Design and Development of an MPH Program for Distance Education Delivery
The Master-s of Public Health (MPH) degree is
growing in popularity among a number of higher education
institutions throughout the world as a distance education graduate
program. This paper offers an overview of program design and
development strategies that promote successful distance delivery of
MPH programs. Design and development challenges are discussed in
terms of type of distance delivery, accreditation, student demand,
faculty development, user needs, course content, and marketing
strategies. The ongoing development of a distance education MPH
program at Utah State University will be used to highlight and
consider various aspects of this important but challenging process.
[1] D. S. Lane, "A threat to the public health workforce: evidence from
trends in preventive medicine certification and training," Am J Prev
Med, vol. 18, pp. 87-96, Jan 2000.
[2] N. M. Shalauta, T. A. Burke, L. J. Gordon, B. S. Stern, and N. L. Tran,
"An examination of the educational needs for environmental health and
protection," J Public Health Manag Pract, vol. 5, pp. 1-12, Nov 1999.
[3] J. M. Dodds, B. A. Laraia, and E. T. Carbone, "Development of a
master's in public health nutrition degree program using distance
education," J Am Diet Assoc, vol. 103, pp. 602-7, May 2003.
[4] M. Jimbo, "MPH through the Internet," Fam Med, vol. 34, pp. 724-5,
Nov-Dec 2002.
[5] B. A. Laraia, J. M. Dodds, S. Benjamin, S. J. Jones, and E. T. Carbone,
"Can distance education prepare future public health nutritionists? A
case study," J Nutr Educ Behav, vol. 40, pp. 34-8, Jan-Feb 2008.
[6] S. Schwimmer, "An anecdote of distance learning," Clin Perform Qual
Health Care, vol. 7, pp. 36-7, Jan-Mar 1999.
[7] K. E. Umble, S. Shay, and W. Sollecito, "An interdisciplinary MPH via
distance learning: meeting the educational needs of practitioners," J
Public Health Manag Pract, vol. 9, pp. 123-35, Mar-Apr 2003.
[8] M. Patel, "Distance learning in the public health workplace," Pac Health
Dialog, vol. 7, pp. 68-70, Sep 2000.
[9] C. J. Treloar, "Evaluation of a national and international distance
education program in clinical epidemiology (691)," Med Educ, vol. 32,
pp. 70-5, Jan 1998.
[10] B. Polhamus, A. Farel, and A. Trester, "Enhancing technology skills of
maternal and child health professionals," Matern Child Health J, vol. 4,
pp. 271-5, Dec 2000.
[11] A. Steckler, A. Farel, J. B. Bontempi, K. Umble, B. Polhamus, and A.
Trester, "Can health professionals learn qualitative evaluation methods
on the World Wide Web? A case example," Health Educ Res, vol. 16,
pp. 735-45, Dec 2001.
[12] L. S. Khonsari and P. J. Fabri, "Integrating medical informatics into the
medical undergraduate curriculum," Stud Health Technol Inform, vol.
39, pp. 547-51, 1997.
[13] C. J. Mackenzie, "Community medicine: education and practice," P N G
Med J, vol. 26, pp. 48-54, Mar 1983.
[14] J. H. Vincent, "Graduate education in occupational hygiene: a rational
framework," Ann Occup Hyg, vol. 49, pp. 649-59, Nov 2005.
[15] S. T. Leatherdale, S. Viehbeck, C. Murphy, C. Norman, and A. S.
Schultz, "The tobacco control community of tomorrow: a vision for
training," Can J Public Health, vol. 98, pp. 30-2, Jan-Feb 2007.
[16] [16] "[Curriculum design of the Master's in Public Health program via
the inservice education system. The Working Group of the Innovation
Program in Health Systems and Professional Training]," Salud Publica
Mex, vol. 37, pp. 63-74, Jan-Feb 1995.
[17] P. M. Buss, "[Health promotion and health education at the school of
governance in health, National School of Public Health, Brazil]," Cad
Saude Publica, vol. 15 Suppl 2, pp. 177-85, Nov 1999.
