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CUNY SPH: CHOOSING A GRADUATE PROGRAM
CUNY SPH · Choosing a Graduate Program
Which Public Health Graduate Degree Is Right for Me?
You know you want to work in public health. The harder question is which degree actually gets you where you want to go, an MPH, MS, and half a dozen concentration names don't make that obvious.
Choose your concentration based on the work you want to do, then let that decide MPH vs. MS. Want a broad, practice-ready credential for management, policy, or community work? Go MPH. Want to go deep on quantitative or technical methods? A focused MS is often the better fit.
Quick answer
Find the right public health program in minutes
Not sure where to start? Compare MPH vs. MS below to understand which degree type fits your goals, then browse by program or by concentration to see where your interests land.
The core decision
MPH vs. MS: what's actually different?
| Factor | MPH | MS |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | Professional / practice-focused | Technical or research-focused |
| Breadth | Broad core plus a concentration | Narrower, deeper in one domain |
| Applied component | Fieldwork plus an applied capstone | Often a thesis or technical portfolio |
| Good fit if you… | Want a versatile credential, or plan to lead programs and teams | Know your technical lane and want to go deep, or plan a research career |
There's no wrong door. Plenty of MPH grads end up in technical roles, and plenty of MS grads move into management. The degree sets your starting point, not your ceiling.
By Program
Which program may fit you best?
| Program | Best for | Common careers | Quant. |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPHEpidemiology & Biostatistics | Pattern-finders who like data with a public-health question attached | Epidemiologist, biostatistician, surveillance analyst | High |
| MPHHealth Policy & Management | Future administrators, planners, policy analysts | Program manager, policy analyst, health system administrator | Low–Medium |
| MPHCommunity Health & Social Sciences | People-first students who want direct community impact | Health educator, community program coordinator, outreach director | Low–Medium |
| MPHEnvironmental & Occupational Health Sciences | Students interested in how environmental and workplace hazards impact health | Environmental health specialist, industrial hygienist, safety officer | Medium–High |
| MPHPublic Health Nutrition | Students focused on food, diet, and population nutrition | Nutrition program manager, community nutrition specialist | Medium |
| MPHSexual & Reproductive Justice & Health | Justice-oriented students focused on reproductive health equity | Policy analyst, advocacy program lead | Low–Medium |
| MSEnvironmental & Occupational Health Sciences | Technical/lab-oriented students wanting a concentrated track | Industrial hygienist, environmental scientist | Medium–High |
| MSPublic Health Data Science | Highly technical students combining epi/biostats with machine learning | Public health data scientist, computational epidemiology analyst | High |
| MSPopulation Health Informatics | Students interested in using data and technology to improve population health | Health informatics analyst, data analyst | High |
By concentration
Which specialization fits your interests?
Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Disease patterns, outbreak investigation, and statistical study design. Offered as an MPH concentration, and as the home department for two technical MS programs: MS in Public Health Data Science (epidemiology and biostatistics combined with machine learning and bioinformatics) and MS in Population Health Informatics (data systems and health technology).
Health Policy & Management
Health system financing, program budgets, and policy analysis. Offered as an MPH concentration.
Community Health & Social Sciences
Program design, health behavior, and community partnerships. Offered as an MPH concentration.
Sexual & Reproductive Justice & Health
A newer MPH concentration (beginning January 2026), housed in the same department as Community Health & Social Sciences and developed with the CUNY SPH Sexual and Reproductive Justice Hub.
Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences
Exposure assessment, industrial hygiene, and regulatory compliance. Offered as both an MPH concentration and a separate MS program.
Public Health Nutrition
Food systems and population-level nutrition programs. Offered as an MPH concentration.
Still deciding?
Take the quiz to find your best options
A starting point, not a verdict
Which public health path sounds most like you?
A quick, informal self-check, not a validated assessment.
Directional only, and doesn’t replace reading the concentrations above or talking with an admissions advisor.
The honest version
Career and salary perspective
Public health pay varies by industry, geography, experience, degree level, technical skills, and employer type. A health department, a hospital system, and a consulting firm can pay very differently for similar work.
Check real numbers instead of generic charts: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, NYS Department of Labor data, and published government job classifications.
Beyond the diploma
What employers actually care about
The degree title opens the door. These matter more once you’re in the room:
- Analytical skills and comfort with statistical software (R, SAS, SPSS, Stata)
- Data visualization and communicating findings to non-specialists
- Internships and fieldwork: real placements, not just coursework
- Policy analysis and project management: running something start to finish
- Networking built during fieldwork, since many roles are filled through connections
Before you apply anywhere
Questions to ask before choosing a program
- What jobs do graduates of this concentration actually get?
- Are internships built into the curriculum?
- What software or tools will I learn to use?
- How flexible is the schedule: evening, part-time, online?
- What’s the total cost of attendance, not just tuition per credit?
Talk to admissions
- Text: (646) 664-1366
- Phone: (646) 664-8355
- Email: admissions@sph.cuny.edu
- Chat with us 1-on-1: Book a meeting with an admissions counselor
About CUNY SPH
The CUNY SPH Advantage
- Practical, not just theoretical. Every program builds in supervised fieldwork and a capstone project. You graduate having already done the work, not just studied it.
- Faculty shaping the field, not just teaching it. You’re learning from researchers actively publishing and running studies that influence public health practice and policy.
- Global reach, rooted in NYC. Faculty and students lead public health research and projects across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, while your home base puts you inside one of the largest public health job markets in the country.
- Real financial support. Scholarships and financial aid designed for graduate students, so the degree is built around what you can sustain, not just what you can afford up front.
- Built around your life. Most programs offer evening, part-time, and fully online formats. You don’t have to pause your career to earn the degree.
Degrees & Programs
Explore the full lineup View all →
Master’s ProgramsMPH and MS concentrations building the technical skills essential to public health practice.
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Doctoral ProgramsPhD study with an interdisciplinary foundation in public health and related fields.
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Certificate ProgramsFocused credentials for students and working professionals in public health.
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CUNY SPH OnlineMany programs are fully online, so you can learn from anywhere.
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Accelerated Pathways
One-Year MPHThe full MPH, completed in a condensed, full-time year instead of the standard two.
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4+1 Accelerated PathwayLets current CUNY undergraduates start MPH coursework before finishing their bachelor’s degree.
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Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between an MPH and an MS in public health?
An MPH is a professional, practice-oriented degree with a broad core, a concentration, fieldwork, and a capstone. An MS is narrower and more technical or research-focused. Most students headed toward management, policy, or community health choose the MPH; those focused on advanced quantitative work often choose the MS.
Which public health degree is best for someone who likes data and statistics?
The MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics or the MS in Population Health Informatics both fit, leading toward roles like epidemiologist, biostatistician, or data analyst.
Do I need a science background to get an MPH?
No. MPH programs admit students from a wide range of majors, and generally build statistics skills rather than assuming you already have them.
Should I get an MPH before or instead of a doctorate?
Most public health careers don’t require one. A doctorate makes more sense later, for research or senior technical leadership, often after gaining work experience.
Next step
Ready to move forward?
Check what each program requires, or start your application whenever you’re ready.