MPH vs. SM

For every field of public health you’re interested in, there’s either a world leader here or someone who knows a world leader.

Jeremy Cygler, MPH ’24

Strong outcomes for MPH alumni

Alumni of our MPH programs succeed in a wide variety of high-impact roles, depending on their field of study.  

• They work for hospital systems such as Mass General Brigham or Memorial Sloan Kettering, often focused on systemic reforms to make care more affordable and accessible.  
• They join consulting firms such as McKinsey & Co., JSI, and Analysis Group, bringing a public health lens to urgent economic and public policy questions.  
• They lead state, local, and national public health agencies — including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  
• They are powerful advocates, program managers, and policy analysts working for public interest law firms, community groups, NGOs — such as the World Health Organization — and philanthropies — such as the Gates Foundation. 

They are entrepreneurs, often launching their own startups during their MPH studies in collaboration with faculty and peers. 

As a Harvard Chan School student, you will join this global network of public health leaders.

You’ll also be supported by our Office of Career and Professional Development. Our veteran career coaches will help you explore future paths and practice for interviews. You’ll meet employers and build connections at networking events.  

In our most recent alumni survey, from the Class of 2023, 96% of MPH-45 graduates and 99% of MPH-65 reported that they were either employed or continuing their education. Two-thirds of MPH-65 and three-quarters of MPH-45 graduates reported an annual salary over $70,000.

The Harvard alumni network doesn’t let you go. There will always be things that you can count on them for, no matter where you go. When you come to Harvard, you come to Harvard for basically a lifetime. 

Rohini Dutta, MPH ’25

Relevant courses.
Real-world impact. 

In both the MPH-45 and MPH-65 programs, you’ll select the field of study that fits your goals, from nutrition to health policy to clinical effectiveness to occupational and environmental health. Our innovative curriculum allows you to dive deep into the topics you find most interesting while building a strong foundation in core subjects such as epidemiology and biostatistics. 

In addition, many students choose to add an interdisciplinary concentration such as planetary health, maternal health, mental health, or infectious diseases. 

Learning the history of health policy in our country, along with key laws and regulations that protect human rights, gave me a sense of hope. I now understand how and where I can focus my efforts to help influence change.

Heather Soucy, MPH ’25

The practicum: Springboard to success 

The practicum experience, required for all MPH students, gives you an opportunity to apply your skills by completing a field work project under the guidance of a dedicated mentor. 

Our students travel the world for their practicum projects, working in hospitals and research labs, nonprofits and private companies, advocacy groups, government agencies, and more. Past projects have included: 

• Improving collection and analysis of data on the social issues affecting patients’ health at a pediatrics clinic. 
• Supporting a startup developing a digital platform to deliver culturally responsive mental health care and behavioral coaching. 
• Examining the links between immune cell infiltration and breast cancer to explore the benefits of treatments targeting macrophages. 
• Assessing the health benefits of removing gas appliances from low-income households and testifying about the results before state legislators. 
• Developing better engineering and administrative controls to minimize the risk of explosive decompressions in military fighter jets. 

Explore additional student projects and practicum sites. 

When I began my public health practicum in Kabale, Uganda, I packed two bags: one filled with essentials and another containing a deep desire to serve…  I did not go to Uganda with all the answers; I went to walk alongside others. In that journey, I found clarity, friendship, and hope.

Olabiyi Hezekiah Olaniran, MPH ’25

Dedicated mentors with deep experience

Our faculty are not just world-leading scientists. You’ll also learn from and work with professors of the practice who have served in highly visible roles, including New York State health commissioner, assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, lawyer in the European Court of Human Rights, and strategic consultant at the World Health Organization. 

Across all disciplines, our faculty are committed to high-quality teaching and mentoring.  

They’re here to support you, challenge you, and help you prepare for a successful future in public health. Your peers represent another group standing by to inspire, encourage, and help. 

In my classes, we had dieticians, physicians, and folks who have done work in community organizing, international organizations, and startups. I learned so much from just sitting down at lunch… I don’t know that I would have had that at other schools.

Momi Afelin, MPH ’23

Online and hybrid MPH options 

Looking for maximum flexibility?  

