In 2015, an annual report examining the allocation of public health funds in Wyoming was released by the not-for-profit organization, Trust for America’s Health. According to the report, in 2014, Wyoming’s entire state public health budget amounted to $31.7 million. As a result of that, Wyoming was recognized as having the 11th largest public health spending budget in the country based on per capita spending.
The two federal funding sources for Wyoming’s public health system were the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Federal grant money received from the CDC totaled $17,766,067 in 2014, the 6th largest payout from the CDC based on per capita spending that year. In addition, federal funding from the HRSA allocated for Wyoming’s public health initiatives was just over $11 million in 2014.
One area in particular which public health professionals are emphasizing is the need for cervical cancer screening among Wyoming’s female population. In Wyoming, only about 75% of women get preventatively screened for cervical cancer, compared with 83% nationally. The Wyoming Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program is funded by a $3.5 million distribution of the CDC’s funding to support chronic disease prevention and health promotion in Wyoming.
These figures clearly reflect the vastness of Wyoming’s public health system. A graduate-level education is the common thread among all professionals in public health policy and administration, and it is what trains them to be successful in the development, administration, management and evaluation of public health programs.
Earning a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Wyoming
The Master of Public Health (MPH) is a prestigious graduate degree that positions public health professionals for career opportunities in health policy development and communication as well as program development, implementation and evaluation. Professionals interested in advancing their public health career, perhaps into a specific discipline, will find unmatched value in the Master of Public Health. The MPH degree option is also equally suitable for bachelor’s-educated professionals looking to start a new career in public health policy design and/or program management.
Part-time online options are available in many MPH programs. This gives working professionals the flexibility they need to pursue a graduate degree while still remaining active in the workforce.
Students considering an MPH program should also know that a bachelor’s degree in any major is generally considered acceptable for admission as long as the issuing institution is regionally accredited and basic undergraduate requirements are met.
Academic Overview
The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is the agency responsible for defining accreditation standards for master’s degree programs in public health. CEPH-accredited programs integrate the five core competencies developed by the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH), as published in the MPH Core Competency Model in 2004:
- Biostatistics
- Environmental health sciences
- Epidemiology
- Health policy management
- Social and behavioral sciences
The ASPH also established the following interdisciplinary areas of focus for the purpose of ensuring that students would have the skills necessary to be successful and effective in public health practice:
- Communication and informatics
- Diversity and culture
- Leadership
- Professionalism
- Program planning
- Public health biology
- Systems thinking
Admission Requirements
The admission requirements for master’s degree in public health programs vary between schools. The list below is not universal; however, it does give students an idea of what will be required of them upon applying to an MPH program:
- Official GRE scores, though applicants who have taken the LSAT, GMAT, or MCAT or who have a graduate degree in another field are exempt from the GRE requirement
- Official transcripts from each school attended
- Statement of purpose essay (500-1,500 words)
- Current resume
- Two letters of recommendation
Focus Areas and Specialization
MPH programs integrate additional focus areas into the core curriculum, the purpose of which is to allow students to specialize in an area most relevant to their career goals. These focus areas also give students the experience necessary to handle the challenges and complexities facing our nation’s public health system:
Health Communication: The health communication specialty focuses on teaching professionals how to use communication and marketing effectively in order to advance public health objectives. Many public health programs, such as the Wyoming Vaccinates Important People (WyVIP) program, require the leadership and marketing skills of public health professionals to inform the public that such programs exist as well as to educate them about the programs’ benefits.
This specialization offers courses in:
- Leadership Seminar
- Global Health Communication Interventions
- Preventing Health Disparities
- Social Marketing
- Marketing and Research for Public Health
- Total credits: 10-15
Health Policy: The health policy specialty focuses on teaching professionals how to create new health initiatives as well as how to improve the efficacy of existing health policies. In January of 2016, the Wyoming Department of Health will be stepping up the efforts of its Wyoming Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program in light of the fact that cervical cancer screening among Wyoming women lags in comparison to the national average.
This specialization offers courses in:
- Monitoring and Evaluation of Sexual and Reproductive Health Programs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
- Qualitative Research Methods in Public Health
- Public Health and Law
- Global Health Diplomacy
- Leadership Seminar
- Law, Medicine and Ethics
- Total credits: 10-15
Program Planning and Evaluation: The program planning and evaluation specialty focuses on teaching professionals how to plan, manage, implement, and evaluate public health programs in Wyoming. Public health programs in Wyoming include the Wyoming Colorectal Cancer Screening Program (WCCSP), the Wyoming Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention Program, and the Marginal Dental Program.
This specialization offers courses in:
- Monitoring and Evaluation of Sexual and Reproductive Health Programs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
- Researching Violence Against Women and Girls
- Qualitative Research Methods in Public Health
- Social Marketing
- Marketing Research for Public Health
- Total credits: 10-15
Global Health: The global health specialty focuses on teaching professionals how to create effective health policies aimed at bringing health promotion and disease prevention strategies with global health issues. Global health programs include the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and Feed the Future (FTF).
