Virtual Open House Master of Public Health Transcript

George Mason Online Admissions: Without further delay I would like to hand over to our presenters this evening. Dr. Mary and Beth Mitcham and Sarah Lee.

MB Mitcham: Hi! Thank you for that. Welcome and welcome to all of you who are joining us tonight. I’m Dr. Mitcham, and I am the director of the online Mph program at George Mason University, and an assistant professor in the department, and I would like to introduce my colleague, the amazing Sarah.

Sarah Liu: Hello! Thank you. Oh, hi, everybody! My name is Sarah Lou. I’m the Mph program coordinator. I am the academic advisor to all masters level programs at in our department of global and community help. It’s nice to see everybody.

MB Mitcham: Alright. Thank you, Sarah. So tonight we’re going to go through a little bit of information about the program. And now, if you’ve attended any of the information sessions that Sarah has offered. Some of this information may be a bit familiar, so please bear with us. It shouldn’t take very long to go through our spiel, and then afterwards we will be able to answer any questions that you have. Could you please go to the next slide.

MB Mitcham: Thank you. So while that is being done, just a a couple of things about the program that may not be on the slide deck.

MB Mitcham: So the online mph program at George Mason University is fairly new. It has been in existence now, for officially, one year is very exciting. However, the Mph program at Mason has been in existence for much longer.

MB Mitcham: So although this is a new program as in the fact that it’s online facing, it’s not a new program in that. The program has been established for a while. It is safe accredited, which is something that we’ll talk about in a little bit

MB Mitcham: and it is, very well established, not only as far as accreditation is concerned, but also with linking up our our alums with excellent jobs, job opportunities and things like that.

MB Mitcham: Is there a can this slide be progressed, please?

MB Mitcham: So while we’re working on that, and I’ll just kind of go through my spiel organically. So what are the things that make our program unique? Well, 1st of all, Mason is located right outside DC, which means that it’s perfectly placed, not only for our students who attend in person classes to have in person opportunities within the capital.

MB Mitcham: but it also means that Mason has been able to establish some very solid relationships with some excellent organizations in the hearts of the United States. So that is one excellent opportunity. Both for on the ground students on campus, but also for online students. Now, you may be asking, okay, what benefit would that be to me if I don’t live near campus, and that may be one of the reasons why you may be considering completing your Mph. Degree through this particular program is that you don’t live near campus.

MB Mitcham: And the simple answer is that our faculty, our opportunities, the relationships that Mason has built throughout the duration of its program have meant that all of those resources are available. So when we get to your practicum, which we’ll be talking about in a little bit.

MB Mitcham: then there are some opportunities potentially for you to be able to have those virtual practicum linkages through Washington, DC.

MB Mitcham: Other factors that make our program very unique is the fact that our faculty are multi disciplinary. One of the things I love most about our department is, it’s interdisciplinary nature. Although we are one of several departments in the College of Public Health, the 1st College of Public Health in the State of Virginia, and right now the only College of Public health in the State of Virginia. We also have other programs. So one of the courses that is a requirement for the online Mph, as it is for all graduate students in our college

MB Mitcham: is Gch. 500

MB Mitcham: and Gch 500 is an introductory course into public health, and students who take that course will be taking that course along with students from all of the other departments in the College of Public Health. So whether those students are nursing social work, nutrition, health administration and policy, or global health. Our all of our graduate students will take that course together and explore what exactly public health means.

MB Mitcham: And obviously, I’m extremely biased because I love the field of public health. One of the factors I love most about public health is just how practical it is, and how, again, how interdisciplinary. It is so. Our program leverages that interdisciplinary nature, not only of the faculty and the resources and the research that’s being conducted within the college, but also of the faculty and our departments. We have a solid epidemiology program which is not one of the

MB Mitcham: concentrations offered online. Currently. But there will be an epic course. That is part of this course requirement. That would be Gch 6 0, 4, for the purposes of your your course. Progression. But so we have epidemiologists, we have behavioral scientists, we have environmental scientists. We have

MB Mitcham: faculty who research and sexual health. We have faculty who conduct research and nutrition and wellness. We have faculty who do conduct research into social justice issues. So our students have available to them a wide variety of expertise both in research and in practice.

MB Mitcham: So what courses would you be expected to take as part of this program? So I’m going to talk a little bit more, and then I’m going to pass it over to Sarah to explain a little bit more after me.

MB Mitcham: So the courses that are a requirement for this program are kind of a a 3 part. Prom, so think of it. Kind of like as a 3 legs of a stool. The 1st component of our requirements are our core courses and our core courses are required for all of our Mph students, regardless of the concentration that they choose.

MB Mitcham: So whether you are a concentration in public health practice, which is the online Mph program. Or you’re in a different concentration. All of the students in our program have to complete those core courses.

