The Brown University School of Public Health has launched a newly redesigned Master of Public Health (MPH) curriculum for its in-person graduate program. The new curriculum, informed by survey data from public health students and broad analysis of employer needs, prioritizes career advancement for graduates. To that end, Brown’s MPH leadership built the curriculum to be rigorous, customizable and aligned with the evolving demands of a complex field.
Available to students matriculating in or after the Fall 2026 semester, Brown’s reimagined MPH recognizes that public health today is driven by data, methods and real-world problem solving.
What’s New?
The new curriculum is built around four foundational elements: the MPH core curriculum (six courses), methods-based concentrations (three courses), elective bundles (three courses) and applied knowledge in the form of the MPH Practicum and thesis or capstone.
After completing core public health coursework, students will select one of five methods-based concentrations: Applied Epidemiology for Public Health Practice, Causal Methods for Epidemiologic Research, Health Economics and Policy, Health Behavior Change or Qualitative and Community-Engaged Methods.
Each concentration provides rigorous technical training while allowing students to pair their methods with three or more elective courses that reflect their career goals—e.g., maternal and child health, global health, infectious diseases and pandemics, health justice, law & advocacy, health equity or other areas of focus—allowing them to cultivate expertise in the areas that interest them most.
For example, potential paths for students include a concentration in Applied Epidemiology, with electives focused on health policy and program implementation; a concentration in Health Behavior Change, with electives in health communication and media; or a concentration in Qualitative and Community-Engaged Methods, applying participatory methods to substance use and mental health.
Importantly, these changes only impact incoming students to Brown’s in-person MPH program. Brown’s current public health curricula will continue to serve and benefit students in the Online MPH program and Accelerated MPH for clinicians, while it will sunset for in-person MPH students with the 2027 graduating class.
“Our new curriculum is much more flexible, offering students space to develop methodological expertise alongside topical expertise in the issues that motivate them most,” said Karen Andes, director of the Master of Public Health Program and associate professor of behavioral and social sciences at Brown. “Students can select from a wide range of topics where Brown has significant expertise, such as infectious diseases or global health. Or, they can build their own area of expertise by combining electives across the curriculum.”
Meanwhile, experiential learning remains a central pillar of the MPH program. All students complete a required practicum, gaining hands-on experience in real-world settings, as well as an integrated learning experience through a thesis or capstone project. These opportunities allow students to apply their training, collaborate with community and institutional partners and produce work that contributes meaningfully to public health practice and research.
With this new methods-based, skills-forward curriculum, Brown seeks to continue to graduate professionals who are prepared to inform and shape decisions across public health, health care, government and research settings. It reflects the school’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence, innovation and public health impact.