Online Programs
Our fully online degree programs give you all the advantages of a Harvard education — and the flexibility to pursue your studies from anywhere in the world.
Two rigorous online programs
Master of Public Health and Master of Science
We offer two online master’s programs that give you all the advantages of a Harvard education with the flexibility of virtual classrooms:
- World-class faculty with deep expertise in public health research and practice
- Outstanding teaching and mentoring
- A comprehensive curriculum
- Hands-on learning
- A close-knit cohort of fellow students who enrich classroom discussions with their diverse experiences and knowledge.
Both programs are built around online, asynchronous courses that you can complete on your own schedule. Both also create frequent opportunities to connect with faculty, mentors, and students in real time, so you can build meaningful connections.
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Powerful alumni network
And both connect you to our amazing alumni network: 16,000+ alumni working in high-impact public health roles at top employers including the Gates Foundation, the World Bank, Merck, Anderson Cancer Center, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Google, the National Health Law Program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and public health agencies around the world.
Gain the tools you need to create real change with Harvard’s online public health degrees.
Master of Public Health Generalist
Launchpad to leadership
The MPH Generalist degree is a two-year, part-time program for professionals who have either a bachelor’s degree plus five years of relevant work experience or a prior master’s or doctoral degree.
It was interactive despite being online. I could still form meaningful connections with peers in the program and with professors, which I did not expect.
Zara Michael, MPH Generalist ’23
Courses with real-world relevance
Required courses cover topics including biostatistics, epidemiology, health justice, ethics, emergency response, and narrative leadership.
In the second year, you can pick from electives including investigating outbreaks, implementation science, organizational behavior, survey research methods, and health economics.
As part of a tight-knit, global cohort, you’ll learn from discussions with peers who bring a wide array of experiences and insights into the classroom.
Students can take the learnings from the virtual classroom and try them out in their workplaces in real time. They can also bring real challenges to the classroom for discussion.
Anne Occhipinti, assistant dean for professional education
Hands-on experience with faculty mentorship
As an MPH-GEN student, you’ll complete a practicum under faculty mentorship, applying your skills to practical challenges in areas of personal interest.
Our faculty include world-leading researchers as well as professors of practice who have served in high-impact 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.
They are here to help you develop a meaningful project and complete it successfully.
These field experiences can be springboards to new career opportunities and leadership roles.
This degree has helped in every part of my career. It has changed my worldview.
Susan Dusenbery, MPH Generalist ’24
From practicum project to National Security Council briefing —
and beyond
Three students in the MPH-GEN Class of 2024 conducted a multidisciplinary analysis of the public health risk that a U.S. ally might face during a geopolitical crisis, developed recommendations for improving preparedness—and were invited to present their findings to officials at the U.S. State Department and the National Security Council in Washington, D.C.
Ultan McCaffrey, MPH ’25, a onetime aspiring astronaut, devoted his practicum to studying a common health hazard for astronauts—and then recognized that the tools he developed could also have useful applications for preventing dementia in geriatric patients.
Online Master of Science
The path to a high-impact research career
Our new Online Master of Science degree is a two-year program designed to teach rigorous quantitative research and analysis skills — prerequisites for many successful careers in the biotech and pharma industries, hospitals and health care systems, and academia.
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, but do not need work experience.
Innovative format puts your new skills to quick use
As an Online SM student, you’ll benefit from an innovative format: Full-time classes during the first year and a part-time schedule the second year.
Studying full-time in the first year gives you the time and space to work through an expansive quantitative curriculum, gaining crucial foundational skills while building connections with faculty, mentors, and peers.
In the second year, you can put your new skills to immediate use by working part-time while finishing your degree.
Relevant courses and dedicated mentorship
Required courses cover core principles of data science, epidemiology methods, scientific integrity, and writing scientific literature, as well as topics such as leadership and communication.
As an SM Online student, you’ll also complete a thesis under the guidance of Harvard Chan faculty, deepening your learning and building relationships that will expand your networks.
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.
They take teaching and mentoring seriously; they’re here to challenge you, support you, and open doors for you.
A track record of successful online education
Harvard Chan School faculty have deep experience in effective online education through the MPH Generalist program and have applied those lessons to build an engaging Online SM curriculum, building in plenty of opportunities for students to connect with mentors and peers.
The openness and willingness of the instructors to take the time to really connect with us…was incredible.
Kasey Pomeroy, MPH Generalist ’24