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online mph/chl degree

Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Leadership

A public health professional works with healthcare providers to promote health and wellness

Lead health change in your community

Making a difference in community health disparity starts with leadership. Prepare for the role with the knowledge, skills and field experience you need to launch and manage community health initiatives.  From reducing the spread of disease and promoting health and wellness, to the development of public health policies, our Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Leadership gives you the skills and field experience you need. So you can learn first-hand the issues facing community health and become the driving force for solutions. 

Program overview

Prepare for a career in public health leadership with core knowledge and practical, in-the-field public health experience. 

Your core courses may include online conversations with your faculty

The curriculum prepares you with skills and industry knowledge in evidence-based methods, public health concerns, community health assessment, public health policy and more.

An M P H student does online research in her concentration courses

The concentration courses sharpen public health leadership skills with a focus on community health planning, organizing and implementation.

Your field experience will occur in a health setting

A 12-week field experience gives you the opportunity to apply your public health leadership skills at an organization in a community health setting.

Ignite Your Passion

Start when you're ready

Courses

Browse courses for your online Master of Public Health degree

Education should hold practical value. That’s why our courses meet rigorous academic standards and provide you with skills and knowledge immediately applicable to your career.

Skills-aligned program icon

Look for this icon to see which skills you’ll learn in a course.

Program Purpose Statement

The Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Leadership (MPH/CHL) program prepares graduates to function in leadership roles in health education and community health settings. 

Requirements: 42 credits

You’ll need 42 credits to complete this online Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Leadership. Faculty and required curriculum prepare you to assess community health needs to develop and interpret public health programs and mobilize community stakeholders for public health initiatives in diverse settings.

Your course schedule may vary based on an evaluation of previous experience, training or transferable credits. Speak to your enrollment representative about graduate-level prior learning assessment saving opportunities. Call 844-937-8679.

The Community Health Engagement and Organizing course includes career-relevant skills

Program Highlight

CHL/620 Community Health Engagement and Organizing

This course examines key principles of community health promotion and community based participatory research principles. Sustainability, leadership development and data synthesis become important career-relevant skills earned in this course.  

Schedule

Your academic counselor will help you schedule your courses for the online Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Leadership.

Skills-aligned program icon

Earn career-relevant skills in weeks – not years.

Learning shouldn’t take years to put into practice. That’s why we’re empowering you to build career-relevant skills with every five- to six-week course.

We’ve worked with the labor market researcher Lightcast to identify in-demand skills for occupations and mapped those to our related associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

Tuition

Paying for school

Tuition is based on number of credit hours per course. Courses are typically 3 credits, but can range from 1-6 credits. Costs do not include savings opportunities like transfer credits and scholarships.

Master's cost per course

$2,289 / course

Cost per credit 

Credits per course

Resource fee

$698

x3

+ $195

Estimated cost per course

$2,289

An illustration showing a couple pushing a stroller with a dollar sign and clock in the background

What affects the overall cost of my program?

Your full program cost can vary by: 

  • Savings opportunities. Get your degree faster and for less with eligible transfer credits, scholarships and work experience credits. Students with eligible credits and relevant experience can save up to $6,800 and 9 credits off their master’s degree.

With our Tuition Guarantee, you pay one flat, affordable rate from the moment you enroll to the day you graduate from your program.

Earn your master’s degree faster and for less with eligible savings opportunities:

Financial aid

You may have options when it comes to paying for college tuition and expenses, such as federal grants and loans. Our finance advisors can answer your questions about financial aid and can help guide you through the process.

Federal Student Loan Basics

Careers & Outcomes

What can you do with a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Leadership?

About 54,700 openings for medical and health services managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

An MPH/CHL can help prepare you to be a:

  • Public Health Administrator
  • Public Health Program Manager
  • Health Education Specialist
  • Public Health Officer
  • Community Health Program Coordinator

Topics covered in this degree include:

  • Assess and advocate for the health needs of communities

  • Analyze data related to the health of a target community

  • Mobilize and engage community stakeholders
  • Plan, design, implement and evaluate community health programs

Ready to get started?