[18] "Lessons learned in a European-Latin American collaboration for
developing postgraduate education in public health," Eur J Public
Health, vol. 11, pp. 227-30, Jun 2001.
[19] "Computer communication for international collaboration in education
in public health. The TEMPUS Consortium for a New Public Health in
Hungary," Ann N Y Acad Sci, vol. 670, pp. 43-9, Dec 17 1992.
[20] D. Szosland and A. Marcinkiewicz, "Modern technology in lifelong
learning of occupational medicine," Int J Occup Med Environ Health,
vol. 17, pp. 411-6, 2004.
[21] M. V. Davis, W. A. Sollecito, S. Shay, and W. Williamson, "Examining
the impact of a distance education MPH program: a one-year follow-up
survey of graduates," J Public Health Manag Pract, vol. 10, pp. 556-63,
Nov-Dec 2004.
[22] L. D. Woodhouse, M. E. Auld, W. C. Livingood, and L. A. Mulligan,
"Survey of accredited master of public health (MPH) programs with
health education concentrations: a resource for strengthening the public
health workforce," Health Promot Pract, vol. 7, pp. 258-65, Apr 2006.
[23] D. Birnbaum and T. Greenhalgh, "Emerging distance degree programs,"
Clin Perform Qual Health Care, vol. 8, pp. 60-4, 2000.
[24] K. M. Peddecord, P. Holsclaw, I. G. Jacobson, L. Kwizera, K. Rose, R.
Gersberg, and V. Macias-Reynolds, "Nationwide satellite training for
public health professionals: Web-based follow-up," J Contin Educ
Health Prof, vol. 27, pp. 111-7, Spring 2007.
[25] M. Simonson, C. Schlosser, and D. Hanson, "Theory and distance
education: A new discussion.," Am J Distance Ed, vol. 13, pp. 60-75,
1999.
[1] D. S. Lane, "A threat to the public health workforce: evidence from
trends in preventive medicine certification and training," Am J Prev
Med, vol. 18, pp. 87-96, Jan 2000.
[2] N. M. Shalauta, T. A. Burke, L. J. Gordon, B. S. Stern, and N. L. Tran,
"An examination of the educational needs for environmental health and
protection," J Public Health Manag Pract, vol. 5, pp. 1-12, Nov 1999.
[3] J. M. Dodds, B. A. Laraia, and E. T. Carbone, "Development of a
master's in public health nutrition degree program using distance
education," J Am Diet Assoc, vol. 103, pp. 602-7, May 2003.
[4] M. Jimbo, "MPH through the Internet," Fam Med, vol. 34, pp. 724-5,
Nov-Dec 2002.
[5] B. A. Laraia, J. M. Dodds, S. Benjamin, S. J. Jones, and E. T. Carbone,
"Can distance education prepare future public health nutritionists? A
case study," J Nutr Educ Behav, vol. 40, pp. 34-8, Jan-Feb 2008.
[6] S. Schwimmer, "An anecdote of distance learning," Clin Perform Qual
Health Care, vol. 7, pp. 36-7, Jan-Mar 1999.
[7] K. E. Umble, S. Shay, and W. Sollecito, "An interdisciplinary MPH via
distance learning: meeting the educational needs of practitioners," J
Public Health Manag Pract, vol. 9, pp. 123-35, Mar-Apr 2003.
[8] M. Patel, "Distance learning in the public health workplace," Pac Health
Dialog, vol. 7, pp. 68-70, Sep 2000.
[9] C. J. Treloar, "Evaluation of a national and international distance
education program in clinical epidemiology (691)," Med Educ, vol. 32,
pp. 70-5, Jan 1998.
[10] B. Polhamus, A. Farel, and A. Trester, "Enhancing technology skills of
maternal and child health professionals," Matern Child Health J, vol. 4,
pp. 271-5, Dec 2000.
[11] A. Steckler, A. Farel, J. B. Bontempi, K. Umble, B. Polhamus, and A.
