5 Best Colorado Master of Public Health Programs

Pursuing a Master of Public Health degree in Colorado positions you to continue to improve public health in the 10th healthiest state in the country, where public health initiatives receive important investment and attention.

Colorado offers MPH programs in a variety of formats and settings through the collaborative Colorado School of Public Health. Three major universities formed this school in 2008: University of Colorado Anschutz, Colorado State University and University of Northern Colorado. This is the only tri-institution collaboration of its kind, and it shows Colorado’s unified commitment to public health.

The MPH programs in these universities provide specialized tracks that match your career goals, whether you’re interested in epidemiology or community health education. This review looks at five of the best public health masters programs here in Colorado and helps you find the fit to meet your professional goals.

1. Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Community Health Education

The MPH in Community Health Education operates as an evening program at the University of Northern Colorado. Working professionals who want to advance their careers will find it available and convenient. This two-year master’s program requires 42-45 credit hours and gives you the tools to change policies, environments, attitudes and behaviors that affect health outcomes at individual and community levels.

Prevention through effective health education programs is your focus. You’ll gain practical skills in community health promotion, effective community involvement, program planning and evaluation, and research methods. The program must be finished within five years. This gives you flexibility to balance your studies with other commitments.

Key Features and Specializations

This masters in public health programs track emphasizes authentic community involvement and collaborative work. The curriculum prepares you to understand social, cultural, political, economic and environmental factors that influence health outcomes. You’ll learn to assess community needs, develop programs and alter policies to promote health, prevent disease and improve quality of life.

An emphasis in global public health adds depth to your expertise. Choose this option and you’ll increase your total credits to 45. You’ll take courses in global nutrition, tech-based health promotion, and health and human rights. This emphasis teaches you to apply community health and behavioral health principles in the global arena. It prepares you for international work if your interests extend beyond domestic public health challenges.

The program offers elective courses that let you focus on what matters most to your career goals. You’ll complete 9 elective credit hours and can specialize in areas aligned with your professional interests.

Admission Requirements

Applications follow the SOPHAS (Schools of Public Health Application Service) process. The preferred deadline falls on January 15, while the final deadline is May 1 at 10pm Mountain Time. Apply by the preferred deadline and you qualify for scholarship consideration and optional summer enrollment. Submit applications after this date and you’re only eligible for fall semester enrollment. You’ll receive consideration on a space-available basis.

The verification process can take several weeks. You must submit and verify all application materials by the due date. All materials go straight to SOPHAS. No supplemental applications are required.

As of October 1, 2019, the GRE test is no longer required for admission to the Master of Public Health programs. This change removes a common barrier and streamlines your application process.

Curriculum Key Points

The MPH program combines foundational public health knowledge with specialized community health education training. Your coursework divides into several components:

Public Health Core Courses (17 credits) Statistical Applications in Public Health, Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Behavior Change Theories, Policy, Advocacy, Leadership & Management, and UNC Foundations in Public Health form your foundation.

Concentration Core Courses (12 credits) You’ll take Strategies for Community Health Promotion, Effective Community Health Involvement, and Program Planning & Evaluation. You also choose one research methods course from three options: Methods in Public Health Research & Evaluation, Interpretation & Evaluation of Behavioral Research, or Introduction to Graduate Research.

Applied Learning Components – The practicum requires 150 field hours and provides hands-on experience in ground settings. You’ll complete a capstone project worth 2 credits. This project incorporates core competencies with your practicum experience through a formal report and public presentation. This capstone satisfies the comprehensive exam requirement. You may pursue a thesis option in lieu of 6 elective hours upon consultation and approval by your faculty advisor.

Career Opportunities

Graduates work as health educators, community organizers and health department administrators. The program prepares you to promote healthy living, prevent disease and change health outcomes for individuals and communities.

