University of Montana Missoula Public Health Degrees Available
The University of Montana, Missoula appears in our ranking of the 10 Best MPH Degrees in the West.
The field of public health is designed for those who wish to have an impact on the health of people in a community, whether that community is local, regional, national or global. The average salary for public health positions is $99,370 per year and careers in the industry are expected to grow by 18 percent over the next ten years. The University of Montana Missoula offers several public health degree programs designed to prepare graduates for careers in this growing industry.
Bachelor of Science in Public and Community Health
The Bachelor of Science in Public and Community Health provides students with an understanding of the challenges of maintaining good health. The program addresses the social, economic and physical factors that can lead to unhealthy lifestyles. It also provides an understanding of methods used to promote health, prevent disease and enhance the quality of life. Courses required for the program may include:
- Addiction Studies
- Analytical and Communication Techniques
- Anatomy & Physiology I & II
- Basic Human Nutrition
- Community and Environment
- Culture, Health, and Healing
- Elementary Medical Microbiology
- Foundations of Community Health Education and Promotion
- Foundations of Health and Human Performance
- General Inorganic Chemistry
- Health and the Mind/Body/Spirit Relationship
- Introduction to Psychology
- Leadership in Health and Human Performance Professions
- Legal and Ethical Issues in the Health & Exercise Professions
- Peer Health Education
- Personal Health and Wellness
- Program Planning for Community Health
- Theories of Health Behavior and Counseling
- Theory and Practice of Basic Exercise Prescription
- Women, Men, and Sexuality
Students must also complete a peer health practicum and an internship.
Master of Public Health
The Master of Public Health provides students with global insight into improving the health of people in rural areas. Students learn the factors which influence legislative and social policies and are able to apply broad-based qualitative and quantitative problem-solving skills. The program requires 42 credit hours that include 27 core credits, 6 capstone credits, and 9 elective credits. Courses required may include:
- Applied Practical Experience
- Environmental and Rural Health
- Ethical Issues in Public Health
- Fundamentals of Biostatistics
- Health Policy
- Integrative Learning Experience
- Program Evaluation & Research Methods
- Public Health Administration and Management
- Rural Health Issues in a Global Context
- Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health
- Statistical Methods I & II
Students may concentrate their studies in Community Health and Prevention Services. There is also a dual degree in Master of Arts in Medical Anthropology/Master of Public Health. The Master of Public Health program is available online.
Ph.D. in Public Health
The Ph.D. in Public Health provides students with the skill necessary to conduct extensive research in the field of public health or who wish to teach. Students gain an understanding of the process necessary to deal with complex health problems at a local, regional, national and global level. The program strongly focuses on research and is only available on campus. Courses required include:
- Advanced Quantitative Methods I & II
- Biomedical Research Ethics
- Environmental and Rural Health
- Fundamentals of Biostatistics
- Introduction to Epidemiology
- Multicultural Public Health
- Neuroepidemiology
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Research Rotations
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Spatial Epidemiology
- Statistical Methods I & II
Students must also research and defend a dissertation.
About University of Montana Missoula
Before Montana was admitted as a state, Congress dedicated 46,000 acres in the territory that could be used to fund or locate an institute of higher learning. After its admission to the country, the leaders of Missoula agreed to not vie to become the capital if Helena agreed to support Missoula as the location of the university.
In 1895, classes were held for the first time at the nearby Willard School. The South Missoula Land Company, owned by A.B. Hammond, Richard Eddy, and Marcus Daly, was donated for the location of the new school. The Higgins family also donated adjacent lands and a cornerstone for the first building was laid in 1898 for what was then known as Missoula College. In 1994, Missoula College joined the University of Montana system.
Today, approximately 15,000 students attend the University of Montana and Missoula College where they are provided high-quality education at the base of Mount Sentinel along the Clark Fork River.
The University of Montana has been awarded the 2014 Carnegie Foundation’s Community Engagement Classification and named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The Carnegie Foundation also awarded the school the Advancement of Teaching in the Community Engagement Classification in 2008.
University of Montana Missoula Accreditation Details
The University of Montana is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Accreditation indicates that the school offers programs that have been determined to be of the highest quality. It also indicates that the University of Montana Missoula has the resources to meet its stated goals and objectives. In addition, programs throughout the school are accredited by the following organizations:
- ABET
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
- Accreditation Council on Pharmacy Education
- Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
- American Bar Association
- American Chemical Society
- American Psychological Association
- American Society of Health System Pharmacists
- American Speech-Language Association-Council on Academic Accreditation
- Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education
- Committee for Accreditation of Respiratory Care
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
- Council on Education for Public Health
- Council on Social Work Education
- International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
- National Association of School Psychologists and American Psychological Association
- National Association of Schools of Design
- National Association of Schools of Theater
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
- National Council of Teacher Education
- National Recreation and Park Association
- Society of American Foresters
University of Montana Missoula Application Requirements
Applicants to the Bachelor of Science in Public and Community Health must provide official high school transcripts. Those who have earned college credit must also provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Official ACT and SAT scores must be submitted as well. Applicants over the age of 21 do not have to provide official test scores but must provide high school transcripts.
In order to apply for the Master of Public Health, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university. Official GRE scores, taken within the last five years, must also be submitted. They must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Three letters of recommendation, a personal statement and a current resume must also be provided.
Applicants to the Ph.D. in Public Health must hold a master’s degree or higher. They must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended as well as official GRE scores. Three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and a current resume are also required.
University of Montana Missoula Tuition and Financial Aid
Full-time tuition for in-state residents in undergraduate programs at the University of Montana Missoula is $7,896 per year and for out-of-state residents is $26,760. Full-time graduate tuition for in-state residents is $8,832 and for out-of-state residents is $29,376.
Financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, loans and work-study are available through the University of Montana Missoula. All students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the form must be completed on an annual basis. Some aid is need-based while others are merit-based.
The University of Montana Missoula provides high-level education for students in flexible formats so that more individuals can achieve their higher education goals in order to either advance in a current career or move to another career.