Master of Public Health | (Parks and Recreation)
Master of Public Health
The parks and recreation movement in the United States has held within its core values the protection of open spaces and healthy recreational activity as a means of promoting the health and well-being of the public and enhancing social justice.
The IU Online Master of Public Health in Parks and Recreation explores the linkages between recreation and public health, while teaching administrative and leadership skills for developing, delivering, and administering recreational programs with public health outcomes in mind. As a student in this program, you master competencies in core areas of public health including epidemiology, biostatistics, social and behavioral sciences, environmental health, and health policy and management.
The IU Online MPH in Parks and Recreation prepares you to work within the parks, recreation, and leisure delivery systems in both the built and natural environment to promote the health of the public, in such careers as:
- Park agency director
- Program coordinator
- Municipal park superintendent
- Proprietor of private recreation operations
- State park program director
- Local health department associate
- Health and human services agent
- Health department personnel
Degree Requirements
To graduate with the MPH in Parks and Recreation, you must complete a minimum of 44 credit hours. The MPH in Parks and Recreation is a non-thesis degree, but does require a 3 credit hour field experience of practical application of public health principles under the supervision of a qualified preceptor. As a part-time student (two courses per semester), you can complete the degree in four years. In addition to the core curriculum, you complete graduate certificate coursework in one of three areas: gerontology and health, sexual and reproductive health, or safety management.
Requirements are broken down as follows:
- MPH core courses (20 credit hours)
- Parks and recreation core concentration courses (12 credit hours)
- Additional core graduate certificate courses (12-15 credit hours)