrees, George Mason prepares graduates to improve health and well-being for diverse populations through a robust, experiential curriculum designed by expert faculty who are committed to student success. Customize your studies by choosing a concentration that aligns with your goals, and complete your program prepared to address the most pressing health problems around the world.

C E P H logo
  • George Mason’s College of Public Health was ranked #52 in Best Public Health Schools in 2024.1 
  • The MPH is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, ensuring you are eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam. 
  • Students learn from renowned faculty in Virginia’s first College of Public Health. 

Explore Public Health Graduate Certificates and Degrees

Students interested in studying public health at the graduate level can pursue a certificate or master’s degree at George Mason. All programs support full- and part-time study. 

Graduate Degrees 

MPH – Community Health Promotion

  • Program Options: On Campus
  • Credit Hours: 42
  • Duration: 2 years

Learn to address the social and behavioral determinants associated with health problems through the design, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion programs.

MPH – Epidemiology

  • Program Options: On Campus
  • Credit Hours: 42
  • Duration: 2 years

Develop strong quantitative skills to investigate and analyze factors that influence the occurrence, distribution, prevention, and control of disease.

MPH – Food Security and Nutrition

  • Program Options: On Campus
  • Credit Hours: 42
  • Duration: 2 years

Create population health approaches to implement food security and nutrition programs and policies at the local, regional, and global levels.

MPH – Global Health

  • Program Options: On Campus
  • Credit Hours: 42
  • Duration: 2 years

Apply ethical and effective strategies for preventing and controlling infectious and non-communicable diseases in diverse populations.

MPH – Health Equity and Social Justice

  • Program Options: On Campus
  • Credit Hours: 42
  • Duration: 2 years

Critically evaluate the social determinants of health, analyze the root causes of structural inequities, and develop a range of interventions and strategies to advance health equity and social justice.

MPH – Health Policy

  • Program Options: On Campus
  • Credit Hours: 42
  • Duration: 2 years

Address the nature and importance of policy in today’s public health system in order to engage with public health and advocacy organizations on policy issues and to analyze and support policy approaches in an era of scarce public resources and ever-changing priorities.

MPH – Public Health Practice

  • Program Options: Online
  • Credit Hours: 42
  • Duration: 2 years

Apply evidence-based public health concepts to real-world problems, addressing complex factors to improve community health.

MS in Global Health

  • Program Options: On campus
  • Credit Hours: 42
  • Duration: 2 years

Study epidemiology, biostatistics, sociocultural influences on health and behavior, global health systems, communicable and non-communicable diseases of global importance, and migrant health and prepare to conduct global health-related research.

MSHI – Public Health Informatics

  • Program Options: On campus
  • Credit Hours: 30-36
  • Duration: 2.5 years

Learn to collect, analyze, and manage population-level data and understand electronic tools used in public and population health.

Graduate Certificates

Epidemiology Graduate Certificate

  • Program Options: On campus
  • Credit Hours: 18
  • Duration: 12 months

Apply the principles and methods of epidemiology through skills in study design, data collection, communication of findings, and more. 

Global Health Graduate Certificate

  • Program Options: On campus
  • Credit Hours: 18
  • Duration: 12 months

Learn to promote health in a global context, emphasizing comparative global health metrics; the socioeconomic, environmental, and other risk factors associated with transnational health concerns; and ethical and effective strategies for preventing and controlling infectious and non-communicable diseases in diverse populations.

Public Health Graduate Certificate – Generalist

  • Program Options: On campus
  • Credit Hours: 18
  • Duration: 12 months

Build a foundational knowledge of public health principles and learn to apply best practices to real-world scenarios through hands-on coursework.

Public Health Graduate Certificate – Leadership and Management

  • Program Options: On campus
  • Credit Hours: 18
  • Duration: 12 months

Learn to apply the principles of public health leadership, stewardship, and policy implementation to manage public health initiatives.

Flexible Learning Backed by Public Health Experts

George Mason’s public health programs offer a well-rounded, experiential education designed for working adults. Pursue a CEPH-accredited master’s degree or one of four graduate certificates, and build specialized expertise by choosing a concentration or career-focused electives. Learn from our renowned faculty of public health experts and graduate with the advanced skills you need for the next step in your career.

Shape the Future of Public Health

George Mason’s public health programs prepare students to become impactful leaders in this complex field. Whether you earn a certificate or master’s degree, you may qualify for occupations projected to experience higher-than-average growth over the next decade—openings for social and community service managers are predicted to increase by 8%,2 and demand for epidemiologists is expected to grow by 19%.3 

Explore Public Health Career Paths

Health Informatics Specialist $103,790 per year4

Senior Health Policy Analyst $87,717 per year5

Epidemiologist $83,980 per year3

Health Social Services Manager $78,240 per year2

Study at the First College of Public Health in Virginia

George Mason University’s College of Public Health is the first CEPH-accredited College of Public Health in Virginia. We are a national leader in inclusive, interprofessional research, education, and practice. The College’s transdisciplinary research seeks to understand the many factors influencing health and well-being. Our graduates are uniquely prepared to lead in an increasingly diverse, multidisciplinary, and community-focused public health landscapes.

Delivering Excellence On Campus or Online

Whether you study on campus or online, you’ll complete the same rigorous curriculum and be held to the same high standards. Faculty teach courses on campus and online, ensuring consistency and access to distinguished experts for students across the globe. All students benefit from George Mason’s robust support services, including library resources, the writing center, academic advising, and career services.

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Sources

  1. U.S. News & World Report. 2024. “Best in Public Health Schools.” https://www.usnews.com/. 
  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. “Epidemiologists.” Retrieved August 4, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/. 
  3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. “Social and Community Service Managers.” Retrieved August 4, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/. 
  4. O*NET Online. “Health Informatics Specialists.” Retrieved July 29, 2025, from www.onetonline.org/.
  5. Payscale. “Average Senior Policy Analyst Salary.” Retrieved August 4, 2025, from https://www.payscale.com/.