Frequently Asked Questions

Some of your questions may be answered on the MPH Program FAQ page. The FAQ below focuses on the Executive MPH.

You may take on-site courses to meet your elective requirements, noting any prerequisites and/or faculty permission, if you can meet attendance requirements.

The summer semester starts roughly the first week of July with a seven-week semester where you will take two courses online. Because the summer courses are condensed versions of fall and spring semester courses, expect to spend more than the typical 8-10 hours per week for some of the summer courses.

Yes. This is a two-year, part-time program with a hybrid online/in-person schedule designed for working professionals. Most of the coursework can be completed remotely, with three five-day in-person intensive sessions over two years. See our two-year program schedule to determine if the program structure will work for you.

Students enrolled in the Executive MPH program are required to be on-campus for three, five-day sessions over the course of the two-year program. The first five-day on-campus intensive will take place in October of Year One with a focus on Leading Effective Teams. Students attend a second in-person intensive program the following Spring focused on Design Thinking. The final in-person session, on Strategic Management, will occur in mid-June at the start of Year Two of the program. Each on-campus session is mandatory, and students are required to be on campus for the full five days. The remainder of the coursework, including the Capstone, is completed remotely. Please review the program schedule for more details.

Yes! The Executive MPH course content covers the same rigorous core material as the full-time in-person programs, along with unique and innovative leadership training. Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a Master of Public Health degree. There is no reference to the online/part-time format of the program indicated on the transcript or diploma.

You will need consistent access to a reliable internet connection, as well as a computer, laptop, mobile device, or tablet capable of playing audio and video. To participate in live sessions, your device must be equipped with a camera and a microphone. This can be built-in, USB plug-in, or wireless Bluetooth. If using a computer, we recommended that it be no more than five years old. For Windows or Mac laptops, we recommend that you get at least an i5 processor, 16 Gb of RAM, a 256 Gb SSD and a 512Gb hard drive.

Online courses cover the same material as equivalent in-person courses offered to students in other MPH and MS degree programs at the Yale School of Public Health. You can expect to commit 8–10 hours per week per course, including viewing pre-recorded lectures, a required one-hour live discussion, and readings and assignments. As this program was designed for working professionals, you will have the flexibility to select the time of day to complete the online coursework and review lectures.

The Executive MPH is a unique cohort-based experience where the core courses and intensives must be taken in sequential order with the rest of the cohort. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the two-year schedule for the program. Under extenuating circumstances, a leave or reduced schedule may be granted at the discretion of the program director. Note that tuition and financial aid eligibility may be affected by course load changes.

Executive MPH students have access to the same exceptional support services as on-campus YSPH students. We are devoted to ensuring the success of every student.

• Faculty and Teaching Fellows will be available frequently via live office hours and email correspondence.
• 24/7 access to technology support is available, and students in the program also complete a comprehensive introduction to online learning course to ensure they are equipped to successfully learn online, regardless of their previous online learning background.
• Student services staff, program advisors, and faculty will be accessible via our online learning platform Canvas, as well as Zoom video conferencing and more.
• As a student you will engage frequently with a dynamic cohort of your peers. The program provides opportunities for live discussions and collaborative work, as well as in-person networking during the on-campus intensives. A limited cohort size will allow you to forge meaningful connections over your two years in the program.

• As a student and subsequently as an alumnus you will have full access to all the services of our excellent Career Management Center.

You may change tracks with the approval of the program director. You cannot change from the online MPH to the onsite MPH and receive credit for courses completed online. Many of the online courses have been created or modified specifically for the Executive MPH program.

Once enrolled, you may request a course exemption directly from the course instructor. You may be considered for an exemption if you can demonstrate mastery of the course content; however, the credit requirements cannot be waived. All students must complete the required 16 credits of Yale coursework. Certain courses, including the on-campus intensives, may not be waived.

Due to the sequential nature of the coursework, intensives and the year-long capstone course the program cannot be completed in less than two years. However, with permission of the program director and faculty track director, additional courses may be taken in a given semester, pending availability. Note that financial aid eligibility may be affected by course load changes, and that tuition charged is dependent on course credits.

All accredited schools of public health offering an MPH degree must require at least 42 semester credits, 56 quarter-credits, or the equivalent for completion. Our credit system awards 1 credit to the typical full semester course (3 credits). The 42-credit requirement translates to 14 YSPH credits. For the Executive MPH, we require 16 YSPH credits. The onsite program requires 20 YSPH credits, but we reduced ours to 16 in recognition of work experience and/or post-baccalaureate degrees.

Yes, there are over 20 student clubs offering a wide array of opportunities to get involved and engaged. Students in the Executive MPH are encouraged to join clubs, recognizing that club meeting times may not align always with the schedules of students who have professional responsibilities. You can find the list here.