• University Storm Recovery Updates

    UPDATE: Friday, Oct. 4, 5:30 p.m.
    We hope this update finds you safe and well as we continue to recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene. We understand that the aftermath of this storm is challenging, and we want to express our sincere care and concern for those who are still experiencing hardships. As we move forward, we are committed to prioritizing the well-being of our students, faculty and staff during this process.

    Visit our university storm recovery updates page for the latest update.

    University Storm Recovery Updates

Promote & Engage in Lasting Change

Public Health, MPH


The world needs people like you to make a difference in the health and sustainability of your community. At Lenoir-Rhyne, we want to help you enhance wellness at all levels.

Lenoir-Rhyne’s MPH program is one of five CEPH-accredited programs in North Carolina and is the only private university in the state with a fully accredited MPH program.

After completing 42-credit hours with a concentration in community health, you will be able to promote lasting change in the population as you transform the lives of others. Our graduates serve in a variety of public health fields, including public health research, policy or practice, health education, clinical medicine and the academic setting.

Lenoir-Rhyne’s MPH program will provide you with the education and experience needed to become a leader in the public health field.

  • 100% online
  • Community health concentration
  • Extensive field experience opportunities
  • Take classes at your own pace, part-time or full-time
  • GRE/MAT waiver possible
  • Quick admission decision
  • Nationally-accredited

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Take the next step toward completing your Master of Public Health degree at Lenoir-Rhyne University.

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Take the next step toward completing your Master of Public Health degree at Lenoir-Rhyne University.

Take the next step toward completing your Master of Public Health degree at Lenoir-Rhyne University.

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Influence Healthier Communities


Public health is an exciting and growing field of study where individuals work to protect and improve the health of communities and populations through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles and sustained environmental changes through assessing and monitoring health, developing policy and assuring society has access to appropriate and cost-effective care.

Public health professionals analyze the effects on health of genetics, personal choice and the environment in order to develop programs designed to enhance individual and community health at the local, national, and//or international levels. The profession is necessarily interdisciplinary by nature: public health professionals are found in education, journalism and mass communication, research, business, environmental science, nursing, social work, laboratory science, law and many other areas.

Courtney Brown

The MPH program helped me feel confident and comfortable pursuing different options in my field. Getting your MPH will help you look at the world in a different way, no matter what industry you’re in.

Courtney Brown MPH'18

Program Highlights

  • Curriculum & Applied Learning

    You will complete courses and applied-learning experiences related to biostatistics, epidemiology, health-program planning, health administration, policy implementation and evaluation, environmental health, health communication and informatics, diversity and research methodologies, among others.

  • Focus on Health Assessment

    Through seminar settings and other educational experiences focused on close mentoring and collaborative learning models, you develop the necessary competencies to become a successful professional. Special focus is given to health assessment with local, regional, and global comparisons; health policy and programs for improving health status; and change leadership for better health and wellness.

  • Program Accreditation

    The Master of Public Health degree requires 42-credit hours for graduation. As such, it aligns with the accreditation standards set forth by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Accreditation standards set expectations about essential elements for educational quality. They are created through a consensus process that calls for input from educators, students, practitioners, regulators and the general public.

Degree Requirements

Offered Online

The Master of Public Health (MPH) is housed in the School of Health, Exercise and Sport Science in the College of Health Sciences. The MPH is designed as an interdisciplinary program that focuses on:

  1. Health assessment with local, regional and global comparisons.
  2. Health policy and programs for improving health status.
  3. Change leadership for better health and wellness.

These program objectives reflect the university's commitment to building a sense of community and promoting responsible leadership and service to the world.

Dual/Exemption Credits

Lenoir-Rhyne University students who successfully complete the course work for the Dietetic Internship will receive 9 elective credit hours toward the MPH degree requirements.

Program Requirements

The MPH will require 42 credit hours for graduation and align with the accreditation standards set forth by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). CEPH requires programs in public health include the following core areas of public health knowledge: Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health Science, Health Services Administration, and Social and Behavioral Science.

Admission Requirements

Candidates for admission to the Master of Public Health (MPH) program must meet the following criteria:

  1. Submit official transcripts from all colleges attended demonstrating successful or pending completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Minimum cumulative GPA is a 2.7.
  2. Submit an official copy of either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the GRE (unless Career Admission Track applies). Minimum MAT score is a 390; minimum GRE scores are Verbal 147, Quantitative 147 and Analytical Writing 3.5.
  3. If Career Admission Track applies, or if the applicant meets one of the other criteria for waiving the standardized test score, submit one letter of professional recommendation through the online application.
  4. Submit a writing sample clearly articulating goals and life experiences that have impacted the student's decision to pursue a graduate degree in Public Health.
  5. Submit a CV or Resume.
  6. Be available for an interview upon request.
  7. The admissions committee determines admissions decisions based on the whole application and reserves the right to admit, provisionally admit, waitlist or deny applicants on this policy.

News & Events

Utility crew cleaning up and repair electric lines near Hickory campus

A message from University President Dr. Fred Whitt expressing LR's deepest gratitude for the incredible resilience, flexibility and positivity you've all demonstrated during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

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Red LR banners along a campus sidewalk

Lenoir-Rhyne is seeking input from the entire college community as it begins its search for a new president. The university will host a series of listening sessions where students, faculty and staff can share their thoughts and priorities for the future of the institution.

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