Skills you’ll learn include community involvement, program evaluation and program planning. These competencies prepare you to work in research settings, health care settings, industry, government health agencies, community-based organizations, foundations and global health organizations. The field attracts professionals from diverse backgrounds. About 30-40% of students hold a prior graduate or professional degree in fields such as nursing, medicine, veterinary medicine, law, social work and laboratory sciences.

2. Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Epidemiology

Disease investigation is the foundation of this master of public health Colorado track. You’ll study diseases in populations and learn how to apply evidence-based information to promote health and prevent illness. The program spans 42 to 45 credit hours and offers three distinct formats: one at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, one at Colorado State University, and a fully online program.

This two-year program provides both in-classroom and applied learning experiences. You’ll gain broad and applied experience in determining where diseases are going, how to cut them off, and how to change systems to better promote public health. The department’s work demonstrates immediate effect, saving lives in the here and now and in the future.

Key Features and Specializations

Faculty expertise spans a wide range of public health topics. You’ll have access to professors studying food safety, diabetes, and gene-environment interactions. The program introduces you to chronic disease epidemiology, maternal-child epidemiology, non-communicable diseases, outbreak investigations, and disease genetics at the CU Anschutz campus. The CSU location emphasizes environmental epidemiology and zoonotic diseases.

The epidemiology track lets you add an emphasis in global public health. This option increases your total credits to 45 and teaches you how to apply epidemiological principles in the global arena. The emphasis provides a public health viewpoint of globalization and global health issues while equipping you with skills to address global challenges.

You’ll choose from a variety of elective courses to focus on what matters most to your career goals. This flexibility allows specialization in areas that line up with your professional interests, whether that involves infectious diseases or chronic conditions.

Admission Requirements

The application process follows SOPHAS procedures, with a preferred deadline of January 15. Applications must be submitted by January 15 at 10pm Mountain Time for the Master of Science in Epidemiology program. Applications submitted after the preferred date may miss financial aid opportunities but remain eligible to consider for admission.

The verification process can take SOPHAS up to 4 weeks, so plan to meet deadlines accordingly. As of October 1, 2019, the GRE test is no longer required for admission, removing a barrier for applicants. You can choose up to two concentrations to apply to within the MPH program, considered as first and second choice.

Curriculum Highlights

The curriculum combines public health fundamentals with specialized epidemiological training. Your coursework divides into distinct components.

You’ll take classes in biostatistics, research methods, and database design beyond public health core areas. The database component offers flexibility: you can choose SAS Database Design and Management or combine Introduction to R for Health Sciences with Data Management with R.

The practicum and capstone project ensure you graduate with skills learned by doing, not sitting in a classroom. These applied components integrate your learning into ground public health scenarios.

Career Opportunities

Graduates pursue roles as disease intervention specialists, program evaluators, and infection control officers. You’ll gain skills in study design and interpretation, disease outbreak investigation, and disease surveillance implementation. The program prepares you to serve as the scientific authority on public health teams.

Employment settings include health departments, research labs, scientific and medical associations, and hospitals. To name just one example, communicable disease epidemiologists perform case and outbreak investigations, interviews, data collection, and management of foodborne, waterborne, zoonotic, vaccine preventable, and respiratory communicable disease events. You’ll be ready for analytical insights-driven decision making at every level, from individual hospitals to international organizations.

The scientific foundation you receive prepares you as the whole package: designing research studies, analyzing data, and interpreting results. You’ll understand what numbers reveal in the fight against both chronic and infectious diseases.

3. Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Applied Biostatistics

Applied biostatistics takes priority over theoretical foundations in this master of public health Colorado track. You’ll focus on the practical application of biostatistical methods rather than the mathematical theory behind them. This approach suits public health workers and people seeking to strengthen their analytic capabilities, especially when you have previous research experience.

The program requires 42 to 45 credit hours. You can complete it in two years, but you must finish within five years. You’ll gain strong programming and data management skills during your studies. You’ll also learn to serve as a consultant on research projects. The curriculum emphasizes reproducibility in any research stage, from study design through data analysis and interpretation of results.

