8 Best MPH Programs in Georgia – 2025
Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org
Want to join the ranks of public health professionals in Georgia who’ve helped control the spread of COVID-19 throughout the pandemic? Enrolling in one of the many MPH programs in Georgia can qualify you to become an epidemiologist, a community health activist, a public health educator or the administrator of a public health agency. Public health professionals in the Peach State earn $64,520 a year on average, and demand for their services is higher than ever. With an MPH, you’ll be able to find employment in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Explore the possibilities by reading the descriptions below of the 8 best MPH programs in Georgia for 2025.
RECOMMENDED ONLINE MPH PROGRAMS
FOLLOWING ARE THE 8 BEST MPH PROGRAMS IN GEORGIA (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2025
(Based on our Ranking Methodology, we have ranked the 18 best campus-based and online MPH programs in Georgia.)
Programs Offered: MPH, Accelerated MPH, and Executive MPH (online)
MPH Concentrations Offered: Behavioral, Social, & Health Education Sciences,Biostatistics, Environmental Health, Environmental Health & Epidemiology,Global Environmental Health,Epidemiology,Global Epidemiology,Health Policy,Health Care Management, and Global Health
Accelerated MPH Concentrations Offered: Behavioral Sciences & Health Education, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Global Health, and Health Policy & Management
Executive MPH Concentrations Offered: Applied Epidemiology, and Prevention Science
About the School: As a public health professional not only will you enjoy promising job opportunities across the world, but contributing to the improvement of health can also provide for a rather fulfilling work experience. To well prepare you for the challenges of this field, Emory University is currently offering three MPH programs in Georgia – (Regular, Accelerated, and Executive). Each of these three programs comes with a range of public health concentration options to help you reach your individual career goals. Furthermore, Emory’s carefully designed community-oriented curriculum prepares MPH students to effectively solve real-world problems that arise in the promotion of health and prevention of disease.
Program Details: Depending on your educational background you can enroll in either the regular MPH or accelerated MPH program. Also, if you are a mid-level professional seeking online MPH programs in Georgia, then you may consider enrolling in the Executive MPH program that offers courses through the distance format. While the regular program that takes two years requires you to have a baccalaureate degree, the accelerated program is meant for students currently enrolled in a graduate program at any other accredited university. Whereas to qualify for the executive program you must have a minimum of three years of related work experience.
While the regular program offers the maximum concentration options, the accelerated program comes with five-concentration options of Behavioral Sciences & Health Education, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Global Health, and Health Policy & Management. On the other hand, the executive program prepares you in four areas - Applied Epidemiology, Public Health, Informaticians, and Prevention Science.
Regardless of the program or track, to graduate you require completing around 42 credits. The common core MPH courses build a solid foundation in key areas of behavioral sciences in public health, statistical methods, perspectives in environmental health, fundamentals of epidemiology, introduction to the U.S. healthcare system, and critical issues in global health.
Key Highlights
• The MPH school’s location in the ‘Public Health Capital of the World’, Atlanta can significantly enhance your learning by providing you with accessible hands-on experiences at the world’s leading healthcare organizations.
• The U.S. News ranks this public health school among the nation’s top ten public health schools in the nation.
Programs Offered: MPH
Concentrations Offered: Biostatistics, Disaster Management, Environmental Health Science, Epidemiology, Gerontology, Health Policy & Management, and Health Promotion & Behavior
About the School: MPH programs in Georgia with a strong focus on research not only advance health for the state’s population but by addressing pressing health concerns also greatly contribute to improving public health across the world. The MPH program offered by the University of Georgia is one such program that offers research-oriented MPH education through its four academic departments and four research institutes. Besides, robust didactic training, the college’s collaborations with several prominent federal health agencies provide meaningful practical experiences where you will go on to serve communities across the state. UGA’s MPH graduates are known for their evidence-based knowledge, and contributions in the field of aging, disaster preparedness, global infectious diseases, and workplace health.
Program Details: This MPH program is designed for healthcare professionals who desire an advanced career in the field of public health. To be eligible for admission you must have an undergraduate degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The program spans across two years and comes with several concentration options, including Biostatistics, Disaster Management, Environmental Health Science, Epidemiology, Gerontology, Health Policy & Management, and Health Promotion & Behavior. Regardless, of the concentration you enroll in, you require completing 44 credits comprising core, concentration-specific, elective courses, and public health applied experience. The core courses educate you in biostatistics, fundamentals of environmental health, epidemiology, introduction to health policy & management, and social & behavioral foundations in public health. The program ends with a 300-hour internship and culminating experience where a capstone paper must be completed.
Key Highlights
• If you aspire to combine skills and knowledge in another discipline with this MPH degree, you can enroll in any of the dual degrees that the college offers in combination with the MPH program.
