Also an abbreviation for the Master of Public Health degree. People
in an MPH program learn about topics such as nutrition, epidemiology,
health education, occupational health, and so on.
MPH programs usually require a year or two of study, depending in part
on whether students go full-time or part-time. Some people enter MPH
programs straight out of college; others earn an MPH while they're in
medical school or law school; still others are practicing
doctors or nurses who have returned to school to broaden
their understanding of public health issues.
Graduates of MPH programs can work in a variety of fields; people with
an MPH alone frequently work as nutritionists, administrators, or
policymakers; people with a doctoral degree often work as
scientists, doctors, nurses, or lawyers with a special focus
on public health.