The Community Health Science and Practice concentration within the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences prepares you to collaboratively develop, implement, and evaluate programs and policies that promote healthy communities and health equity.
You’ll learn to assess health issues among diverse population groups in the US and globally to develop and implement population-based health programs that improve health and reduce inequities. Throughout your coursework, you’ll apply a social ecological framework to population-based intervention strategies, as well as the assessment of social, cultural, economic, environmental and institutional factors that contribute to health among diverse populations.
Quick Links:
Key Skills
Professional Development
Degree Requirements and Full-Time & Part-Time Sequence
Community Health Sciences and Practice Planning Checklist (for students who matriculated in 2024)
Community Health Science and Practice Planning Checklist (for students who matriculated prior to 2024)
Key Skills
When you graduate with the Community Health Science and Practice concentration, 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.
- Gather and analyze community health data to identify and prioritize issues for program planning that promotes community health
- Apply a social ecological framework to the assessment of behavioral, social, cultural, economic, environmental and institutional factors that contribute to health among diverse populations
- Apply a social ecological framework to identify evidence-based interventions that promote population and community health
- Apply a social ecological framework to the planning and evaluation of population-based intervention strategies to improve health and reduce inequities.
- Adapt and implement evidence-based strategies to promote healthy communities and health equity
- Design strategies to engage community stakeholders and to develop community partnerships for population-based health programs
Professional Development
You will benefit from countless opportunities to build skills and experience to prepare you for successful careers in public health and community and international health. There are many professional development opportunities available to you at NYU GPH, including internships, fellowships, employment, volunteer opportunities, professional association membership, and more.
All students in the Community Health Science and Practice concentration take the following courses (18 credits) as part of the MPH degree requirements (Note: online students take the 5000-level version of the courses below)
GPH-GU 2030 Introduction to Global Health (2) [F, S]
GPH-GU 2106 Epidemiology (3) [F, S]
GPH-GU 2140 Global Issues in Social & Behavioral Health (3) [F, S]
GPH-GU 2110 Health Care Policy (2) [F, S, Su]
GPH-GU 2112 Public Health Policy and Management (2) [F, S, Su]
GPH-GU 2153 Global Environmental Health (3) [F, S, Su]
GPH-GU 2995 Biostatistics for Public Health (3) [F, S, Su]
GPH-GU 5171 Global Health Informatics Workshop (0) [F]
GPH-GU 5170 Introduction to Public Health (0) [F, S]
All students in the Community Health Science and Practice concentration take the following courses (15 credits):
GPH-GU 2218 Assessing Community Health Needs & Resources (3) [F]
GPH-GU 2349 Program Planning & Evaluation (3) [F]
GPH-GU 2361 Research Methods in Public Health (3) [F, S]
GPH-GU 2415 Community-Based Health Interventions (3) [S]
GPH-GU 2270 Translating Research Into Practice: Adapting and Implementing Evidence-Based Public Health Interventions (3) [S]
All students in the Community Health Science and Practice concentration select 3 courses (9 credits) of public health electives.
Students may choose any GPH-GU course. Please note that some electives have pre-requisites and some are restricted to other MPH concentrations during the first two weeks of the registration period. Students may refer to the course schedule to see which courses are being offered for the next semester.
Click here for course syllabi.
Applied Practice:
Students in the Community Health Science and Practice concentration complete a minimum of 180 hours of a public health internship, which serves as the culminating experience of the MPH degree.
GPH-GU 2359 Applied Practice Experience Seminar (2) [F, S]
GPH-GU 2360 Integrative Learning Experience Seminar (2) [F, S]
Year 1:
(Note: online students take the 5000-level version of the courses below)
Fall Semester (12 credits)
GPH-GU 2030 Introduction to Global Health (2)
GPH-GU 2106 Epidemiology (3)
GPH-GU 2140 Global Issues in Social & Behavioral Health (3)
GPH-GU 2110 Health Care Policy (2)
GPH-GU 2112 Public Health Policy and Management (2)
GPH-GU 5171 Global Health Informatics Workshop (0)
GPH-GU 5170 Introduction to Public Health (0)
Spring Semester (12 credits)
GPH-GU 2995 Biostatistics for Public Health (3)
GPH-GU 2361 Research Methods in Public Health (3)
GPH-GU 2415 Community-Based Health Interventions (3)
Elective (3)
Year 2:
Fall Semester (11 credits)
GPH-GU 2359 Applied Practice Experience Seminar (2)*
GPH-GU 2218 Assessing Community Health Needs & Resources (3)
GPH-GU 2349 Program Planning & Evaluation (3)
Elective (3)
Spring Semester (11 credits)
GPH-GU 2360 Integrative Learning Experience Seminar (2)*
GPH-GU 2270 Translating Research Into Practice (3)
GPH-GU 2153 Global Environmental Health (3)
Elective (3)
* these courses meet for 7 weeks each and may be taken in the same semester.
