Dr. Darline El Reda
Director of Master of Public Health Program
At Michigan State University, we are investing in the next generation of public health professionals while responding to the workforce needs informed by local health departments, private health sectors, and our alumni.” Dr. El Reda is an applied public health practitioner with nearly 20 years of experience working in both the public (i.e., city, county, and state health departments) and private sector (health insurance industry) in the United States. Dr. El Reda is an epidemiologist and alumni of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Epidemic Intelligence Service (2003-2005). She has published on a variety of topic areas, such as infectious disease outbreaks, maternal and child health, patient-centered medical homes, immunization, obesity, cancer, and menstrual health and hygiene. Dr. El Reda has extensive experience in the use of healthcare administrative claims data in the design, implementation, and evaluation of value-based care programs. Dr. El Reda joined the MPH program in 2012, as an assistant professor, teaching numerous courses such as Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Informatics, and Poverty before expanding her roles to associate director in 2023, and MPH program director in 2025.
Program Overview
The College of Human Medicine’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program is a pathway for forward-thinkers like you to establish a lifelong commitment to something bigger. As the world continues to evolve around us, so does the need for public health professionals who aim to mobilize change.
At Michigan State University, we offer three online public health concentrations that can be customized to your public health interests.
- Generalist
- Rural Public Health
- Public Health Data Management and Analytics
The online Generalist Concentration is a traditional MPH program that prepares students for the practice of public health in many different settings. With an emphasis on applied education and learning, courses provide students with knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform in a range of public health careers, including program and intervention design, implementation and evaluation, health promotion, disease prevention, and other community health roles.
The online Rural Public Health Concentration equips students with the skills and knowledge to work effectively as public health leaders and practitioners in rural communities, both locally and globally. With an emphasis on applied education and learning, students will gain an understanding of how unique social, cultural, political, and environmental characteristics of rural communities, as well as structural, systemic, and historical influences.
The online Public Health Data Management and Analytics Concentration equips students with the skills to use various public health and health care data sources for applied public health practice. A data equity framework is integrated into this concentration to ensure fairness and equality. Graduates of this concentration will access, manage, assess, analyze, and report findings from different data sources commonly used in public health, such as vital records, surveys, and surveillance, as well as health care delivery settings, such as administrative claims and electronic medical records.
All required courses and advising are online. Studies may be taken on a full-time or part-time basis.
Program Outcomes
Our program places you in the driver’s seat by providing you the flexibility, value and increased opportunity to engage in experience-based education. This program has been crafted with students in mind to ensure you’re on a path to immediate success within the public health-adjacent industry that you are most passionate about pursuing.
Root values
- Leadership
- Health equity
- Practical application coursework
- Practical methodology
- Practicum orientation
- Program evaluation and systematic review
- Use of public health information for enhancing communication
Career Outlook
Spartans in public health are working hard to protect the health of people and communities. These individuals enhance the quality of care available on a global scale by lending their passion for public health and educational experience to those in need.
Public health professionals are at the forefront of creating solutions to many of the world's immediate health-related issues. Here are some of the common areas public health professionals are focused on addressing today.
- Health equity
- Social determinants of health
- Community health
- Mental health
- Maternal and child health
- Reproductive and sexual health
- Health policy and management
- Health communication and promotion
- Climate change on human health
- Lead contamination
- Gun violence
- Substance abuse
- Nutrition
- Biostatistics
- Communicable disease
- Infectious disease
- Chronic disease
- Global health
Will you join in shaping a healthier tomorrow?
A Top-Ranked Education
- 29th among Best Public Universities in America — U.S. News & World Report, 2026
- Veteran-Friendly 'Gold Status' 10 Years in a Row — Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, 2025
- #51 in Graduate Public Health Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2026
Tuition & Fees per credit
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
$725 plus university fees
$725 plus university fees
Cost of Attendance
The university reserves the right to make changes in the types, structures, rates for fees, and tuition. Every effort will be made to give as much advance notice as possible. In addition to tuition and fees, there are other expenses associated with your Cost of Attendance. A breakdown of a graduate student budget can be found on the "Estimate Your Cost of Attendance" page.