Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

Call to Action description
The Department of Global and Environmental Health is no longer accepting applications for this concentration.
Achieving the health-related UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 promises to be a significant challenge for most nations, particularly in what has become a severely resource-constrained global environment. As a consequence, public health professionals who possess deep knowledge and advanced analytic operational skills are likely to be highly valued within their respective health systems.


To help ready students in the public health workforce to meet these critical goals, the School of Global Public Health (GPH) at New York University (NYU) has created an online Master of Public Health (MPH) degree focused on health in the SDGs. The program will develop exceptional analytic and strategic decision-making skills in public health so that its graduates can help governments at all levels achieve health-related SDGs.  

The SDG Online Master of Public Health is a unique program that emphasizes a multidisciplinary, systems approach to solving complex challenges in disease control and prevention. Our curriculum includes individual and class projects that lead to innovative, equitable, cost-effective, and attainable solutions to diverse public health challenges. Delivered entirely in an online format, you will have access to world-class NYU faculty instruction, academic resources, networking, and support as you complete weekly lessons at times most convenient for you.  

Most importantly, the MPH-SDG will help you develop exceptional analytic and strategic decision-making skills in public health - expertise that is highly valued and needed in the public health workforce.

An introduction to the SDG Online MPH Program

With Dr. Chris Dickey, Clinical Associate Professor of Global Public Health

Key Skills

When you graduate with the Sustainable Development Goals Online MPH, you’ll be prepared to take on leadership roles in public health settings around the globe. You’ll stand out to employers with a skillset that has both breadth and depth, including the following competencies.

  1. Analyze context specific causal pathways for the global burden of disease, health interventions, and health system platforms, to set and monitor priorities for action
  2. Select relevant data sources to assess the global burden of disease, health interventions, and health system platforms
  3. Select evidence based planning and evaluation methods, and apply these to context specific theories of change for interventions, health systems, or equity in health 
  4. Categorize health related targets within the Sustainable Development Goals according to global burden of disease, disease control priorities and health system platforms
  5. Select and apply, as a member of interdisciplinary (or multisectoral) team, communication strategies to advocate for intervention policies, system strengthening and equitable strategies, or investments
  6. Critically assess the different components of the global health governance infrastructure, and health systems designs in different global contexts
  7. Select and apply methods for analyzing costs, health returns on investment, budget and sustainability as appropriate
     

Core courses (18 credits)

  • GPH-GU 5106 Epidemiology (3)
  • GPH-GU 5110 Health Policy Policy (1.5)
  • GPH-GU 5112 Public Health Management & Leadership (1.5)
  • GPH-GU 5140 Global Issues in Social and Behavioral Health (3)
  • GPH-GU 5153 Global Environmental Health (3)
  • GPH-GU 5190 Essentials of Public Health Biology (3)
  • GPH-GU 5995 Biostatistics for Public Health (3)

Required 0-credit courses:

  • GPH-GU 5171 Global Health Informatics (0)
  • GPH-GU 5175 Readings in the History and Philosophy of Public Health I (0)
  • GPH-GU 5180 Readings in the History and Philosophy of Public Health II (0)
  • GPH-GU 5185 Readings in the History and Philosophy of Public Health III (0)

Concentration courses (15 credits)

Students must take these courses:

  • GPH- GU 5220 Accelerating Progress Towards Health-Related SDGs (3)
  • GPH- GU 5240 Budgeting for Sustainable Health Returns on Investments (3)
  • GPH- GU 5380 Data-Driven Decision Making in Public Health (3)
  • GPH- GU 5410 Results Focused Strengthening Of Health Systems In LMICs (3)
  • GPH- GU 5420 Monitoring And Management Of Public Health Programs For Equity (3)
     

Electives (9 credits)

All students in the SDG concentration select 9 credits of public health electives from the following list. 