Suggested Part-Time Course Sequence
Note: There is flexibility in the timing of electives but prerequisites for all courses need to be considered if a different sequence is followed.
Note: online students take the 5000-level version of the courses below
Four-Year Sequence
Year 1:
Fall Semester 1 (6 credits)
GPH-GU 2140 Global Issues in Social & Behavioral Health (3)
GPH-GU 2106 Epidemiology (3)
GPH-GU 5171 Global Health Informatics (0)
GPH-GU 5170 Introduction to Public Health (0)
Spring Semester I (6 credits)
GPH-GU 2030 Introduction to Global Health (2)
GPH-GU 2110 Health Care Policy (2)
GPH-GU 2112 Public Health Management & Leadership (2)
Year 2:
Fall Semester II (6 credits)
GPH-GU 2995 Biostatistics for Public Health (3)
GPH-GU 2153 Global Environmental Health (3)
Spring Semester II (6 credits)
GPH-GU 2361 Research Methods in Public Health (3)
GPH-GU 2415 Community-Based Health Interventions (3)
Year 3:
Fall Semester III (6 credits)
GPH-GU 2218 Assessing Community Health Needs & Resources (3)
GPH-GU 2349 Program Planning & Evaluation (3)
Spring Semester III (6 credits)
Elective 1 (3)
Elective 2 (3)
Summer III
Fieldwork hours for the Applied Practice requirement.
Year 4:
Fall Semester IV (5 credits)
GPH-GU 2359 Applied Practice Experience Seminar (2)*
Elective 3 (3)
Spring Semester IV (5 credits)
GPH-GU 2360 Integrative Learning Experience Seminar (2)*
GPH-GU 2270 Translating Research to Practice (3)
Three-Year Sequence
Year 1:
Fall Semester 1 (6 credits)
GPH-GU 2140 Global Issues in Social & Behavioral Health (3)
GPH-GU 2106 Epidemiology (3)
GPH-GU 2171 Global Health Informatics (0)
GPH-GU 5170 Introduction to Public Health (0)
Spring Semester I (3 credits)
GPH-GU 2995 Biostatistics for Public Health (3)
GPH-GU 2361 Research Methods in Public Health (3)
Year 2:
Fall Semester II (9 credits)
GPH-GU 2218 Assessing Community Health Needs & Resources (3)
GPH-GU 2349 Program Planning & Evaluation (3)
Elective (3)
Spring Semester II (9 credits)
GPH-GU 2110 Health Care Policy (2)
GPH-GU 2112 Public Health Management & Leadership (2)
GPH-GU 2030 Introduction to Global Health (2)
GPH-GU 2415 Community-Based Health Interventions (3)
Summer
Fieldwork hours for the Applied Practice requirement.
Year 3:
Fall Semester III (8 credits)
GPH-GU 2153 Global Environmental Health (3)
Elective (3)
GPH-GU 2359 Applied Practice Experience Seminar (2)*
Spring Semester III (8 credits)
GPH-GU 2360 Integrative Learning Experience Seminar (2)*
GPH-GU 2270 Translating Research to Practice (3)
Elective 3 (3)
* these courses meet for 7 weeks each and may be taken in the same semester.
Community Health Science and Practice Course Checklist
The Community Health Science and Practice checklist (matric 2018 or later) outlines the requirements for the concentration, as well as which core and concentration courses have prerequisites. Use this tool as you move along in the program to help keep track of the courses you’ve taken, as well as what’s up next.