Top Program: Master’s Named One of the Best for 2019-20

The university’s Master of Public Health program, which gives students an innovative and experiential approach tapping into CGU’s interdisciplinary tradition, has been named one of the top picks for “Best Master’s in Public Health Degrees” for 2019-20 by the independent higher education site HealthGrad.com.

According to its website, HealthGrad surveyed public health master’s programs across the nation and identified outstanding programs in 28 states at institutions that hold a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation (a leading accrediting body for such health education programs approved by the U.S. Department of Education).

The MPH program offered by the School of Community & Global Health (SCGH) was one of just four that made the cut for California–the others belong to USC, UCLA, and UC Irvine.

In its recommendations, HealthGrad.com singled out the SCGH program for offering “a highly collaborative and supportive academic environment” within the unique academic atmosphere of The Claremont Colleges.

The HealthGrad selection committee praised the program’s required internship for giving students a rich opportunity “to focus on the unique public health challenges … of Southern California’s Inland Empire.” That’s not all, however; the committee also said that the MPH program’s emphasis on a local practicum serves as “a springboard to the global considerations that this degree is known for.”

For Alan Stacy, professor of public health who also serves as SCGH’s interim dean, the program’s inclusion as one of the nation’s best for 2019-20 underscores the quality and high-touch experience that students receive.

“My colleagues and I are thrilled that Healthgrad.com has selected us for their recommendation, ” said Stacy. “Our students get an experience that’s unique in health training. We concentrate on an individualized, hands-on experience with plenty of actual experiences through our practica, internships, and research with over 250 health organizations in our pool of health sites.”

For Stacy and his SCGH colleagues, the HealthGrad selection–unlike many other ranking services–plays well to the strengths as well as the size of CGU’s program. HealthGrad’s selection is based on qualitative aspects such as school and faculty reputation, contributions to research, availability of dual degree programs, custom tailoring, and other considerations.

For this year’s selection, HealthGrad’s criteria also considered job placements for alumni, noting that many of SCGH’s MPH graduates work in a wide variety of organizations, ranging from Blue Cross and the American Heart Association to Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Livestrong.

“Our graduates typically have obtained jobs either in these organizations, in faculty positions across the country, or in doctoral or post-doctoral training positions,” added Stacy. “We’re proud to have our alumni in leadership positions everywhere, including the World Health Organization in Geneva. They’re bringing substantial changes and improvements to the lives of people all over the world. ”

Learn more here about SCGH’s Master in Public Health program