• The college offers small sized-classes with a student to faculty ratio of 12:1, creating a conducive learning environment for meaningful interactions and effective mentorship.
Programs Offered: MPH
Concentrations Offered: Biostatistics, Environmental Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Health Management & Policy, and Health Promotion & Behavior
About the School: Commonly ranked among the best master of public health schools in Georgia, graduating from Georgia State University will prepare you for leadership in a variety of work settings, including local agencies, international government, and non-government organizations. The school’s commitment to training graduates to address various public health challenges including coronaviruses, HIV/AIDS, drug use, obesity, and environmental threats reflects in its innovative teaching and research. What’s more one of the top employers that hire its graduates includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a world leader in health promotion and disease prevention.
Program Details: This MPH program prepares you in several concentrations of biostatistics, environmental epidemiology, environmental health, epidemiology, health management & policy, and health promotion & behavior, so you can choose the track that matches your interests. To earn your MPH degree, you will attend in-person classes in the afternoons and early evenings. This schedule allows you to easily juggle other responsibilities during the day. The 42-credit curriculum comprises 16 core courses, 21 credits of concentration-specific and elective courses. The coursework ends with an applied practice experience and either a thesis or capstone. This MPH is open to students from any academic and professional background, provided they have completed their baccalaureate education with a minimum GPA of 2.75. Upon completion of this program, you will be well-versed with epidemiology for public health, fundamentals of biostatistics, health promotion planning, and fundamentals of health systems, leadership & policy.
Key Highlights
• As part of your training, you may be provided with an opportunity to travel to countries such as Bali, Brazil, Dominican Republic, and Uganda where you can closely understand various public health issues, firsthand.
• The university implements various health improvement projects across various communities where you can get involved and enhance your leadership and critical thinking skills.
Programs Offered: MPH (On-Campus & Online)
On-Campus Concentrations Offered: Biostatistics, Community Health Education, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, and Health Policy & Management
Online Concentrations Offered: Applied Public Health
About the School: If you are keen on improving rural health and have been checking out Georgia MPH programs that emphasize rural health, then your search may end with Georgia Southern University’s MPH program. Here, you will be part of an environment that is committed to the empowerment of rural and underserved communities. The college’s faculty actively engages in various research projects that aim to provide solutions to many healthcare issues, including addiction recovery, behavioral health, food safety & nutrition, and rural health, to point a few. The program can be completed in the face-to-face format or through the distance format, with the on-campus format offering five concentration options, compared to only one concentration track, if you enroll for online classes.
Program Details: Admission into this MPH program requires you to have a minimum GPA of 2.75. The tracks in Biostatistics, Community Health Education, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, and Health Policy & Management are offered in-person, whereas if you enroll in the Applied Public Health track you can complete 100% of the coursework online. The 45-credit coursework requires you to complete core and specialty-specific courses. On a full-time basis, the program takes two years to complete. The specialty-specific courses build upon the foundation of core courses that mainly educate you in social & behavioral sciences, biostatistics, health policy & management, environmental health, and epidemiology. The electives which you must complete in addition to the required courses can be selected based on your interests, provided you have the approval of your Graduate Advisor.
Key Highlights
• You can transfer up to six graduate credits towards this MPH degree.
• Although most students complete the program within the stipulated time frame, if need be, you can stretch the duration of the program for up to seven years.
• The online MPH program in Applied Public Health is not only the only 100% online master of public health program in Georgia but also one of the most affordable, making it a sought-after choice for students seeking flexibility and affordability.
Programs Offered: MPH
About the School: If you are looking out for the best MPH programs in Georgia that strive to improve health through excellence in research and education then you may want to shortlist Mercer University’s MPH program. Through innovative teaching and education, the college has produced many public health leaders who are serving various types of communities, both locally and globally. An offering since 1998, this MPH program emphasizes maximizing health, especially for the minority, rural, and geriatric population. At Mercer, to further expand your career avenues you can even combine your MPH with other degrees including a DPT, PharmD, MMSc, or PsyD.
Program Details: The MPH program is open to undergraduate degree holders with a minimum GPA of 2.85. Depending on your preference you can take this program either on-campus or online. This MPH offers a generic coursework comprising of a total of 14 courses, out of which 11 courses form the core, two courses are electives, and one course entails an internship experience. The core curriculum is designed to train you in the principles of epidemiology, biostatistics & health measures, environmental health, disease prevention & health promotion, and public health systems & policy. You are also educated in the knowledge of diverse populations, program evaluation, and health equity. Furthermore, to complete this 42-credit coursework you have a choice of elective courses to choose from, based on your interests.
