I am BACK!

[april004]

Just applied to Benedictine which has an online MPH program and is CEPH accredited. It's pricier than other programs but it has a good reputation in Chicago( My current boss is a Benedictine grad) and when it comes time to do my field work I won't have trouble trying to find my own site. Benedictine will do that for me. I can start in March!

http://online.ben.edu/mph/masters-in-pub...gle.com%2F

[april004]

Decisions, decisions. Benedictine is ALOT more expensive than I thought. Rethinking grad school. Not rethinking attending. Rethinking what I will get my Masters in. I may get a Master of Science with a Public Health specialization on. Not the same as an MPH. I do have a job waiting for me at the end of this. So it really is just a check in the box but what if I wanted to expand my opportunities? I could go back to Excelsior for my masters but I have heard so many things about not getting your masters at the same place one's undergrad. Or is this just a myth? I know plenty of schools that now offer dual Bachelors/Masters programs so maybe this stigma is starting to waver? As a member of NCOA I get a discount on grad student tuition. On NCOA's site it just says they have partnered with Excelsior to give discounts on undergrad tuition. But grad student admissions verified I also get a discount on grad student tuition as well, as an NCOA member. $520 a credit hour as opposed to $627. I had no idea. I am glad I asked. Still just an option I have yet to take advantage of since I am deciding on grad schools.

[jmgst71]

I am in the process of making a spreadsheet with the cost of every CEPH accredited online MPH program (and B&M ones in Philly, where I live, which I know doesn't do you much good). When I am done I will post the cheapest ones I find here.

These are the online programs under $30k, with notes for anything I found pertinent. Take these numbers with a grain of salt as the calculations were quick and dirty:

New Mexico State University $13,000 (but only if done over an extended time period; very odd pricing schedule)
University of West Florida $21,510
San Josà State University $24,150 (program is expected to be finished in 24 months)
University of South Florida $24,420
Nova Southeastern University $24,570
Des Moines University $25,560
University of Massachusetts Amherst $27,129 (need work experience to apply)
University of Nebraska Medical Center $27,885
University of Florida $28,000
University of South Carolina $29,202
Kent State University $29,532

[TheCommuter]

I have heard so many things about not getting your masters at the same place one's undergrad. Or is this just a myth?

It depends...the concept is referred to as 'academic incest.' Basically, some employers prefer to see more than one school listed on your resume because it indicates you've been exposed to multiple worldviews. The concept of academic incest plays a more prominent role in some career pathways than others.

If your major is public health, I definitely would not want two online schools on my resume. Since your undergrad is from Excelsior, I'd opt to complete an online program offered by a school with a well-known B&M land-based presence. Academic incest is the reason I chose to not earn two consecutive degrees from WGU. My BSN degree was conferred by WGU and I'm now enrolled in an online MSN program at an obscure B&M regional state university that lacks a massive online presence.

[april004]

I decided to enroll in SNHU's MSPH program. Not Ceph accredited, I know. Yes it's another online school and I'll have to fight against some prejudices from some people because of all the for -profit like advertising, but I am happy with my choice thus far. We shall see though in a few years if I will regret my decision. To be frank I did check out many of those schools listed above, and almost all of them wanted the GRE and frankly I have test fatigue. In my first semester, I am enjoying the writing most of all. It's writing intensive. I almost switched to creative writing but then decided to be a realist. Enjoying biostatistics as well. This time around it is actually enjoyable. So did I take the advice above, no but I appreciate it! I do thank you all for your input and hopefully someone else will come upon this thread and it will be helpful.

[jsd]

Edit: misread. Need to stop posting while sleepy.

Congrats and good luck!

[april004]

Many of the positions I am interested in are worded similar to this- (copied and pasted off linkedin. ) If this company and others would hire an MA or MSC , then i gather the Ceph accreditation won't really matter unless I apply for a position with the city, state or a federal job. And obviously I'll never be able to work in academia but watching my fiancee work as an adjunct, I don't ever want to. And his degree is from an ivy. He still can't get a faculty position. Anyways, I found four listings that prefer an MPH. They are almost always listed concurrently with other degrees.

1.- Master’s Degree (e.g. MPH, MA, or MSC) with major in public health, community health sciences, health policy and management, or other social sciences preferred

2.-Bachelor's degree in Business or bachelors of science degree in a health related field is required (a MBA, MHA and/or MPH is a plus).

3.-Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in community health or related field; Master of Public Health or Master of Social Work preferred

4.-Advanced degree (MBA, MPH, MS) in a quantitative field of study required.


Granted, I most likely could have gone a cheaper route, but my company is giving me tuition reimbursement.

[iCLEP2]

Thanks for posting this. I am considering SNHU and Liberty University for MPH as well.

[april004]

I am actually enjoying the course thus far. There are some students in my class that have the writing ability of an elementary student which is frightening. I hope the instructor ends up failing them. From what one of the students in my small group mentioned, it seems like this is happening. She complained about being told to write her milestones from scratch. (We have a research paper due and it is split up into three milestones due every few weeks, which makes it VERY doable.)

I was apprehensive about grad school research and writing, because my last English comp class was over 12 years ago(I actually sat in class for that at a local CC). Writing papers at the grad student level, wasn't something I was comfortable with, despite taking a class. It was very long ago and I haven't written papers since. As you can see from my signature, I tested out of almost my whole degree at Excelsior. Turns out I had nothing to be frightened of. Some of the worst writing in class are from the youngest members that just graduated with their bachelors. The majority of students in my grad school class received their degrees at brick and mortars actually. Not sure what they were teaching in English comp classes at the undergrad level at some of these universities, but they must have been socially passing many of them. The best writers are from people in my class that are a bit older. There is a pharmacist,biology teacher, human resource professional, and a math teacher in my grad school class. All have been out of school a few years, yet their writing is much better than those who have recently graduated.

Most of the class is learning on one's own via reading, some videos on youtube and elsewhere such as a lecture from Harvard. Mandatory discussion posts which are a bane of many peoples existence, I, in fact, enjoy them. I find the platform really easy to use. The professor is more of a facilitator than an instructor. That's fine by me. I know for some people SNHU is not Ceph accredited,and lessens the desirability of the program. Not for me. I don't intend to work for the CDC or any other governmental organization. I intend to stay within my company and just move up in the ranks. The head of one of the departments at work has her MPH degree and works in health promotion. Ceph accreditation is not mandatory at my company. If I intend to go elsewhere, and look outside the box of "public health" I realize it doesn' t matter. I know some people scoff at the tuition. It's not the most expensive but it isn't cheap either. What is more important for me is customer service. I find the customer service at SNHU is topnotch. There was an article about SNHU being the Amazon of online schools. I don't think that is far from the truth. If I call about financial aid, they are on it. I never have to wait more than 5 min when I call a specific department. I called the library wanting a specific book via interlibrary loan. They didn't have it. So they bought it just so they could send it to me.

[bjcheung77]

Thanks for posting this. I am considering SNHU and Liberty University for MPH as well.

+1, Thanks OP

My sister is looking into a MPH as well, I'll send her the details as soon as I get more info, or she can view the sites herself.