Key Features and Specializations

Your coursework covers advanced data analysis, database design and management, statistical consulting, and machine learning methods. You’ll master biostatistical methods and public health data management in addition to public health core areas. Elective options let you specialize in clinical trials, longitudinal and survival analysis, statistical genetics and genomics, and analytic epidemiology.

The biostatistics track offers an optional global health emphasis. This option increases your total credits to 45. It provides a public health view on globalization and global health issues. Your capstone project must incorporate both applied biostatistics and a global component if you choose this path.

Six core competencies guide your training. You’ll translate scientific questions into testable statistical hypotheses and fit and interpret models for a variety of data types including normal linear models, logistic regression, and Cox regression. The program teaches you to apply multiple regression concepts and design studies using scientific and statistical principles. You’ll use software for data management and analysis and communicate statistical inferences to non-statistical scientists.

Admission Requirements

You must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program. The GRE is no longer required, which simplifies your application process. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is expected. Your GPA falls below this threshold? Include an explanation of why it dropped and how you plan to address prior academic deficiencies.

Preferred qualifications include completion of at least two college-level math or statistics courses. Experience with statistical computing programs such as R, SAS, SPSS, or Stata strengthens your application. One letter of recommendation from a faculty member who can attest to your quantitative readiness is recommended.

International applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency. Minimum scores include TOEFL iBT of 79, IELTS of 6.5, or Duolingo of 105. Additional subscore minimums apply.

The preferred deadline falls on January 15 and qualifies you for scholarship eligibility and potential summer matriculation. The final deadline is May 1. All applications and supporting documents go through SOPHAS.

Curriculum Highlights

The masters in public health programs biostatistics concentration consists of 17 hours of core classes and 12-13 hours of biostatistics. Additionally, this program requires 8 hours of electives.

Finally, your practicum and capstone projects ensure you graduate with hands-on skills. These applied components integrate your learning into real-life public health scenarios.

Career Opportunities

You’ll be prepared for positions in local, state, and federal agencies; health and medical centers; pharmaceutical companies; and research institutions. Typical work involves heart and lung disease, cancer, genetics, and infectious diseases research. Sample career paths include data manager roles, where you apply statistical methods to analyze health data and support public health research.

Skills you develop include designing and analyzing epidemiological studies and clinical trials. You’ll develop statistical models to interpret health data and collaborate with researchers to inform public health policies. Proficiency in statistical software and strong analytical problem-solving abilities position you for success.

4. Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Health Systems, Management & Policy

This track will make you an expert in organizing, financing, and delivering health services within American and global health systems. The program draws from economics, policy sciences, and management sciences to give you the specialized knowledge needed to streamline policy and practice innovations that improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs.

The program requires 42 to 45 credit hours. It offers flexibility in delivery format. You can complete the signature on-campus program at CU Anschutz Medical Campus or choose a new online and distance format that requires no campus attendance. Online students complete courses through fully asynchronous classes and classes where you meet virtually with instructors in real time.

Key Features and Specializations

You’ll develop broad expertise in Medicare and Medicaid policy, health insurance financing and payment, hospital and ambulatory care delivery systems, population-based public health systems, and economic evaluation. The curriculum teaches you to make sense of data, apply them to healthcare solutions decisions, and support evidence-based policies.

You’ll gain a strong understanding of healthcare delivery and financing, as well as policy implementation. The program prepares you to be a leader and manage resources in a healthcare landscape that changes faster than ever. Faculty bring expertise ranging from disaster preparedness to rural populations to the economic effect of health policies.

You can add an emphasis in global public health if your interests extend beyond the U.S. healthcare system. This option increases your total to 45 credit hours and teaches you to apply health systems and policy principles in the global arena. The global emphasis requires additional courses in Public Health in the Global Community, Geographic Perspective on Global Health, Applied Global Health Epidemiology, and Comparative Health Systems.

You’ll choose from various elective courses to focus on what matters most to your career goals. Elective options allow specialization in areas that line up with your professional interests.

