Master of Public Health | Concordia University Irvine

Serve and Lead Communities in Health and Wellness

Public health is integral to society. In the ever-changing context of our healthcare industry, the demand for professionals trained in public health is increasing. Positions related to public health are predicted to grow nearly 20% nationwide by 2026 – nearly double the rate for all other occupations.

While healthcare serves a critical role in diagnosing and treating injury and illness, a career in public health will allow you to focus on proactive measures to preventing injury and reducing the spread of disease. As an effective leader in public health, you will have the opportunity to inform and empower individuals, communities, and populations to make healthy choices, to reduce morbidity and mortality, and to decrease health expenditures. Public health is also a prime field for contributing to those in underserved areas, including urban, rural, and international populations.

The Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Education at Concordia University Irvine will provide you with a solid foundation in the fundamental areas of public health that is grounded in research and ethical principles. Guided by expert faculty and professional mentors, you will experience a faith-based education that emphasizes servant leadership and community health promotion.

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Program Highlights

Student Experiences: Tim & Kathy

Broad Career Opportunities: Focusing on the prevention of illness and injury, public health is a distinct and ever-changing field. The field needs new leaders with a big-picture perspective on population health.
2 Years to Complete: The typical length of a term for each course is 7 weeks which allows you to graduate in as few as 24 months.
Online Delivery: Live sessions are scheduled one night each week in alternating weeks. Twice a year, the MPH program hosts workshops on the Concordia University Irvine campus that will allow you to interact in person or via livestream with your peers, alumni, and faculty.
Hands-on Experience: You will gain valuable experience through an integrated service component.
Mentorship: Take advantage of the opportunity to receive guidance by professional leaders with extensive experience in public health.
Experienced Christian Educators: Our faculty examine professional practice and leadership through the lens of the Christian faith and ethical practices.

Upcoming Start Date

Start Term	Start Date
Spring 2021*	January 11, 2021
Fall 2021**	August 2021

*Spring deadline for applications will be Friday, December 18th.
**Fall deadline for applications will be Friday, July 23rd.

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Careers in Public Health

Public health is a multifaceted field encompassing many career paths and ventures. This flexibility allows students from a variety of undergraduate backgrounds and professional experiences to find a meaningful career in public health.

Initiatives involving public health commonly include:

Bioethics
Clinical practice
Community engagement
Environmental health
Geographic information systems
Global health
Health education
Health equality
Health policy and management
Infectious disease prevention and control
Occupational health
Social and behavioral health

Graduates who earn a Master of Public Health are qualified for a variety of professions that allow them to apply knowledge and passion to a vocation in the service of others:

Epidemiologist
Grants specialist
Lab technician / medical technologist
Program manager/coordinator
Public health dentist
Public health informatics specialist
Public health nurse
Public health nutritionist
Public health officer/director
Public health physician
Public health social worker
Statistician

Our Master of Public Health degree draws experts and allows for mentorship opportunities in a wide range of industries related to public health:

Consulting firms
Health systems
Hospitals
Managed care organizations
Nonprofit, community-based health
Public health agencies

Curriculum

Coursework in the Master of Public Health includes biostatistics, applied epidemiology, research methods, programming, and evaluation. Throughout the program, you will conduct research and promote evidence-based approaches in public health.

Our concentration in Community Health Education will prepare you to assess the social, behavioral, and environmental determinants associated with critical health problems. The core courses in this emphasis focus on the design, implementation, and evaluation of appropriate health programs and preventive services to promote the health and wellness of a community.

Community Health Education Core Courses

MPH 570: Community Health
3

This course explores the nature, extent and causes of basic community health problems. Students will understand the purpose, function, organization and administration of community health services at local, state and national levels.

MPH 575: Communication and Social Marketing Health Promotion and Education
3

Coursework examines how societal, organizational, and individual factors influence and are influenced by public health communications. Students will learn how to apply theory and strategy-based communication principles, methods, and techniques across different audiences and sectors. This course offers an overview of the strategic and tactical practice of social marketing in public health.

MPH 580: Programming and Evaluation in Public Health
3

This course focuses on the public health needs assessment and emphasizes program planning designs, implementation, and evaluation. It uses a multi-dimensional approach in public health strategic planning. The planning process is framed in current theory, such as logic models and analytics for evaluating effective community-based and focused public health programs.

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Two females having a conversation in a hospital

Integrative Learning Experiences

As part of the requirements for the program, you will have the opportunity to complete a community-based practicum and 20 hours of volunteer work in a health service organization of your choosing.

Online Delivery

The Master of Public Health is designed for working professionals and can be completed in as little as 2 years. Courses are 7 weeks in length, with live sessions scheduled one night each week in alternating weeks. The program is paced to be completed one course at a time, with the exception of the final semester, during which the internship is completed concurrently.

Twice a year, the MPH program hosts workshops on the Concordia University Irvine campus that will provide you with the opportunity to interact in person with your peers, alumni, and faculty. The workshops focus on professional development through offerings such as: presentations by guest speakers from the industry, executive coaches, resume writing seminars, job search training, and a professional photographer. MPH students are required to attend the keynote presentation, either in-person or via live-stream.

