Public Health Concentrations

The following division-specific concentrations, offered as part of specific master's degrees at the UIC School of Public Health, are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

Community Health Sciences Concentrations Heading link

The Community Health Practice and Methods concentration prepares public health practitioners and researchers to identify, explore, and address public health problems at the community level.  The concentration is earned as part of the MPH in Community Health Sciences degree.

This concentration prepares public health practitioners and researchers with strong public health and leadership skills with specialized content expertise in maternal and child health, addressing health inequities among women, children and families.  PhD students interested in focusing on Maternal and Child Health have some adaptations to the Community Health Sciences PhD requirements.

This concentration trains public health practitioners to carry out high-level analytic work, notably with state and local public health agencies.  Students gain background knowledge in reproductive/perinatal and pediatric epidemiology, and with the analytic and leadership skills necessary to enable them to engage in data based decision-making to promote the health of the maternal and child health population.

Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Concentrations Heading link

Learn more about the MPH in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences.

The Industrial Hygiene concentration aims to educate professionals with research skills and practical expertise at the masters and doctoral levels, ensuring they have the knowledge and skills needed to systematically solve occupational and environmental health problems.

This concentration can be pursued in the MPH and MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences programs.

This concentration, which is only for students in the Residency in Occupational Medicine, prepares public health practitioners with clinical experience to provide health care and preventive services to workers in their workplaces.

This concentration is pursued through the MPH in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences degree.

The concentration in Occupational Safety will provide students a solid foundation in the prevention of acute traumatic injury in the occupational setting, and will help prepare students for leadership and research positions.

This concentration can be pursued in the MPH, MS and PhD in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences programs.

The Water Quality and Health concentration is offered to students interested in chemical and microbial water contamination, the management of water quality, water monitoring regulation, and the impact of water pollutants on human health.

This concentration can be pursued in the MPH in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences program.

*NOTE: The Water Quality and Health MPH concentration is currently being eliminated pending UIC Board of Trustees approval and will not be accepting new students. Much of this coursework will continue to be offered as elective credits.

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Concentrations Heading link

Learn more about the Epidemiology MPH.

The Cancer Epidemiology concentration is intended to provide specialized training to enable MS students to:

  • describe and characterize the major known determinants of cancer
  • describe, locate, analyze and interpret existing data relevant to cancer
  • understand the strengths and weaknesses of alternative epidemiologic study designs in the context of cancer research
  • work within a multidisciplinary team to study behavioral, environmental, infectious, nutritional and/or genetic factors involved in cancer etiology.

Note:  these concentration are currently not accepting new students.

This concentration trains public health practitioners to carry out high-level analytic work, notably with state and local public health agencies.  Students gain background knowledge in reproductive/perinatal and pediatric epidemiology, and with the analytic and leadership skills necessary to enable them to engage in data based decision-making to promote the health of the maternal and child health population.

Trains graduates to be highly successful in conducting research and research related activities (e.g. surveillance, risk assessment and policymaking) in academia, government, not-for-profit organizations, and industry.  The program includes a required research field experience in which students will conduct research with outside governmental or non-governmental organizations. The field experience will provide trainees with an invaluable learning experience as they apply their classroom skills in the real world, apprenticing under the close mentorship of public health practitioners.

All applicants are eligible for traineeship funding.

Health Policy and Administration Concentrations Heading link

Learn more about the MPH in Health Policy and Administration.

The UIC School of Public Health offers the nation’s first 100 percent online masters programs in Public Health Informatics (PHI). The University is committed to the advancement of health and community health through the use of technology. In addition to acquiring detailed knowledge in health & public health informatics the curricula allow each student to develop competencies within particular areas of informatics such as: project management, web and mobile HI applications developments, spatial visualization techniques, surveillance systems development, big data, data mining, statistical and predictive analytics, health economics, network and communication systems management, knowledge management and standards development.

There are four program options within this concentration.