This specialization offers courses in:
- Monitoring and Evaluation of Sexual and Reproductive Health Programs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
- Researching Violence Against Women and Girls
- Global Health Communication Interventions
- Preventing Health Disparities
- Global Health Diplomacy
- Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
- Climate Change and Social Change
- Total credits: 10-15
Accelerated One-Year and Part-Time Options
The accelerated one-year option is a fast-track option that enables students to earn their master’s degree in public health in only 12 months. This option uses the same course material and adheres to the same curriculum as online and campus-based MPH programs. However, the accelerated option requires a fast-paced, aggressive schedule.
The part-time option offers a great deal of flexibility and helps accommodate students who want to pursue a graduate degree but lack the ability to commit to a full-time schedule. In fact, many schools allow part-time students up to four years to complete a master’s in public health.
Job Growth Projections for Master’s-Educated Public Health Professionals in Wyoming
According to the Administration on Aging, residents in Wyoming aged 65 and older accounted for 20.4% of the total population in 2012. By 2020, that percentage is expected to increase to 24.5% and to 31% by 2030. This trend in aging will make Wyoming the fourth oldest state in the nation. Because chronic diseases are more prevalent among the 65-and-over crowd, the need for preventative care and health management services among this age group will increase. The end result is that public health officials will be called upon to use their health policy development and management skills to create public health programs that can cater to the most vital needs of this vulnerable population.
Below is a snapshot of the expected demand for public health occupations in Wyoming. The data shown here was researched and compiled by the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, in 2014 and reveals the expected growth for various public health occupations between 2012 and 2022:
- Social and Community Services Managers: 15.2%
- Statisticians: 36.8%
- Biological Scientists, All Other: 4.2%
- Epidemiologists: 4.2%
- Social Scientists: 4.6%
- Rehabilitation Counselors: 13%
Salaries for Public Health Professions that Require a Master’s Degree
In 2014, the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, researched and later published salary data regarding public health occupations in Wyoming. The salary figures shown below range from entry level (tenth percentile) to the most experienced (90th percentile):
- Social and Community Services Managers: $35,588 to $80,548
- Average in Casper: $61,597
- Average in Cheyenne: $67,429
- Average in Albany County, including Laramie: $64,824
- Average in Sweetwater County, including Rock Springs: $52,777
- Statisticians: $55,310 to $133,798
- Average in Cheyenne: $85,381
- Biological Scientists, All Other: $50,725 to $83,092
- Social Scientists: $32,411 to $87,821
- Rehabilitation Counselors: $21,773 to $55,661
- Average in Casper: $29,398
- Average in Cheyenne: $37,913
Career Opportunities for Mater’s-Educated Public Health Professionals in Wyoming
Public health professionals equipped with a master’s degree can be confident that their education, training, and preparation will position them for a multitude of public health job opportunities. Shown below is a sampling of public health job descriptions. (This is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to convey the assurance of employment or guarantee of employment.):
Policy Analyst at Wyoming Department of Health in Cheyenne
- Responsibilities:
- Serves as policy analyst for the Director’s Unit for Policy, Research, and Evaluation (DUPRE)
- Participates in the development, research, and implementation of projects which further the strategic goals of the Wyoming Department of Health
- Participates in evaluating the unit and agency to ensure that the goals of the performance management initiative are met
- Researches, monitors, analyzes, and proposes changes to existing state health policy in addition to developing new, cutting-edge public health policies
- Assumes leadership role in implementing federal regulations to Wyoming state health policies and monitors impact of federal regulations on local public health
- Requirements:
- Master’s degree in public policy or public administration
- Two to three years of experience in health policy
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor at Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, in Gillette
- Responsibilities:
- Interviews clients to determine rehabilitation needs, physical/mental/emotional abilities, and eligibility for rehabilitation services
- Helps clients understand the purpose and goals of rehabilitation services
- Works in conjunction with physicians to design rehabilitation plans
- Ongoing evaluation of client progress
- Works collaboratively with client to create an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) including employment objectives
- Requirements:
- Master’s degree plus three years of experience in vocational rehabilitation
- Certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC)
Immunization Unit Manager at Wyoming Department of Health, Public Health Division, in Cheyenne
- Responsibilities:
- Manages the Immunization Unit of the Wyoming Department of Health
- Participates in policy development and budget oversight of state and federal funds
- Coordinates immunization programs, including Vaccines for Children (VFC) and Wyoming Vaccinates Important People (WyVIP), with approximately 135 public and private provider offices
- Monitors and assesses the quality of service provided and implements changes accordingly
- Evaluates program outcomes and develops new ways in which program objectives can be achieved and program outcomes enhanced
- Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree plus one to three years of experience in a health program management role