Mentorship Opportunities

A unique aspect of our program is our investment in working alongside our students to guide and support them toward their future careers. Our mentorship program is designed to create opportunities for students in the Master of Public Health to receive guidance by professional leaders with extensive experience in public health. Our mentors represent many industries and functions in public health, including hospitals, health systems, long-term care, information technology, nonprofit organizations, community health, mental health, insurance, marketing, finance, human resources, and public policy. While participation in this program is not a requirement, students who do participate will benefit from the expertise and passion of our network of mentors to help students seeking a degree in public health become successful in their future careers.

Learn More about Mentorship Opportunities

Faculty

As a Lutheran university, all of the courses in our MPH program are taught by Christian faculty who are dedicated to preparing public health professionals to lead and serve their communities in fulfillment of their vocations.

Dr. Catherine Collins Sinardi

Dr. Sinardi holds a Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne. Prior to becoming the Director of Healthcare Administration Programs, she was Regional Director of Clinical Services at Children’s Institute and Director of Quality Assurance and Program Evaluation at Counseling4Kids, both in the greater Los Angeles area. Dr. Sinardi also worked in private practice as a licensed counselor and held various administrative positions at ChildNet Youth and Family Services in Long Beach.

Program Director and Associate Professor

Dr. Sinardi holds a Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne. Prior to becoming the Director of Healthcare Administration Programs, she was Regional Director of Clinical Services at Children’s Institute and Director of Quality Assurance and Program Evaluation at Counseling4Kids, both in the greater Los Angeles area. Dr. Sinardi also worked in private practice as a licensed counselor and held various administrative positions at ChildNet Youth and Family Services in Long Beach.
Todd Kane

Professor Kane received his Masters of Business Administration with a specialization in Healthcare Administration from Northcentral University. He also has a Masters of Education with a concentration in Organizational Leadership and a Masters in Information Technology with a concentration in computer security and assurance. Professor Kane's experience in business, healthcare, and healthcare administration spans more than 20 years. During that time he has served as the president and CEO of a multi-million dollar private national healthcare recruitment, human resources, and outsourcing firm for more than a decade.

Assistant Professor

Professor Kane received his Masters of Business Administration with a specialization in Healthcare Administration from Northcentral University. He also has a Masters of Education with a concentration in Organizational Leadership and a Masters in Information Technology with a concentration in computer security and assurance. Professor Kane's experience in business, healthcare, and healthcare administration spans more than 20 years. During that time he has served as the president and CEO of a multi-million dollar private national healthcare recruitment, human resources, and outsourcing firm for more than a decade.
Dr. Pamela Davidson

Dr. Pamela Davidson is an adjunct professor with expertise in strategic planning, leadership and career development, and evaluation design and methods. She is well published with 50 peer-reviewed articles in various medical, dental, and health services research journals. For more than two decades, Pamela has directed large-scale, multisite health services research and evaluation studies, and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in ‘health services evaluation’, ‘health systems and organizations’, and ‘organization and management processes’. Her research, teaching, professional activities, and mentoring continue to be transdisciplinary in medicine, public health, dentistry, life sciences, management, and nursing. She participated on the leadership team that developed and launched the UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and has served as the CTSI Evaluation Core leader since its inception. Pamela also consults with mission-driven organizations in the medicine, social services, and public health sectors. She specializes in organizing and evaluating Collective Impact initiatives to address health and social priorities and needs. Dr. Davidson holds a BS in biological sciences from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, a MS in Health Sciences from the California State University, Long Beach, and a PhD in Health Policy and Management from the Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles. Her cognate field is in Leadership and Organization Development from the UCLA Anderson School. Pamela is involved in several church ministries including Silent Meditation, Lector Ministry, and Sealed Confirmation for teens. She enjoys spending leisure time with family and friends, traveling, touring the wine country, and Italian cooking.

Adjunct Professor

Dr. Pamela Davidson is an adjunct professor with expertise in strategic planning, leadership and career development, and evaluation design and methods. She is well-published with 50 peer-reviewed articles in various medical, dental, and health services research journals. Dr. Davidson's research, teaching, professional activities, and mentoring continue to be transdisciplinary in medicine, public health, dentistry, life sciences, management, and nursing.

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Three Positives in This Pandemic

By Todd Kane
Posted on May 15, 2020

Yes, there are positives in this pandemic though we may have to look closely to find them. Here are a few of the observations that Professor Kane has made that are surprising, inspiring, and provide confidence that we will get through this.

Read Article

Tuition & Financial Aid

Tuition/Fee	Fall '20 / Spring '21
Non-refundable Application Fee: Domestic	$50
Cost per Unit	$625

*Tuition and fees are subject to change without notice

We're proud to offer our master's degree in Public Health at a competitive tuition price with financial aid available. For your convenience we offer payment plans for our graduate students. Our counselors are available to help you plan how to finance your education. We can also walk you through the process of applying for financial aid.

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Admissions Requirements

To be considered for admission to the master’s program, a student must:

Provide one official transcript that shows a confirmed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
Submit a statement of intent.
Provide a minimum of one professional reference.
Submit a current professional resume.

View complete details for admissions requirements.

International students - due to the format of the MPH program being fully online, Concordia University Irvine is unable to sponsor a student visa (F-1).

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