The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree is designed to be an interdisciplinary, professional degree in public health. The MPH Program provides opportunities for students to obtain broad knowledge and basic skills in the core areas of public health. Students are able to acquire proficiency in one or more specialized areas through advanced coursework, and gain experience in applying advanced knowledge to the solution of actual health problems in community settings during internship training. The program is designed to be a two year program for full-time students. Part-time students can take up to 6 years to complete the program. The MPH competencies guide the development of the program curriculum and learning activities for the core and required courses in the MPH curriculum. This posted list of competencies also provides applicants, students, employers and other stakeholders' information about the knowledge foundation and skills of graduates from the MEZCOPH MPH program.<br>The MPH in Family and Child Health is offered by the Department of Health Promotion Sciences. The Family and Child Health Concentration (FCH) provides students a curriculum that addresses the history and current status of the socioeconomic, cultural, political, and physiological issues that affect the health of women, children, and families. Each student, under the guidance of a faculty mentor, will develop an individualized plan of study for his or her specialized area of interest. In addition, in consultation with a faculty mentor, each student will select elective courses that align with his or her specific area of interest.<br>The FCH concentration encourages a variety of health care professionals to apply to this program, including health educators, nurses, nutritionists, social workers, and physicians. Students with backgrounds in a variety of social sciences who have public health experience outside of FCH are also encouraged to apply.