Master of Applied Science in Spatial Analysis for Public Health

Program Overview

This fully online, part-time Master's program in Spatial Analysis for Public Health equips working professionals with the skills to analyze and interpret spatial data, design and conduct public health-related spatial analyses, and create innovative solutions to local and global health issues. The interdisciplinary program is designed to be completed in two years and includes a STEM designation, an Integrative Activity, and access to online learning resources, external databases, and professional development workshops.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Master of Applied Science (MAS) in Spatial Analysis for Public Health is a fully online, part-time degree designed for working professionals. It is delivered through the Online Programs for Applied Learning (OPAL) and focuses on emergent industry sectors in public health and healthcare that have a need for highly skilled professionals. The program builds on the strengths of the Bloomberg School of Public Health and provides unmatched opportunities for advanced training, focusing on both local and global health issues. Students are prepared to create innovative solutions through multidisciplinary approaches that apply the latest scientific knowledge.

Objectives:

The program aims to equip students with the skills to understand, map, analyze, and interpret spatial data as they relate to public health. Graduates will be able to effectively design and conduct public health-related spatial analysis by applying knowledge and tools learned in the program.

Program Description:

The MAS program in Spatial Analysis for Public Health is an interdisciplinary program. Faculty at the Bloomberg School of Public Health contribute to the program via course development, teaching, and advising students. The program provides skill-oriented training in spatial analysis taught through a comprehensive spatial science paradigm, including courses in spatial data, geographic information systems, and spatial statistics. It also offers training in epidemiology and biostatistics, reflecting the breadth and depth of public health, and practical skills derived from workshops in professional development.

Other:

• The MAS program in Spatial Analysis for Public Health is a STEM-designated program.
• The program is designed to be completed in 8 academic terms - two academic years (Sept-May).
• Students can complete their degree program in as little as two years but are allowed up to four years.
• Students must complete an Integrative Activity, where newly acquired knowledge and skills are used to create an applicable activity (e.g., design a study, plot the map and analyze the data) – with a final paper that describes the methodology used and the final assessment.
• The program requires students to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 and grades of C or better in all required courses.
• The program has a LinkedIn group for students, faculty, and alumni to strengthen connections and facilitate peer networking.
• The program provides links to many online learning resources, as well as external resources, databases, and public health organizations.
• Practitioners can also access dozens of courses from Bloomberg School faculty on Coursera.
• The program has a specific list of CEPH requirements by degree type.
• By the end of the program, students should be able to:
• Interpret and critique epidemiologic studies addressing public health problems
• Apply measures of morbidity and mortality to the evaluation and comparison of the health of populations
• Synthesize how geography affects public health
• Analyze and interpret maps using tools from the field of spatial statistics to describe and interpret distributions of health outcomes in a population
• Design and implement a spatial analysis protocol for addressing a public health problem