Academic Programs

The Department of International Health offers the following programs:

The Master of Public Health with a Concentration in International Health provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary to work effectively in an overseas setting. Students combine coursework in economics, financial management, and policy analysis with comparative studies addressing the social and cultural issues that impact access to health care across the globe. Graduates are equipped for further study or to assume careers in relief organizations, international consulting groups and policy research institutions, and lending agencies or other organizations doing business abroad.

The Doctor of Public Health Degree (DrPH) program is an interdepartmental offering intended for experienced public health professionals who seek advanced training for leadership positions in public health. Currently students may choose a home department in International Health, Maternal and Child Health, or Social and Behavioral Sciences. The DrPH is the highest professional degree in public health. This practice-oriented degree program trains public health professionals to develop, implement, and evaluate public health programs and policies nationally and internationally. A full-time DrPH student with a master's degree prior to admission will be allowed a maximum of five (5) years from matriculation to graduation to complete the degree program; all part-time students will be allowed a maximum of seven (7) years.

In addition to the MPH, the department's Office of External Education offers several month-long certificate programs through the Summer Institute in International Health.Certificate programs are directed toward working professionals and Masters in Public Health students; courses are taught in a seminar format, and incorporate lectures, group projects, and case studies. Certificate programs can carry graduate credit toward the MPH degree at Boston University School of Public Health.

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