GPH-GU 5218 Assessing Community Health Needs & Resources (3)  
GPH-GU 5325/9325 Behavioral Communication Strategies for Global Epidemics (3)
GPH-GU 5415 Community-Based Health Interventions (3)  
GPH-GU 5320 Data Utilization in Public Health Practice (3)  
GPH-GU 5150 Emergency Preparedness for Healthcare Organizations (3)  
GPH-GU 5210 Global Health Disaster Preparedness & Response (3)  
GPH-GU 5312 Global Perspectives in Reproductive Health & Human Rights
GPH-GU 9285 Global Women's Health Programs: Analyzing the Evidence to Improve Women's Lives (3)  
GPH-GU 5405 Health Communications: Changing Norms in Theory and Practice (3)  
GPH-GU 5115 Introduction to the Principles of Nutrition in Public Health (3)  
GPH-GU 9224 Introduction to Urban Health (3)   
GPH-GU 5270 Management of Public Health Disasters (3)  
GPH-GU 5420 Monitoring & Management of Public Health Programs for Equity (3)  
GPH-GU 5275  Nutrition Epidemiology for Public Health (3)  
GPH-GU 5288 Perspectives in Migrant Health & Human Rights (3)  
GPH-GU 5349 Program Planning and Evaluation (3)  
GPH-GU 5213 Public Health Nutrition (3)  
GPH-GU 5361 Research Methods in Public Health (3)  
GPH-GU 5410 Results-Focused Strengthening of Health Systems in LMIC Countries (3)  
GPH-GU 5271 Translating Research into Practice: Adapting and Implementing Evidence-Based Public Health Interventions (3)  

Culminating experience (4 credits)

  • GPH- GU 5359 Applied Practice Experience Seminar (2)
  • GPH-GU 5360 Integrative Learning Experience Seminar (2)

Fall 1 - 12 credits

  • GPH-GU 5380 Data-Driven Decision Making In Global Public Health (3)
  • GPH-GU 5106 Epidemiology (3)
  • GPH-GU 5190 Essentials of Public Health Biology (3)
  • GPH-GU 5410 Results Focused Strengthening Of Health Systems In LMICs (3)
  • GPH-GU 5171 Global Health Informatics Workshop (0)
  • GPH-GU 5175 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health I (0)

Spring 1- 12 credits

  • GPH-GU 5230 Monitoring and Management of Public Health Programs for Equity (3)
  • GPH- GU 5220 Accelerating Progress Towards Health-Related SDGs  (3)
  • GPH- GU 5240 Budgeting for Sustainable Health Returns on Investments (3)
  • GPH-GU 5995 Biostatistics for Public Health (3)
  • GPH-GU 5180 Readings in the History and Philosophy of Public Health II (0)
  • GPH-GU 5185 Readings in the History and Philosophy of Public Health III (0)

Fall 2 - 12 credits

  • GPH-GU 5110 Health Care Policy (1.5)
  • GPH-GU 5112 Public Health Management & Leadership (1.5)
  • GPH-GU 5140 Global Issues in Social & Behavioral Health (3)
  • Elective (3)
  • GPH-GU 5359 Applied Practice Experience Seminar (2)

Spring 2 - 10 credits

  • GPH-GU 5153 Global Environmental Health (3)
  • GPH-GU 5360 Integrative Learning Experience Seminar (2)
  • Elective (3)
  • Elective (3)

Fall 1 - 6 credits

  • GPH-GU 5106 Epidemiology (3)
  • GPH-GU 5190 Essentials of Public Health Biology (3)
  • GPH-GU 5171 Global Health Informatics Workshop (0)
  • GPH-GU 5175 Readings in the History and Philosophy of Public Health I (0)

Spring 1 - 6 credits

  • GPH-GU 5995 Biostatistics in Public Health (3)
  • GPH-GU 5220 Accelerating Progress Towards Health-Related SDGs (3)
  • GPH-GU 5185 Readings in the History and Philosophy of Public Health III (0)
  • GPH-GU 5180 Readings in the History and Philosophy of Public Health II (0)