Start your application for free or request additional information.

What you’ll learn

When you earn your online Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Leadership, you’ll be equipped with a concrete set of skills you can apply on the job. You’ll learn how to:

  • Assess community health needs to develop and interpret public health programs
  • Create and implement community health programs
  • Evaluate and apply principles of biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology and social-behavioral models
  • Evaluate programs and appropriately apply public health research findings to community health initiatives
  • Advocate for improved health outcomes, communicate shared vision, influence change and champion solutions
  • Evaluate current local and global health trends and create recommendations for institutional and health policy response
  • Mobilize community stakeholders for public health initiatives in diverse settings
  • Create and market health communications for individuals and groups from diverse cultural, ethnic and educational backgrounds
  • Create an effective leadership strategy, lead public health professionals and manage multidisciplinary system stakeholders

29% Growth

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for Medical and Health Services Managers is projected to be much faster than average between 2023 and 2033.

The BLS Projected Growth for 2023-2033 is published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects the BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.

Public health leaders fill a need in their communities

Why communities need public health leaders

  • Implement widespread vaccination programs to reduce diseases 
  • Start healthy school breakfast and lunch programs 
  • Provide free flu shots at accessible community centers 
  • Establish safe public spaces and recreational facilities  
  • Distribute emergency supplies to areas impacted by hurricanes 

Admissions

Apply for free – no application fee, no obligation.

Starting your degree is a big decision — and we want you to feel great about it. That’s why we remove obstacles from your application.

  • No cost to request prior transcripts
  • No GMAT
  • No essay required
G. Galindo - Enrollment Representative

Gabriel G., Enrollment Rep

Receive 1-on-1 support

You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 85% of our surveyed students.[1]

[1] Transactional Survey, September 2022-August 2023 (23,739 respondents)

Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.

Call us at 844-937-8679 or chat with us 7 days a week.

Receive 1-on-1 support

You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 90% of our surveyed students.[1] Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.

[1] Transactional Survey, August 2021-22 (18,645 respondents)

Gabriel G., Enrollment Representative

Call or chat with us 7 days a week.

Student Experience

An education that fits your busy life

Balancing family, work and school

Work toward your degree without giving up what matters most. Start your degree year-round and take one class at a time.

Online learning

Enroll in online classes and attend class whenever it fits your life, day or night.

Around-the-clock support and resources

You have a support team available up to 14 hours a day, 5 days a week. 

Computer requirements for courses

Many course assignments will require you to use a computer to complete and submit your assignment. 

Student completing homework at night while child plays on floor.

Faculty Spotlight

Professionals dedicated to you

Your success is a top priority for our deans and faculty members. They bring an average of 28+ years of experience and hands-on perspective to the classroom, and help bridge the gap between academics and industry knowledge.

Christopher Wilson

I’m the grittiest person. And so are our students.

Christopher Wilson
Faculty of the Year 2020, College of Health Professions
University of Phoenix

I’m the grittiest person. And so are our students.

Accreditation

Accredited for 45+ years

Since 1978, University of Phoenix has maintained institutional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org. Learn more about the value of University of Phoenix accreditation and how it benefits our students.

Frequently asked questions

A master in public health (MPH) degree is a graduate-level program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address public health issues at local, national, and global levels. MPH programs typically cover a wide range of topics related to public health including epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, health policy and management, social and behavioral sciences, and global health. 

Your concentration in community health leadership will help prepare you to assess community health needs, plan, and implement public health programs, mobilize resources and lead community health policy development. As a leader you may be required to coordinate with health sciences experts, public health practices and behavioral health professionals to address community health issues. 

Your Master’s Degree in Public Health with a Concentration in Community Health Leadership curriculum helps prepares you for roles such as public health administrator and public health program manager. Your degree also prepares you for opportunities in health education and community health program coordination. 

If you are passionate about community health and want to take the lead in resolving health issues in your community, then the Master’s Degree in Public Health with a Concentration in Community Health Leadership may be a preferred path for a master’s degree. You must also meet eligibility requirements for this master’s degree program. Learn more in admission requirements

While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.