Evaluating Illinois’ Top MPH Programs

There are many factors to consider when choosing an MPH program. These include accreditation, curriculum breadth, faculty expertise, and partnerships with local health agencies.

The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, is an independent agency charged with accrediting public health programs in the United States. The accreditation process takes about three years and there are currently over 260 unique, accredited joint degree and public health degree programs in the country — with over 30 of them being in Illinois. The accreditation process consists of site visits and numerous other procedures to ensure the program is legitimate and meets qualifying criteria. In addition to accrediting programs, CEPH also publishes basic information about program history, curriculum, concentration area, and links to the official program website.

If you do a quick search on CEPH’s website, you’ll see that there is an abundance of unique MPH programs. Click on these program’s websites and examine the breadth of curriculum offerings. Many will have similar core public health courses, but there are also unique MPH program offerings such as the robust Global Health Program at the University of Illinois Chicago and the ability to simultaneously receive an MPH and a public health graduate certificate at Benedictine University. If you have a specific public health interest, click on the Concentration tab and filter by your interest to see which schools tailor their curriculum to your specific interest. Open the different programs up in separate windows to compare their curriculums and identify the best fit for you.

There are many other factors to consider beyond accreditation and curriculum offerings, such as faculty expertise, location, partnerships, and availability of hands-on experience.

There are many great MPH programs in Illinois, with over 30 accredited by CEPH. The 10 diverse programs highlighted here were selected due to their program strengths, unique offerings, and campus life. 

Traditional On-Campus Programs

Honorable Mention: Chicago State University has a practice-centered MPH program that focuses on health equity and minority health. 

Online Master of Public Health Programs/Hybrid Programs

Honorable Mention: Midwestern University offers a fully online MPH program to students that can be completed in as little as 15 months.  

Similar to MPH programs across the country, Illinois’s programs have similar admission requirements such as academic prerequisites, GRE requirements, letters of recommendation, and relevant work experience. While you don’t need to have a public health major or a related undergraduate study, it may help your graduate studies to have taken health or behavioral science related academic prerequisite coursework (such as statistics, epidemiology, biology, etc.) in your undergraduate education. Many schools, such as California State University, Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State University, and Illinois Tech, have undergraduate degrees that specialize in health sciences or public health studies.

Other schools, like Northwestern University and Missouri State University, have 4+1 programs or accelerated programs for students that decide to submatriculate into an MPH program during undergrad. However, if the majority of your undergraduate coursework was in a field like computer science or business administration, you will still be welcomed by your future MPH program.

Many MPH programs have GMAT or GRE completion required for entry, and most will need letters of recommendation from either a supervisor, professional colleague, or academic faculty member from your undergraduate institution. Most programs will require individuals to submit a personal statement, which is like a cover letter that is geared towards receiving an education at the specific institution you are applying to.

Most programs have a fall start date (August or September), but some programs, like Southern Illinois University, allow you to begin your coursework year-round. Some schools have rolling deadlines while others require applications to be submitted in the months prior to the semester starting (i.e., a spring deadline for a fall semester start).

Additionally, many schools prefer prospective students to have some amount of relevant work experience in the public health field. This can be volunteer experience, an internship, or a full-time or part-time job. Any applied practice experience in the public health field will be immensely helpful to reflect back on during your studies.

Below are tips for how to strengthen your application:

Finally, as much as a school might be vetting students to ensure they are a good fit for the program, you should also be vetting the school to ensure it’s the right fit for you. Reach out to alumni and faculty of the program to talk about their experiences. Request information online if you have any questions, and interact with admissions offices to gain additional insight that isn’t posted on the website. You will be spending much of your time over the next couple of years in the program, so make sure it’s the right fit for you too. 

It is no secret that public health is not the highest-paying field. As of October 2024, the national average salary for a public health job in the United States was $79,657⁴ and in Illinois, it is slightly lower, at $77,190 per year⁵. You don’t want to enroll in a public health graduate program that will break the bank, so it’s important to take finances and scholarships into consideration when looking into graduate school.

There are many potential career paths for MPH graduates in Illinois. Areas of employment include opportunities in major healthcare systems, such as Advocate Health Care and University of Chicago Medicine, state public health agencies, such as the Illinois Department of Public Health, and nonprofit organizations. Your MPH degree can enhance your career trajectory in fields like health policy, public administration, health services administration, emergency management, and healthcare management. The possibilities are endless. There are also numerous continuing education opportunities such as graduate certificates, conferences, professional development opportunities, and so on, that you can continue to participate in even after obtaining your graduate degree. Public health needs are ever-changing as our landscape evolves and grows, so you are immersed in a field of lifelong learning. Strap in and get ready for an exciting ride.

Illinois is home to a unique public health landscape that students can learn a wealth of knowledge from. Being a hub for academia and healthcare, Illinois plays a crucial role in our health and is a premier destination for graduate studies. If you are considering pursuing your MPH in Illinois, explore how these programs can help meet your education and career goals. Take the time to further familiarize yourself with options and take proactive steps towards your public health education.

Request more information, obtain contact information online, and utilize campus visits, virtual tours, and direct consultations with admission offices to learn more. Sign up for informational webinars or connect with current students and faculty to gain deeper insights into the programs. Use these 10 profiled programs as a starting point for your exploration and come back periodically throughout your search to ensure you are considering the factors that are important to you.