Fall 2 - 6 credits

  • GPH- GU 5380 Data-Driven Decision Making in Public Health (3)
  • GPH-GU 5140 Global Issues in Social & Behavioral Health (3)

Spring 2 - 6 credits

  • GPH- GU 5240 Budgeting for Sustainable Health Returns on Investments (3)
  • GPH-GU 5230 Monitoring & Management of Public Health Programs for Equity (3)

Fall 3 - 6 credits

  • GPH-GU 5110 Health Care Policy (1.5)
  • GPH-GU 5112 Public Health Management & Leadership (1.5)
  • GPH- GU 5410 Results Focused Strengthening Of Health Systems In LMICs (3)

Spring 3 - 6 credits

  • GPH- GU 5153 Global Environmental Health (3)
  • Elective (3)

Fall 4 - 5 credits

  • GPH-GU 5359 Applied Practice Experience Seminar (2)
  • Elective (3)

Spring 4 - 5 credits

  • GPH-GU 5360 Integrative Learning Experience Seminar (2)
  • Elective (3)

 

 

Year 1:

Spring semester (12 credits)

GPH-GU 5106 Epidemiology (3)
GPH-GU 5121 Foundations of Global  Health (3)
GPH-GU 5220 Accelerating Progress Towards Health-Related SDGs (3)
GPH-GU 5140 Global Issues in Social & Behavioral Health (3)

Fall semester (12 credits)

GPH-GU 5995 Biostatistics for Public Health (3)
GPH-GU 5380 Data-Driven Decision Making in Global Public Health (3)
GPH-GU 5153 Global Environmental Health (3)
GPH-GU 5110 Health Care Policy (1.5)
GPH-GU 5112 Public Health Management & Leadership (1.5)
GPH-GU 5171 Global Health Informatics Workshop (0)
GPH-GU 5175 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health I (0)

Year 2:

Spring semester (11 credits)

GPH-GU 5359 Applied Practice Experience Seminar (2)
GPH- GU 5240 Budgeting for Sustainable Health Returns on Investments (3)
GPH-GU 5230 Monitoring & Management of Public Health Programs for Equity (3)
Elective (3)
GPH-GU 5180 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health II (0)
GPH-GU 5185 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health III (0)

Fall semester (11 credits)

GPH-GU 5360 Integrative Learning Experience Seminar (2)
GPH-GU 5190 Essentials of Public Health Biology (3)
Elective (3)
Elective (3)

View frequently asked questions about the SDG concentration

Download the PDF Concentration Sheet

Download the SDG Requirements Checklist

How to Apply

All applicants must apply using SOPHAS, the centralized application service for public health schools and programs.  For an application to be considered complete, the following application materials must be submitted by the application deadline of August 1st:

  • Completed SOPHAS application (the centralized application service for public health schools and programs). Please see SOPHAS Instructions and FAQs page for further details.
  • Resume or CV
  • Personal statement
  • Official transcripts from each postsecondary institution attended.  (A WES credential evaluation is preferred for any degrees completed outside of the United States or Canada; otherwise, official transcripts should be mailed to the Office of Admissions at the address below).
  • Two letters of recommendation; at least one must be from your current employer.
  • TOEFL scores from all applicants whose native language is not English and who did not receive the equivalent of a US bachelor's degree at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. Applicants holding or completing only a graduate or professional degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction are still required to submit a TOEFL score unless the graduate program was four or more years in duration. When ordering test reports from ETS, you must include the proper institution code for the NYU MPH (8752).


Applicants not submitting a WES evaluation of their educational credentials directly to SOPHAS should mail official copies of their transcripts to:

Office of Admissions
ATTN: SDG MPH
NYU School of Global Public Health
708 Broadway, 3rd Floor
New York NY 10003

Begin your application for the SDG Online MPH