MPH Functional Certificate: Program Management at Boston University

Programme overview

16-unit MPH functional certificate preparing students to lead and manage public health programs in well-resourced and resource-constrained settings, covering leadership, partnerships, costs, strategic plans and quality improvement, with a global or domestic focus.

Faculty: School of Public Health | Duration: 16 units | Study mode: full-time | Location: Boston, MA, United States

What you will study

Required Financial Management for Health Programs, a program management course (Managing Public Health Programs and Projects or Health Program Management), one of Implementing Health Programs in Developing Countries, Human Resources Management in Public Health or Operations Management in Healthcare, and a 4-unit elective.

Career pathways

Graduates often work as program managers, project supervisors, country directors, consultants, technical advisors and monitoring and evaluation experts, at employers including the Boston Public Health Commission, state health departments, US CDC, USAID, WHO, hospitals, universities and NGOs.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

MPH (School of Public Health, program group): GRE not required or considered. Three letters of recommendation required (two needed to submit via SOPHAS). Statement of purpose required, addressing reasons for the MPH, why BUSPH, and planned use in public health practice. International applicants whose native language is not English: TOEFL iBT 100+ (taken before January 2026) or 5.0+ (taken January 2026 or later), TOEFL PBT 600+, or IELTS Academic 7.0 overall; scores valid two years; Duolingo not accepted; waivers apply in some cases. Deadlines Fall 2027: priority January 15, 2027; international final April 1, 2027; domestic final June 15, 2027. Spring 2027: priority October 15, 2026; international final October 15, 2026; domestic final December 15, 2026.

Requirements published at program group level.

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences master's programmes admit for Fall 2027; Spring 2027 entry is offered for selected programmes (Economics MS programmes, History of Art & Architecture MA, Preservation Studies MA, Online MS in Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence).

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Fall 2027 master's deadlines are mostly priority January 15 and final March 15 (African American & Black Diaspora Studies priority February 15, final March 15; Preservation Studies February 15; Sociology and History of Art & Architecture January 15). Spring 2027 deadlines for selected programmes are priority October 15 and final November 15. Applications are submitted through the online application; the GRE is required only for the Economics MS/MA programmes and the MS in Psychological & Brain Sciences.

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