Master of Public Health in Physical
Activity & Public Health Degree
The Masters of of Public Health in Physical Activity is
the first academic program in the nation designed to prepare
health professionals who have a career interest in physical
activity. The program provides students with unique
opportunities to:
- study issues and concepts germane to physical
activity and public health
- acquire appropriate background knowledge and
experience in an epidemiological approach to public
health problems as related to physical activity
- develop skills integral to the design,
implementation, and evaluation of public health programs
that are intended to promote increased physical activity
in populations.
Program Objectives
Students in this program:
- develop research-based knowledge of the relationships
between
physical activity and health
- integrate physical activity into core functions of public
health
- use accepted public health methods to evaluate the impact
of physical activity on communities
- identify the benefits and risks of physical activity
participation at
community levels
- develop skills for creating physical activity
interventions in diverse
community settings
- understand how social and behavioral theories are used in
programs
designed to promote physical activity in community settings
- work with public health educators and other professionals
to promote
physical activity in diverse community settings
- apply public health surveillance methods to physical
activity settings.
Curriculum/Program of Study
- Public Health Core—15 hours
- Physical Activity Core—18 hours (includes 6 hours of
public health practice)
- Program Emphasis—12 hours
- Total Credit Hours—45
Program Emphases
Programmatic Emphasis: prepares the individual for
employment as a physical
activity specialist in community health promotion and
intervention settings.
Surveillance Emphasis: prepares the individual for
employment as a
physical activity research and measurement specialist in
public health and
private agencies.
General Information
- The MPH in Physical Activity and Public Health is
administered
through the Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of
Public Health.
- Financial aid is available on a competitive basis,
including
graduate research and teaching assistantships and veterans
benefits.
- Students admitted to the program are assigned an advisor
to assist
in developing an emphasis area.
- Final authority for all decisions remains with The
Graduate
School and is based on the Graduate Studies Bulletin and
published University policy.
Application/Admission Requirements
- open to students with baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral
degrees
from an accredited institution
- acceptance into the USC Graduate School
- satisfactory GRE scores
- an official transcript from each school/college previously
attended
- three letters of recommendation
- a detailed statement of career goals and areas of interest
- demonstration of a broad educational background that
indicates
public health interests and experiences in physical activity
- international students: satisfactory scores on the Test of
English
as a Foreign Language (570 paper/230 computer) or IELTS
Academic Course Type 2 Exam (6.5)
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