Key Highlights
• To be eligible for this program you must have completed a minimum of 30 hours in community service or volunteering experience.
• If you have an undergraduate GPA of less than 2.85 you can stand a chance for conditional admission, provided you earn a minimum GPA of 3.00 in the first 9 hours of the core MPH curriculum.
6) Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta
Programs Offered: MPH and Executive MPH (online)
About the School: Morehouse School of Medicine, founded in 1975 has earned recognition for its notable contributions to the field of public health. With an emphasis on people of color and the underserved urban populations, here you will graduate with excellent skills and knowledge to be able to influence positive health outcomes. The college’s accomplished faculty designs a curriculum grounded in evidence-based practice, stressing interprofessional collaboration. What’s more, with a broad research portfolio, ranging from cancer, HIV/AIDS to community health and various other issues that impact the underserved communities, the college has made it to the list of esteemed schools receiving funding from the NIH and CDC.
Program Details: Morehouse currently offers two MPH programs in Georgia, a regular MPH, and an executive MPH which is offered through the online format. To be eligible for the regular MPH program you must have an undergraduate degree, whereas the executive program additionally requires at least five years of post-baccalaureate work experience, not necessarily in health or public health.
The regular MPH program, comprising of 48 credits is offered in-person with full-time and part-time enrollment options. The program takes two years to complete and mainly includes courses in biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, social-behavioral aspects of public health, research methods, and community health assessment & improvement.
On the other hand, the executive MPH program spans over 18 months and requires completing 48 credits in core courses, a public health & leadership seminar, and a capstone, in addition to electives.
Key Highlights
• If you enroll in the online executive program, although the entire coursework is offered online, you must attend the on-campus orientation that happens once during the program.
• The college partners with the U.S. Department of Human and Health Services to offer the executive MPH program which comes with a 10% fee reduction for employees, contractors, and their dependents.
7) Augusta University – Augusta
Programs Offered: MPH (online)
Concentrations Offered: Health Management and Health Informatics
About the School: Are you an undergraduate degree holder aspiring for a career in the promising public health field? If yes, you may want to know about the MPH program offered by Augusta University. Here, not only will you complete 90% of the coursework online but you also have the flexibility to enroll for part-time or full-time classes. As a graduate of this program, you will be prepared to lead in healthcare organizations, research institutions, and public health agencies. Known among the top-ranking MPH programs in Georgia, the college’s faculty actively engages in varied research projects in environmental health, nutrition, health economics, to name a few.
Program Details: To be considered for this program, you must have a bachelor’s degree or higher. The program can be completed either specializing in health management or health informatics. Regardless of the specialization track you enroll in, you must complete a total of 45 credits in core, concentration-specific and elective courses. The core courses, common to both the tracks educate you in healthcare management & policy, fundamentals of health promotion, environmental health, biostatistics, and epidemiology.
While the healthcare management track prepares you for a leadership and management position in public health, the health informatics specialty is geared towards the management of information systems and technologies to improve public health practices.
Key Highlights
• The college also offers a dual degree of MD-MPH, combining courses from the medical and public health school in a five-year program.
• A joint offering of the College of Allied Health Sciences and the Graduate School at Augusta University, the MPH program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.
8) South University-Savannah – Savannah
Programs Offered: MPH (online)
About the School: Online MPH programs in Georgia not only provide you the convenience of taking courses from the comfort of your home but also allow you the flexibility of working while pursuing higher education. South University-Savannah’s MPH program is one such program that prepares undergraduate degree holders with an online master's in public health. The college’s graduates work in a variety of job roles, including medical & health services managers, health educators, and community health workers. Equipped with professional skills and knowledge, you will be able to develop and plan public health programs. Also, you will demonstrate enhanced critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills.
Program Details: For admission into this program, you must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.7. Upon enrollment, you must complete 56 credits in core competencies and in specialization-specific courses that include either Public Health Practice or Healthcare Management & Policy. The 20-credit core courses teach you social and behavioral aspects of public health, environmental & occupational health, epidemiology, and biostatistical methods. Furthermore, you also learn about program planning & evaluation, public health informatics, evidence-based public health practice, and case studies in public health. The program ends with a practicum in public health where you apply the newly acquired knowledge in real-world settings.
Key Highlights
• As a pre-requisite to this program, you must have completed a course in Statistics with a minimum of grade C.
• The college is a military-friendly school, so if you are a military member, veteran, or family member you can expect several benefits and assistance to make your student journey smoother.
VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the Total Number of Accredited MPH programs in Georgia?
According to the
Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), there are currently 7 accredited Master’s in Public Health programs in Georgia.
Total MPH Programs in Georgia |
7 |
MPH Programs in Other Cities & States