SPH News: Introducing the New Shared MPH Core Curriculum
Built on student and workforce feedback, the updated core strengthens program integration and hands-on skill development across all MPH tracks.
The OHSU-PSU School of Public Health is proud to announce the official launch of our newly updated Master of Public Health (MPH) core curriculum.
Grounded in extensive feedback from students and community partners, as well as evolving public health workforce needs in Oregon and beyond, the new core prepares our graduates to lead in an increasingly complex public health landscape. The updated core also directly aligns with a strategic priority to regularly evaluate and update our curriculum to improve student learning and value.
A Unified Foundation
Under the new curriculum, all MPH students across every SPH program will take a shared sequence of 7 core courses. This unified structure builds a strong sense of community across our dual-institution school while embedding four central pillars throughout the student experience:
- Interdisciplinary Learning: Students from diverse public health tracks collaborate in shared spaces to analyze and address complex public health challenges from multiple academic and professional perspectives.
- Practice-Based Learning: Centered on what public health professionals do—not just what they know—students build applied, professional-grade deliverables, including policy analyses, communication materials, implementation plans, and evidence-based recommendations.
- Equity in Action: Health equity, ethics, and community engagement are woven into every course, equipping graduates with the tools to address the structural and systemic factors that drive health disparities.
- Systems Thinking: Students examine public health issues across interconnected systems—from organizational policy to community environments—to design sustainable, upstream solutions.
The New 7-Course Core Sequence
- PUBH 511: Foundations of Public Health
- PUBH 521: Analytic Methods I: Evidence Appraisal and Data Collection
- PUBH 522: Analytic Methods II: Applied Analysis
- PUBH 531: Communicating Public Health
- PUBH 532: Public Health Systems and Practice
- PUBH 533: Environment & Health
- PUBH 534: Upstream Public Health & Policy
Celebrating Leadership and Committee Vision
A curriculum modernization of this scope represents many months of collaborative, dedicated effort across our school.
We extend our sincere appreciation to the members of the Academic Policy & Curriculum Committee (APCC) – Tawyna Peterson (Chair), Lynne Messer (Co-Chair), Sarah Andrea, Hannah Cory, Alex Foster, Rochelle Fu, Emily Henk, Rebecca Jungbauer, Erin Kenzie, Meike Niederhausen, Neal Wallace, Claire Wheeler, Gordon Shen, Marisa Westbrook, Lindsey Smith, and Liana Winett, as well as the Academic Operations leaders and team members, Brad Wipfli, Dawn Richardson, Lydia Gillespie, and Tim White, for their rigorous work in designing and implementing these courses and establishing a modern, high-impact core curriculum for our students.
This accomplishment marks a significant step forward in our mission to prepare students for public health work and leadership while advancing health justice across Oregon and beyond.