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MPH in Community-Oriented
Public Health Practice



COPHP Fact Sheet

The Master in Public Health in Community-Oriented Public Health Practice (COPHP) is an innovative program that prepares students for careers as public health practitioners.

Combining rigorous academic preparation with a commitment to social justice and community involvement, COPHP is uniquely structured to build practical skills that its graduates will apply in community settings as problem-solvers, innovators, advocates, and leaders in addressing health problems.

COPHP graduates will complete their degree work with a solid foundation in the core disciplines of public health: epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, social and behavioral science, and health services management. Just as important, they will acquire invaluable public health competencies.

The COPHP program is built on a unique philosophy and approach, as well a challenging, case-based learning method, problem-based learning (PBL). The program uses PBL because it continually reinforces the practical skills that public health practitioners will need throughout their careers, such as working in teams, recognizing and deconstructing problems, and collecting, analyzing, and presenting information clearly and persuasively.

Please read further on this site about PBL and the COPHP program. Not all students thrive in this type of academic environment. We encourage all applicants to explore whether the program is a comfortable fit with their individual styles of learning.

 
"Compared to traditional teaching, PBL is a magical process. I've had the joy of watching COPHP students probe and dissect simple stories to discover gems of knowledge, nuggets of insight, which are often different from and far beyond what I had envisioned."

Aaron Katz, PBL facilitator, Evaluation and Policy

"The practical knowledge and skills I developed through PBL and the COPHP Program have been directly relevant to my current position, in which I am working to align research with public health policy goals for obesity prevention."

Laura Streichert, PhD, MPH, (2005 graduate)

"I am at a loss to express just how well the COPHP track has prepared me for my job . . .My ability to quickly and efficiently get things done-as well as my ability to sell those ideas to upper management -are largely due to the training we all received."

Amy Dietz, 2007 COPHP graduate, Manager of Health Education and Cultural/Linguistic Services, San Francisco Health Plan