Building Healthier Communities: Inside East Texas A&M’s Master of Public Health Program

How real-world experience and student-driven learning shape tomorrow's public health leaders.

When most people think of careers in healthcare, images of doctors, nurses and medical technicians often come to mind. But behind the scenes of every hospital, health campaign and disease prevention effort are public health professionals working to improve outcomes on a much larger scale.

At East Texas A&M University, the Master of Public Health (MPH) program—offered as a hybrid program and in-person at the East Texas A&M-Dallas campus—prepares students to become an essential changemaker who addresses the root causes of health disparities, design evidence-based policy and lead initiatives impacting communities.

We spoke with Dr. Elizabeth Wachira, associate professor and coordinator of the MPH program, to learn more about what sets East Texas A&M apart and how students can turn their passion for public service into a fulfilling career in public health.

Explain what the public health field is.

Public health is everything that impacts us as a community. It includes our relationships, the environment, access to services and everything that affects the well-being of people around us. In public health, our “patient” isn't one person; it's the entire community. That can mean people in hospitals, schools, workplaces or even places of worship.

It's a broad field, which makes it both challenging and rewarding. We focus on keeping environments healthy, supporting mental well-being and improving systems that shape people's lives. Students who come into public health usually want two things: to work with people and to make a real difference. In this field, we teach them everything from disease prevention and patient support to how to influence policy, law and access to care.

What makes the East Texas A&M MPH program unique compared to others?

One of the most unique aspects of our MPH program is that every class includes a hands-on project tied to real-world public health work. Whether it's writing policy briefs, creating digital health education content or giving presentations, students get to try out different areas of public health early and often. That experience helps them figure out what they enjoy—and what they don't—before they graduate.

By the end of the program, students know how to write and evaluate public health programs, plan research studies, and communicate effectively through professional presentations and research posters. All of that directly translates to their résumés. In fact, we design assignments with that in mind. Students leave class with work they can immediately showcase to potential employers.

Another standout feature is our annual Public Health Showcase in Dallas. We bring in professionals from across the region to meet with students, share real-world advice and offer Q&As about job hunting, career paths and workplace challenges. We also partner with the Office of Student Career Preparedness to provide résumé reviews, LinkedIn guidance and interview prep, all embedded into the curriculum.

Thanks to our small class sizes, we're able to offer one-on-one faculty support. If students are struggling with a topic or assignment, we can jump on a Zoom call or meet in person to talk it through. That kind of personalized attention really helps students succeed.

Are students expected to have any prerequisite skills or certain undergraduate degrees when entering the program?

No, there's no specific degree or skillset required to enter the program. One of the strengths of public health is that it's interdisciplinary. Students come in with a variety of academic and personal backgrounds, and both types of experience add value to what they learn here.

The curriculum is designed to build foundational knowledge from the start. In the first semester, students learn the basics—what public health is, how we use data to make decisions and how to apply evidence-based practices. From there, they begin tailoring their learning to their interests. For example, if someone is passionate about cancer prevention, they can explore that topic across biostatistics, policy or health education.

We also encourage students to connect what they're learning with their lived experiences. Someone who grew up in an underserved neighborhood might already understand the impact of limited access to safe public spaces or healthcare. That real-world insight is powerful in public health, and we teach students how to turn it into action.

Ultimately, students are guided to find their place in public health, to discover the role and focus that speaks to them and allows them to make a meaningful impact.

How does the internship portion of the program work?

The internship is where students apply what they’ve learned in a real-world setting. It's a required part of the program, and it's tailored to each student's interests and career goals. If a student wants to work in biostatistics, they'll find an internship that involves handling and analyzing health data. If they're more interested in community outreach, they might work with organizations that focus on health education, like promoting vaccine safety or sun protection.

Internships can happen almost anywhere—even globally—because public health applies at every level. Some students intern at traditional sites like health departments or community clinics. Others work in more specialized environments. One student, for example, interned with a church-run kitchen that serves the homeless and partners with healthcare providers. Another worked at the YMCA, teaching kids about healthy habits like staying active and avoiding tobacco. We’ve also had students intern with organizations like Friends of the Family, creating educational resources for survivors of domestic violence.

Ultimately, the internship is about finding a setting where students can contribute meaningfully while gaining experience in the area of public health that matters most to them.

What's a course or project in the program that tends to surprise or inspire students the most?

Two come to mind. One is a course focused on culture and health, where students are required to immerse themselves in a cultural experience very different from their own. It might be a three-hour event in another language, or a community gathering where they feel like the outsider. The point is to help them feel what it's like to be different, so they can develop empathy for people navigating unfamiliar systems, like patients in a hospital.

That experience often makes a big impact. Students walk away with a deeper understanding of how culture shapes our beliefs about health and how being welcoming and respectful can make someone more likely to return for care. In public health, emotional intelligence matters as much as technical skill.

The other course is Program Planning and Evaluation. In that class, students choose a health topic and build a full program around it, from community research to final design. They don't just assume what people need; they engage with the community through interviews, focus groups and local gatekeepers. That helps them see how things like safety, timing and social dynamics affect participation.

It's an eye-opener. Students learn that you can't just drop a program into a neighborhood and expect success. You have to listen first, then adapt to the social fabric and design something people will truly connect with.

What career paths do most MPH graduates pursue?

That really depends on two things—what population you want to work with and what skills you enjoy using. For example, someone who wants to work with children might focus on injury prevention or health education in schools. If you’re more interested in older adults, you might focus on managing chronic conditions like diabetes.

Public health is incredibly broad, and so are the careers. Generally, we talk about five main pillars. Some graduates go into biostatistics, analyzing health data to guide decisions and policies. Others become epidemiologists—the investigators who study how social and environmental factors impact health. Like scientists who tracked down the first COVID-19 cases and helped manage the outbreak.

Then there’s health policy and management. These graduates may go into healthcare leadership or work on policies that improve safety—like laws requiring car seats or seat belts. Another path is health education and promotion. These professionals work directly in communities to teach, build trust, and create programs that improve health outcomes.

In public health, we don't hand out medicine—we design solutions. And with the wide range of skills and populations you can work with, there's room for students who love data, technology, innovation or community outreach.

If you could give incoming students one piece of advice to make the most of their MPH journey, what would it be?

Get involved right away. Find something in your community that connects to public health, and each semester, take what you’re learning in class and apply it there. If you learn how to create infographics, use that skill to educate your community—whether that's your family, church, workplace or a local organization.

This kind of hands-on experience helps students figure out what they’re passionate about, what they're good at, and it builds confidence. When you graduate, you won’t just have a degree—you'll have a résumé full of real-world impact. And even more powerful than what you say about yourself is when someone else can vouch for the work you've done.

It also deepens your learning. When you teach others, you understand the material more fully. It's a return on your investment. So don't keep your public health knowledge in the classroom. Share it. Post about cancer awareness or radon testing in your group chats. Talk about vaccine safety with your family. Make public health part of your everyday life.

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Wachira's insights not only offer a roadmap for success in the MPH program but also reflect the heart of public health itself and monumental impact the profession can have on a community. Whether students are educating kids at the YMCA, analyzing global health data or sharing cancer prevention tips with their families, every step they take inside and outside the classroom brings them closer to becoming leaders capable of making a real difference.

For more information about the Master of Public Health program, click below:

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