WENHAM, MA—Gordon College announces a new Master of Public Health (MPH) program—the 5th graduate program offered by the nationally ranked liberal arts college. The MPH is an 18-month program with two concentrations, Epidemiology, and Health Policy and Management—both of which are among the fastest growing public health sectors. The MPH will be led by epidemiologist Dr. Heather Sipsma and is the first master’s program to launch under Gordon’s new President, Mike Hammond.  

The MPH program is now enrolling graduate students for their first cohort to begin in Fall 2022 and will offer both Fall and Spring semester starts. “The fundamental aim of public health is to improve the health and well-being of communities around the world,” explains Sipsma, a graduate of Johns Hopkins and Yale. “In contrast to clinical medicine, which focuses on the treatment of one patient at a time, public health leverages theories and practice to positively impact populations or groups of people. Thus, these approaches have far-reaching effects to prevent disease and improve quality of life.”   

In the field of public health, epidemiology and health policy and management are some of the most in-demand skills in the field. “As a Gordon graduate and a physician on the front lines of public health in greater Boston, I can see there has never been a greater need for well trained professionals who can connect the science of health policy and management with the compassion and care needed to truly make a difference with the individuals and communities they care for every day,” says Dr. Carrie Tibbles ‘93, Vice Chair of Education, Department of Emergency Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). “Gordon College has always thrived at the intersection of knowledge and faith, and this new graduate program will ensure students seeking to serve the greater good in these fields will do the same.”    

While primarily an online degree, the MPH program will include two on-campus weekend experiences for intensive workshops, networking and community-building.  

MPH’s eight-week courses will cover topics like health policy, leadership and management, epidemiology, and social and behavioral determinants of health. Students will complete a practicum and an integrative learning experience in addition to classes.   

The epidemiology concentration will focus on investigating patterns of disease within populations, identifying risk factors associated with health conditions, and make recommendations for improving outcomes. Students in the health policy and management concentration will learn how to develop, analyze and advocate for health policies that strengthen communities and oversee healthcare delivery systems in ways that improve healthcare quality and lower costs. All students will also complete a practicum and an integrative learning experience, which builds key skills for real-world public health practice.  

Students will shape a sharp scientific perspective while benefiting from Gordon's faith-based interdisciplinary learning that prepares them to work well across fields, disciplines and sectors. For example, students will learn to consider not only how a clinical encounter may impact health, but also how an economic recession, lack of housing, public policy and transportation may impact the health of a community. 

For information on the Master of Public Health, visit www.gordon.edu/MPH or email mph@gordon.edu.