Admission Requirements

Applications follow the SOPHAS process with a preferred deadline of January 15 and a final deadline of May 1 at 10pm Mountain Time. The preferred deadline qualifies you to consider scholarships and optional summer enrollment, while those who apply afterward are only eligible for fall semester enrollment on a space-available basis.

The verification process can take several weeks, so submit all application materials well before the deadline. As of October 1, 2019, the GRE test is no longer required for admission to MPH programs.

Students should have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. The program uses a holistic admissions process with a preferred minimum GPA of 3.0, though you’re not discouraged from applying for any reason. Your application requires official transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statement, resume or CV, and application fee.

Curriculum Highlights

The Health Systems, Management & Policy track divides into distinct components:

Career Opportunities

Graduates work in healthcare consulting, program evaluation, philanthropy, policy development and analysis, and healthcare research. You’ll be prepared for leadership positions in public-health-driven organizations in healthcare, government, non-profit, and for-profit industries.

Employment settings include state and local health departments, non-profits and non-governmental organizations, military and federal government agencies, universities, hospitals and health care organizations such as HMOs and insurance companies, and biotech and for-profit health organizations. You’ll gain management, budgeting, evaluation and public health administration experience needed to become an effective leader and manager.

5. Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Maternal & Child Health

This concentration makes maternal and child health populations your main focus. You’ll learn how to define public health needs related to maternal and child health and design strategies to address those needs. The program teaches you to assess the effectiveness of different policies and programs. You must complete 42 to 45 credit hours within five years.

Faculty bring expertise in reproductive health, child development and intimate partner violence to your education. Your training emphasizes working with different populations to improve the health of mothers, children and families. The curriculum provides training in maternal and child health policy and program management. You’ll also learn evaluation and the application of research methods to maternal and child health issues.

Key Features and Specializations

You can add an emphasis in global health if your interests extend beyond domestic public health challenges. This option increases your program to 45 credit hours. It provides a public health point of view on globalization and global health issues. You’ll learn to apply public health methods to address global challenges and maternal and child health in the global arena.

The global emphasis requires additional coursework in Public Health in the Global Community and Geographic Perspectives on Global Health. You’ll also take Applied Global Health Epidemiology and Comparative Health Systems. You’ll select 3 elective credits from specialized MCH global public health courses. These include Childhood Obesity, Intimate Partner Violence, Nutrition and Public Health, and Maternal Nutrition. Sexual and Reproductive Health, Adolescent Health and Early Childhood Health are also available.

Admission Requirements

The application follows SOPHAS procedures. The GRE test is no longer required as of October 1, 2019. Previous experience in maternal and child health is desirable, whether paid or volunteer. Previous coursework in human development or child development is preferred but not required.

Curriculum Highlights

Career Opportunities

Graduates pursue positions as health educators, evaluation specialists and program officers. You’ll learn policy analysis, program planning and implementation. Research and evaluation skills are also part of your training. 99% of CU Anschutz MPH alumni go on to employment or continuing education in the year after graduation, to name just one example.

Employment opportunities exist within the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Children, Youth and Families branch. This branch plans, designs, implements and assesses public health interventions related to women, children and youth. The program prepares you to manage programs and conduct research. You’ll also learn to change policies that affect the health of women, children and their families.

Choose Your Colorado MPH Today

Choosing the right MPH program depends on your career aspirations and learning priorities. Colorado offers great diversity, from community health education to epidemiology and biostatistics. These five programs provide flexible pathways through evening classes, online programs, and accelerated options that fit your schedule.

Without GRE requirements, this makes your application process even easier. Things like practicum experiences and capstone projects ensure you graduate with hands-on skills and experience in the community. In fact, with 99% employment rates for some programs, you’ll be well-positioned for careers in health departments or research institutions from the esteemed program at this combined university.

Look over each program and try to determine which area of public health seems the most interesting to you. You can always choose your exact pathway later on.