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School of Public and Community Health Sciences

Craig Molgaard, Professor and Chair

Accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in 2012, the School of Public and Community Health Sciences is a multi-disciplinary program that offers the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree and a graduate Certificate of Public Health (C.P.H.).  The program is designed to prepare public health practitioners who will use global insight to improve the health of the people of Montana and other rural areas.  Predominantly on-line, web-based instruction allows both traditional students and working professionals to pursue a degree or certificate.  

Special Degree Requirements

For the M.P.H. degree, all students must successfully complete 42 graduate credits, including 36 required core credits and 6 elective credits. The following core courses are required:

  • PUBH 510 Introduction to Epidemiology or PUBH 511 History and Theory of Epidemiology
  • PUBH 520 Fundamentals of Biostatistics
  • PUBH 530 Administration and Management in the U.S. Health Care System
  • PUBH 535 Health Policy
  • PUBH 540 Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health
  • PUBH 550 Program Evaluation and Research Methods
  • PUBH 560 Environmental and Rural Health
  • PUBH 570 Ethical Issues in Public Health
  • PUBH 580 Rural Health Issues in a Global Context
  • PUBH 591 Practicum
  • PUBH 593 Professional Portfolio
  • PUBH 599 Professional Paper

M.P.H. students may take 6 or more elective credits of courses offered from the School of Public and Community Health Sciences or from other departments in order to create a plan of study that tailors the learning experience to the needs of the student. PUBH elective courses include:

  • PUBH 511 History and Theory of Epidemiology
  • PUBH 512 Neuroepidemiology
  • PUBH 515 Public Health Genetics
  • PUBH 521 Leadership in Public Health
  • PUBH 525 Native American Public Health
  • PUBH 595 Special Topics
  • PUBH 596 Independent Study
  • PUBH 597 Research

For the Certificate of Public Health, students must complete any 12 pre-approved credits from the above list of core courses. Approval of a specific 12 credit program is part of the Certificate of Public Health admission process.

Courses

Public Health (PUBH) - Course Descriptions

R- before the course description indicates the course may be repeated for credit to the maximum indicated after the R. Credits beyond this maximum do not count toward a degree.

510, 511, 512, 515, 520, 521, 525, 530, 535, 540, 550, 560, 570, 580, 591, 593, 595, 596, 597, 599

Faculty

Public Health Core Faculty

Annjeanette Belcourt-Dittloff, Ph.D., The University of Montana, 2006 (Pharmacy Practice and School of Public and Community Health Sciences)

Amanda L. Golbeck, Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 1983 (Biostatistics); M.A., University of California at Berkeley, 1979 (Statistics); M.A., University of California at Berkeley, 1977 (Anthropology)

Kari Harris, Ph.D., The University of Kansas, 1998 (Behavioral Psychology); M.P.H., The University of Kansas School of Medicine, 1997; M.S., Central Washington University, 1992 (Organizational Development)

Craig Molgaard, Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 1979 (Anthropology/Health and Medical Sciences); M.P.H. University of California at Berkeley, 1982 (Epidemiology); M.A., University of California at Berkeley, 1976 (Anthropology) (Chair)

Tony Ward, Ph.D., The University of Montana, 2001 (Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and School of Public and Community Health Sciences) 

MPH Program Faculty

Professors

Jean T. Carter, Ph.D., The University of Arizona, 1997; Pharm.D., The University of Arizona, 1993 (Pharmacy Practice)

Janet L. Finn, Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1995 (Social Work and Anthropology)

Peter Koehn, Ph.D., University of Colorado, 1973 (Political Science)

Willard O. Granath, Ph.D., Wake Forest University, 1982 (Biological Sciences)

Jan LaBonty, Ph.D., University of Nebraska, 1987; M.Ed., Northern Montana College, 1983 (Curriculum and Instruction)

Kimber Haddix McKay, Ph.D., University of California at Davis, 1998 (Anthropology)

Gilbert Quintero, Ph.D., University of Arizona, 1998 (Anthropology)

Robin Saha, Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2002 (Environmental Studies)

Tom Seekins, Ph.D. University of Kansas, 1983 (Department of Psychology and the Rural Institute)