We offer two highly regarded MPH degree programs with asynchronous courses as well as live learning opportunities: A fully online MPH-45, which you can complete while working full-time, and a hybrid MPH-45 in Epidemiology. 

I am really impressed by the way the program is designed. The hybrid structure maximizes your learning while also making the journey truly enjoyable…This is one of the many reasons I chose this program. Even though we spent a relatively short period of time together in person, the experience was truly bonding.

Nasim Motayar, MPH-Epi ’25

“The first time I met [my adviser], I remember clearly that he told me, ‘Flora, we have enough problems. What we need now are solutions.’ His words gave me a really grand goal for the two years I have spent here at Harvard.

Flora Jiaxuan Xu, SM ’23

Strong outcomes for SM alumni

Across all our SM programs, 91% of graduates reported that they were employed or continuing their education in the most recent alumni survey, from the Class of 2023. Three-quarters of them reported salaries of at least $80,000 a year. 

Recent SM graduates hold titles such as: 

SM graduates succeed in a wide variety of fields: 

• They advance the discovery and testing of breakthrough therapeutics for pharma companies such as Eli Lilly, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, and Novo Nordisk. 
• They support clinical trials of next-generation medicines at hospitals such as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 
• They conduct rigorous research to solve pressing public policy questions for consultancies such as Analysis Group and McKinsey & Co. 
• They expand access to affordable care by leveraging data analysis to enhance health care delivery for Veteran’s Administration medical centers, hospitals, and insurers. 
• They serve the public with critical research-focused roles in government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency. 

They push forward innovative science in academic labs, through doctoral programs, postdoctoral fellowships, and faculty positions. 

As a Harvard Chan student, you will join this global network of 16,000+ alumni in leadership roles in public health.

Whatever your chosen field, you’ll also benefit from excellent support in our Office of Career and Professional Development. Our veteran career coaches will help you explore future paths and practice for interviews. You’ll meet employers at job fairs and build connections at networking events.  

It’s inspiring to be surrounded by peers who are driving change globally.

Disha Ganjegunte, SM ’25

Courses that translate into career success

As an SM applicant, you can choose from several fields of study, including biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, global health, health data science, and computational biology and quantitative genetics. 

In addition, many students choose to add an interdisciplinary concentration such as planetary health, maternal health, mental health, or infectious diseases. 

Required courses vary by degree program; they are designed to build competencies in fields such as statistical analysis and epidemiological methods. Electives allow students to dive into areas of personal interest, from environmental justice to cancer genomics to artificial intelligence to health policy economics. 

One of the best aspects of the program was the core curriculum… I now better understand the strengths and limitations of other people’s research—and, critically, my own.

Mostafa Al-Alusi, SM ’24

Mentors who matter

Many of our SM programs require students to complete a thesis, under the guidance of a Harvard Chan School faculty advisor who is committed to effective mentoring. 

The thesis requirement allows you to apply the skills you’ve learned in their classes to a real-world public health challenge in a field you’re passionate about. It also helps you deepen relationships with advisers who can help you think through your path forward — both in school and beyond. 

Among our faculty: Pioneering scientists who have developed new methodologies and made transformative discoveries in fields including infectious disease, immunology, cancer biology, quantitative genomics, epidemiology, and more.  

All committed to helping you succeed. 

I reached out to [my adviser] to sit down and talk about what my academic timeline looked like, anticipating a quick 15-minute meeting. An hour later, I left her office feeling like she really had an investment in my future… feeling that this is a person I can call my mentor.

Peyton Riley Smith, SM ’25

Build a truly global network

Our SM students come from dozens of countries around the world, and our alumni network is vast and influential. 

Students often say they’re surprised at how much they learn beyond the foundational skills in their field of study — from electives, the rich array of extracurricular activities at Harvard Chan School, their engagement with the broader Harvard ecosystem, and of course, their peers. 

Take some classes outside of your specific career goals and make the most of the amazing diversity of courses available to you. Get to know your classmates—Harvard is filled with students who bring an incredible diversity of perspectives and backgrounds. They will challenge you to think critically and embrace new ideas.

Irfan Chaudhuri, SM ‘24