MPH Maternal and Child Health

Dr. Amy Raines-Milenkov
“HSC to lead Fort Worth fight against infant mortality” see full story

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Full-time Program: All students will enter in the fall each academic year to progress through their program in a cohort, completing all degree requirements in five semesters (including summer).

Advantage of Earning a Sequential Masters

The maternal and child health (MACH) concentration prepares professionals from a variety of backgrounds (medicine, biology, nursing, nutrition, women’s studies, anthropology, social work, sociology, African-American studies) for leadership roles in organizations that focus on promoting the health of women, children, and families. This interdisciplinary concentration provides knowledge of the major determinants of maternal health and child health, and strategies for improving the health of mothers and children, including program planning and evaluation, research methods, and policy analysis at the local, state, national and international levels. The program enables students to develop and apply the Life Course Model as a conceptual framework for changing the health trajectories of children and mothers. Emphasis is given to the early or “upstream” determinants of health and to early detection of risks coupled with early intervention. Students also learn strategies to improve MACH conditions in underserved and disadvantages communities. Program graduates will be prepared to assume positions in family planning agencies, reproductive health services, MACH nutrition programs, public health departments, and other health and human service agencies that focus on MACH issues. Other graduates will pursue an additional degree in a related area.By the conclusion of the MPH program, a student in maternal and child health will be able to:

Comprehend, apply, and evaluate multi-level and inter-disciplinary theories and models used to solve MACH problems, including the Life Course Model;
Identify and evaluate the relative contribution of ecological determinants to MACH outcomes among populations, including vulnerable populations and disadvantaged communities;
Understand, select and employ appropriate quantitative and qualitative research methods for testing MACH interventions and resolving MACH problems;
Plan, implement, administer, and evaluate MACH initiatives and programs using asset-based and data-driven approaches;
Understand, administer, and evaluate community-based participatory approaches for reducing MACH disparities and improving MACH outcomes.