Trester, "Can health professionals learn qualitative evaluation methods
on the World Wide Web? A case example," Health Educ Res, vol. 16,
pp. 735-45, Dec 2001.
[12] L. S. Khonsari and P. J. Fabri, "Integrating medical informatics into the
medical undergraduate curriculum," Stud Health Technol Inform, vol.
39, pp. 547-51, 1997.
[13] C. J. Mackenzie, "Community medicine: education and practice," P N G
Med J, vol. 26, pp. 48-54, Mar 1983.
[14] J. H. Vincent, "Graduate education in occupational hygiene: a rational
framework," Ann Occup Hyg, vol. 49, pp. 649-59, Nov 2005.
[15] S. T. Leatherdale, S. Viehbeck, C. Murphy, C. Norman, and A. S.
Schultz, "The tobacco control community of tomorrow: a vision for
training," Can J Public Health, vol. 98, pp. 30-2, Jan-Feb 2007.
[16] [16] "[Curriculum design of the Master's in Public Health program via
the inservice education system. The Working Group of the Innovation
Program in Health Systems and Professional Training]," Salud Publica
Mex, vol. 37, pp. 63-74, Jan-Feb 1995.
[17] P. M. Buss, "[Health promotion and health education at the school of
governance in health, National School of Public Health, Brazil]," Cad
Saude Publica, vol. 15 Suppl 2, pp. 177-85, Nov 1999.
[18] "Lessons learned in a European-Latin American collaboration for
developing postgraduate education in public health," Eur J Public
Health, vol. 11, pp. 227-30, Jun 2001.
[19] "Computer communication for international collaboration in education
in public health. The TEMPUS Consortium for a New Public Health in
Hungary," Ann N Y Acad Sci, vol. 670, pp. 43-9, Dec 17 1992.
[20] D. Szosland and A. Marcinkiewicz, "Modern technology in lifelong
learning of occupational medicine," Int J Occup Med Environ Health,
vol. 17, pp. 411-6, 2004.
[21] M. V. Davis, W. A. Sollecito, S. Shay, and W. Williamson, "Examining
the impact of a distance education MPH program: a one-year follow-up
survey of graduates," J Public Health Manag Pract, vol. 10, pp. 556-63,
Nov-Dec 2004.
[22] L. D. Woodhouse, M. E. Auld, W. C. Livingood, and L. A. Mulligan,
"Survey of accredited master of public health (MPH) programs with
health education concentrations: a resource for strengthening the public
health workforce," Health Promot Pract, vol. 7, pp. 258-65, Apr 2006.
[23] D. Birnbaum and T. Greenhalgh, "Emerging distance degree programs,"
Clin Perform Qual Health Care, vol. 8, pp. 60-4, 2000.
[24] K. M. Peddecord, P. Holsclaw, I. G. Jacobson, L. Kwizera, K. Rose, R.
Gersberg, and V. Macias-Reynolds, "Nationwide satellite training for
public health professionals: Web-based follow-up," J Contin Educ
Health Prof, vol. 27, pp. 111-7, Spring 2007.
[25] M. Simonson, C. Schlosser, and D. Hanson, "Theory and distance
education: A new discussion.," Am J Distance Ed, vol. 13, pp. 60-75,
1999.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:59333", author = "Steven R. Hawks", title = "Design and Development of an MPH Program for Distance Education Delivery", abstract = "The Master-s of Public Health (MPH) degree is
growing in popularity among a number of higher education
institutions throughout the world as a distance education graduate
program. This paper offers an overview of program design and
development strategies that promote successful distance delivery of
MPH programs. Design and development challenges are discussed in
terms of type of distance delivery, accreditation, student demand,
faculty development, user needs, course content, and marketing
strategies. The ongoing development of a distance education MPH
program at Utah State University will be used to highlight and
consider various aspects of this important but challenging process.", keywords = "Public health, course content, distance education,
higher education, graduate students.", volume = "2", number = "5", pages = "566-4", }