K. Ann Sondag, Ph.D., Southern Illinois, Carbondale, 1988 (Health and Human Performance)

Kay Unger, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, 1974 ( Department of Economics)

Associate Professors

Duncan Campbell, Ph.D., Washington State University, 2003 (Psychology)

Bryan Cochran, Ph.D., University of Washington, 2003 (Psychology)

Curtis Noonan, Ph.D., Colorado State University, 2000 (Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy Practice)

Elizabeth Putnam, Ph.D., University of Texas-Houston, 1989 (Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences)

Assistant Professors

Ranjan Shrestha, Ph.D., Ohio State University, 2007 (Department of Economics)

Adjunct Faculty

Kathryn Fox, M.P.H., University of Montana, 2013,  J.D. Indiana University School of Law, 2006

Julie Stevens, M.P.H., University of Montana, 2012

Research Associate Professors

Ann Cook, Ph.D., The University of Montana, 2001 (Research, Psychology)

Kathleen Humphries, Ph.D., The University of California at Davis, 1995 (Rural Institute)

Meg Ann Traci, Ph.D., The University of Montana, 2000 (Rural Institute)

Lawrence L. White, M.H.A., St. Louis University, 1970 (Western Montana Area Health Education Center and School of Public and Community Health Sciences)

Project and Research Directors

Rosemary Hughes, Ph.D., University of Houston, 1989 (Rural Institute)

Craig H. Ravesloot, Ph.D., University of Montana, 1995 (Rural Institute)

School of Public and Community Health Sciences Faculty Affiliates

Elizabeth Ciemins, Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 2003; M.P.H., University of California at Los Angeles, 1994 (Research Director, Center for Clinical Translation Research, Billings Clinic)

Marcia Ciol, Ph.D., University of Washington – Seattle, 1991; M.S. University of Washington – Seattle, 1987; M.S. Universidade Estadual de Campinas – Brazil, 1982; (Research Associate Professor, University of Washington – Seattle, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine)

Leslie Deck, M.P.A., The University of Montana, 2009; C.H.E.S., National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, 2004 (Program Coordinator, Tobacco Use Prevention, Flathead City-County Health Department, Health Promotion Specialist, Summit Medical Fitness Center)

John Felton, M.P.H., The University of Montana, 2010, M.B.A., University of Cincinnati, (Executive Vic President - Operations, RiverStone Health, Billings)

Lawrence Edward Frisch, M.D., Harvard Medical School, 1971; M.P.H. University of Washington, 1995 (Associate Professor, Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine and Pharmacy; Executive Medical Director for Patient Safety and Quality, Vancouver Island Health Authority, British Columbia, Canada)

Suzanne Reid Hawley, Ph.D., Loma Linda University, 2002; M.P.H., Loma Linda University, 1999 (Professor and Chair, Wichita State University, Department of Public Health Sciences) and MPH Program Director, University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

Steven D. Helgerson, M.D., University of Washington School of Medicine, 1973; M.P.H., University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine (State Medical Officer, Montana Department of Health and Human Services)

Billie Jo Kipp, Ph.D., University of Montana, 2005; M.A., University of Montana, 2000; (President, Blackfeet Community College)

Cindi Laukes, M.A., University of Iowa, 1990 (Clinical Research Director, Montana Neuroscience Institute, Clinical Research Manager, Montana Cancer Institute)

Joanne Oreskovich, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2001 (Director/Epidemiologist, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Montana D.P.H.H.S.)

Lolem Ngong, M.P.H., University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, 2001 (PEPFAR Country Coordinator for the Democratic Republic of Congo, USAID)

Greg Oliver, M.S., The University of Montana, 1989 (Director Health Promotion Division, Missoula City-County Health Department)

Angelia Paschal, Ph.D., Kent State University, 2003; M.Ed., University of Mississippi, 1992 (Associate Professor, University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, Department of Health Science, University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health)

Tom G. Schwann, Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 1983 (Chief and Senior Investigator, Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.)

Registrar's Office

Lommasson Center 201

Phone: (406) 243-2995

Fax: (406) 243-4807