The George Washington University Reviews of Master's in Public Health

"DO NOT ENROLL IN THE ONLINE PROGRAM!!! Advising is beyond appalling. GWSPH has vastly overenrolled since 2020 and can't deliver what they advertise online. Impossible to finish in one year, very challenging to finish in two. Not enough spots in required classes. Glorified independent study at best. The recorded lectures from GW faculty are fantastic. Most of the section leaders were great except for two during the entire program (one was almost impossible to understand and the other was rude and unprofessional to several students in my section). But they have vastly overenrolled during the pandemic and cannot handle the number of students they already have. Academic, practicum and master's thesis (CE) advisers do not return emails or process required paperwork for days or weeks (sometimes not at all), have no available appointments for weeks or months, most do not know the program well enough to competently advise students, and they have had a very high turnover in the last year. So many people I know have tales of being ghosted by their advisers. I got into another great MPH school but chose GW in the end because I wanted to work in DC and thought the practicum and connections from GW would be valuable for my career. Huge mistake. Everyone is on their own finding a practicum, and the only suggestions they give you are for full-time, usually unpaid, jobs. I did end up getting a great job after graduation, but not because of anything GW did for me other than putting their brand on my diploma. That is what you are paying for in the end, but in my opinion, that won't be worth much if they keep running the online program the way they have been for the last 2 years. Incredibly frustrated and disappointed. I'm in my last term and can't wait to be done with this whole experience. I ended up with a 4.0, but I did not get the experience I thought I was paying for. GW needs to stop enrolling so many students to make money, hire more competent advisers, and start actually delivering on the promises they advertise all over the internet."

"The college offers plenty of opportunity for students to make the best of earning a credible education. I presume the public health topics discussed in the courses were also discussed in other public health programs at different universities. However, GWU also offered practicum experiences, research opportunities, and relationships with organizations within and around the community for internship opportunities. These opportunities contribute to student being able to not only gain experience in the field of their study, but to also work on building a network, which is important when exploring job opportunities. The only thing potential student should be aware of is this institution is far from being affordable. This is one of the most expensive institutions in the nation! Keep that in mind if you're taking out student loans! The scholarships the school offered were not highly advertised and not easy to get. Even for me as a veteran. My overall debt shot up significantly due to the loans I took out at this university."

"Well suited for those who work 9-5. All graduate classes scheduled in the evening. Open to part-time students, though advising is better if you're a full-time student."

"Great program, good opportunities since it's in DC! Get to know your professors as they are very connected and will open doors for you if you let them! Public Health Communication and Marketing is especially good at GWU."

"Good public health program, excellent professors great opportunities for internships"

"I really enjoyed studying public health at GWU. Classes are rigorous and require a lot of outside study and class prep, but you are very well prepared to be a successful professional in public health. Due to the fact that we are in DC, students have the opportunity (and are encouraged) to attend Senate hearings, Supreme Court cases, and events at Smithsonians and government facilities that pertain to public health. Students are encouraged to do internships at the premier agencies and organizations in DC. This degree will not only challenge you but support you and teach you how to be a leader within the public health community. I am graduating this coming May and feel extremely prepared for any job or higher education in the public health arena that comes my way."

"Earning a master's degree is a critical next step toward achieving my short-and long-term career goals.I am pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health from the George Washington University. I applied to the Milken Institute School of Public Health because of its high-caliber of faculty, robust academic curriculum and the strong commitment to prevention and community health. I hope to work with faculty in my department whose research are aligned with my interests in adolescent risk behaviors and teen pregnancy, racial and ethnic health disparities and maternal and child health. I firmly believe that the MPH program at the George Washington University will equip me with the technical knowledge, analytical and management skills needed to become an effective public health leader. After graduate school, I will obtain a Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Technical Advisor position and serve as a board member for a community health organization. I seek to dismantle the social structures that inhibit racial and ethnic minorities from achieving optimal health and implement proven interventions that will save the lives of women, infants, and children in sub-Saharan Africa. My long-term career goal is to work as a senior advisor at a private foundation or a government agency where I can provide strategic guidance, leadership, and expertise on domestic and global public health issues."

"Overall a great school, but very expensive, even when you consider what you get for your money."

"GWU is a wonderful school because of its connections to the DC metro area. Also since the school was founded in 1821 it has grown with its surroundings. The MPH program has excellent professors and advisors who are always available and willing to help. The career services department is also very helpful and they put on regular events and bring in outside professional organizations to discuss the public health career field. However, the $60k cost of tuition for the MPH program was prohibitive for me and I ended up transferring to another university. I did not want to transfer because it was a good, quality education that provided good support services but the tuition bill was outrageous. Overall, great program if you can afford it."

"Tell us about your college experience.GWU was a great institution to attend. It was a blessing to attend the university at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. However, I'm not sure I could have afforded to go to the school if it was not for my financial assistance.Would you get the same degree if you could start over?Maybe not? Possibly something in Health Administration or Strategic Affairs"

"Pros: DC area has amazing opportunities; GW has faculty with wide ranging experiences Cons: High cost of living; high tuition rates"

"The Epidemiology department has some great professors who have worked in the field for a long time. They are knowledgable and great to learn from. One thing I do not like is the exams have mostly been multiple choice exams, and I am not sure in a program like epidemiology that is the best way to measure competency. Washington D.C. is also VERY expensive in terms of cost of living"

"GW is a great school with engaging faculty, but it's very expensive."

"The GW SPHHS MPH was a fantastic degree in a wonderful city filled with opportunities. The faculty were well versed, experience experts in the field who genuinely cared about our well fare and job future. Internship opportunities were limitless and with some of the best private, public and NGO organizations in the world. I can't enough good things about this program. It had prepared me for a wonderful career as a health provider."

"MHSA program. Is very good at getting you in, but once you are in there is a lack of support. They require a "residency" experience to graduate. But will not help you apply for this. You write your own recommendation letters and the director of the program signs it. As for job? that's if you are lucky. Too costly for something that won't really be worth it. You can take electives at the MBA school. So that's a good thing because the finance prep this program provides is not sufficient. Pro: The DC metro area is great. Lots of intellectuals and a capital of our nation. Great scene for art, music and foodies"

"I attended GWU between 2007 and 2009 for my Masters in Public Health degree. Overall I have found my experience useful. I received a number of fellowships after the program and eventually a job that was related to my field of study. In addition, the program sent me to Africa for a semester to work with a small non-profit giving me invaluable experience. In addition, the class were challenging and informative, especially once I made it past the standard core classes. I was able to specialize and take classes that were more suited to my interest. The school however is not without its faults. The Global Health Department, was completely unhelpful during my entire 2 years. In fact, over the course of the two years, I had 4 department appointed advisers, one of whom I only met with once. The program at times was unorganized, changed almost constantly, and faculty members were frequently difficult to reach. Some of the departmental classes had similar issues. It was not infrequent to have the same guest speakers in back to back classes thereby hearing the same lecture multiple classes. From what I hear, this has changed, and the Global Health Department and MPH program is stronger than ever. It's unfortunate that I was not able to share in this experience."