A case study on the online Master of Public Health at the University of Southern California, including key considerations for launching a distance learning program, strategies for developing competency-based, interactive courses, getting buy-in from key stakeholders, and comparison of student feedback and outcomes between online and on-campus formats.
The shortage of public health professionals in the domestic and global arena has called for new approaches to building the public health workforce, including maximizing the use of evolving technologies such as distance learning (IOM, 2003). From South Africa to California, more and more agencies and institutions of higher learning are developing innovative solutions to train public health professionals remotely, but the experience and effectiveness of such efforts has not been well documented (WHO, 2007). Using a case study approach, this presentation addresses the experience of the University of Southern California’s endeavor to educate the current and future public health workforce through the launch of a new online master of public health (MPH) program, including key considerations for launching a distance learning program, strategies for developing courses that are interactive and meet public health competencies, getting buy-in from faculty and other key stakeholders, implementing new technology and using existing technology creatively, and comparison of student feedback and outcomes between the same courses taught in online and on-campus formats. Data was collected through key informant interviews with university administrators, focus groups with faculty, and document review of standardized course evaluation forms and student papers & exams. Results have a number of implications that may be useful to university administrators and faculty implementing or considering initiation of online public health education.