Skip to main content
MenuSearch & Directory

Lead the Future of Public Health

As the only accredited Catholic, Jesuit school of public health in the nation, Saint Louis University's College for Public Health and Social Justice is uniquely committed to social justice and the Jesuit mission. SLU’s nationally ranked Master of Public Health program has a vast alumni network as it is the region's oldest school of public health. Many public health professionals in the greater St. Louis area who serve as adjunct faculty, provide internships, part-time jobs and post-graduate employment are SLU alumni and community partners.

Considering SLU's M.P.H. Program? Reach Out to a Student Ambassador
Look at the Public Health Practice Concentration, Our Online M.P.H.

Request Information

Request for Information
Loading...

 

New 42-Credit-Hour Program for Fall 2024

Beginning with the Fall 2024 term, Saint Louis University's M.P.H. program will require just 42 credit hours for degree completion, rather than the current requirement of 48 (or 54 for joint concentrations).

The 42-credit-hour program will include the core M.P.H. concentrations and the option to add one of many certificate programs, enabling you to customize your program for just six additional credit hours. M.P.H. students in the new 42-credit-hour programs may double-count six credit hours of their M.P.H. electives toward any 12-credit-hour certificate. This exciting new feature makes it possible to complete your M.P.H. plus an otherwise 12-credit-hour certificate for a total of only 48 credit hours. You can now gain skills and expertise in two public health areas for what previously required 54 credit hours. Adding a certificate is optional. 

 Start Your Application Now

 

Certificate Programs

Students applying to any 42-credit M.P.H. concentration may double-count six credit hours of their M.P.H. electives toward any certificate program, totaling just 48 credit hours for both. This makes earning credentials in two areas of public health expertise possible in just two years. M.P.H. applicants wishing to add a certificate are not required to submit an additional application. Certificates may be added after you are admitted to the M.P.H. program.

STEM Designation

Behavioral Science and Health Equity, Biostatistics, and Epidemiology are designated as STEM OPT-3 eligible programs for international students. Thus, international students are eligible for three years of OPT instead of the standard one year of eligibility.  

Strong and Proven Job Outlook

SLU’s public health graduates are employed at federal, state and local health agencies; consulting firms; consumer advocacy organizations; community-based organizations and health care centers; hospitals; research centers; and universities. Within the first year of graduation, 99% of our graduates are beginning their careers, participating in fellowships or furthering their graduate education. Our graduates are employed at organizations such as:

  • Express Scripts
  • St. Louis Children’s Hospital
  • Missouri Foundation for Health
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • St. Louis County Department of Health
    City of St. Louis
  • Rush Medical Center
  • Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
  • Washington University School of Medicine
  • Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • BJC
  • Pfizer
  • U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Tufts Medical Center
  • Peace Corps – Ethiopia, Burkina Faso
  • Mercy Virtual
Affordability and Location

The beautiful and affordable city of St. Louis is rich in resources for developing community-based public health experience. Saint Louis University is a beautiful urban campus in one of the nation’s most affordable metropolitan areas. Apartment leases, for example, are substantially lower than most of the major East and West Coast cities as well as Chicago, saving students thousands of dollars in living expenses, comparatively.  

Saint Louis University was mentioned by NASDAQ as a top university in St. Louis, one of the top 10 big cities with affordable apartments for rent.

Applied Practice Experience (APEx)

Students complete an applied practice experience after their first year of study to gain practical experience in their chosen career path. Students have interned in a variety of settings. Experienced public health professionals can assist students in finding an internship in St. Louis, nationally or globally.

Successful Exam Rates

Over the past several years, nearly 90% of CPHSJ graduates passed the exam compared to the national average of 75 to 85% annually.


Questions?
Contact Bernie Backer, director of graduate recruitment and admission, at bernard.backer@slu.edu or 314-977-8144.