MB Mitcham: Each concentration also has courses that are unique to that concentration and the concentration specific courses. I will again explain a little bit more after Sarah discusses about them. So you have the core courses that are required, you will have your concentration courses that are required, and then the 3rd part of what you will have available to you is the component that is known as the practicum.

MB Mitcham: and our practicum has a 2 course requirements. One course is Gch. 7, 80. That course is non credit bearing. But a lot of students go into the practicum. And for those of you who may be wondering what on Earth is a practicum. The practicum, basically is an experience where you’re going to be able to work in the field. You’ll be completing 200 of field work hours. And during that field work experience, you’re going to be able to put into application everything that you’ve learned throughout your Mph practice.

MB Mitcham: You will get that experience working in the field, you’ll be able to get some lovely experience to both your resume. You’ll be able to have some experience of creating contacts and hopefully new colleagues that will help you, then be able to leverage that work for a job.

MB Mitcham: But you see, 7, 80 will set you up, so that by the time you get to the completion of that course, even though it’s 0 credit which we do for your benefit. So you don’t have to pay student fees for that particular course. You’ll spend that course getting everything ready for your practicum. So identifying a practicum site, identifying some strategies that you’ll need to have ready for your practicum, so that when you go into your practicum again, which is a 200

MB Mitcham: experience, you’ll have done all of the legwork necessary for it. You’ll be able to go into the practicum, complete those hours and all the requirements that are part of that capstone experience.

MB Mitcham: and then graduate with your Mph. Degree. So I’m going to give you a chance to hear from somebody who’s not me right now. And if Sarah, if you don’t mind, could you please explain a little bit about the courses, and then, when you’re done, I’ll tag team back off of what you have to say.

Sarah Liu: Yeah, absolutely. Thank you so much. Well, Dr. Mitch, I’m

Sarah Liu: it, it explained a lot beautifully already. But as as she mentioned. So there are 7 core courses that every Mph student is required to take and some of these include epidemiology classes, as she mentioned. Some also include health administration and policy classes. As public health is very interdisciplinary. We felt, we think, that it is very important for students to.

Sarah Liu: you know, although it might not be your concentration. You know they everybody needs to understand the fundamentals. And have an introductory course for a lot of the different

Sarah Liu: concentrations. And it will all be a part of public health. And so that’s very important. And also you as Php students, there are also electives that you will be required to take. So as of right now. We have rural health available.

Sarah Liu: possibly environmental health as well. In the future, and also 5 concentration courses as well, which will focus heavily on the practical public health. Practice, skill sets and knowledge. That you will be getting the whole program is 42 credits. And so we when you take these classes, all of these classes will be available to you online.

Sarah Liu: which is great, and that’s what makes it very flexible for a lot of students. It’s online asynchronous. So you know, you don’t have a particular meeting time. So if you’re working full time job, or if you’re not available to come to campus, this is a great, great concentration for you to go into so you can apply these skill sets into your field after you graduate.

Sarah Liu: And then just to talk a little bit about the practicum. So it is a 200 h.

Sarah Liu: Essentially, I call it an internship when I talk to students about it. But it, as Dr. Mitcham said, it is a great opportunity for you to add on your resume as well. It is basically an opportunity for students to know what it feels like to work in the field of public health. For them to get experience and then for them to leverage that experience onto their next career path.

Sarah Liu: and you will be working together with a practicum advisor who will not be me use right now. It is Dr. Winter, but during the seminar course, you know you will be preparing your resume your cover letter, you will be ready to know how to interview properly, and so all of those will be included. So you are set up for success for your practicum. When that time comes.

Sarah Liu: so that’s basically what makes it really great and flexible. Dr. Mitcham, if there’s anything else please feel free to add on.

MB Mitcham: Thank you, Sarah, so I will say. Sarah is greatly loved by all the students who work with her, and although view coming into the public health Practice concentration will have the support of Rise Point, and all of their advisors and success coaches. You’ll also have the benefit of having Sarah and her expertise. So that that’s kind of like an extra bonus that you get

MB Mitcham: as far as the courses. What I like about them is they are online, asynchronous, which I know. If you’ve ever taken online versus in person classes. For some people, the online modality works better with having jobs or having family responsibilities, not living close to campus things like that.

MB Mitcham: However, some students are concerned

MB Mitcham: about whether or not the courses will be interactive, whether it’ll just be kind of like them expected to learn on their own, do all of their education on the loan of their own never hearing from faculty, and I can assure you that that is not the case in these courses. I have been very heavily involved in the designing of all of the courses that are part of this program, and they’re designed to be very interactive so that it doesn’t feel like you’re just doing this on your own

MB Mitcham: so if you like doing stuff on your own and not having to interact with anyone. Sorry. That’s not kind of how these courses are designed. There are no live session components that are required, so meaning you will not have to show up for a lecture at a specified time.

MB Mitcham: However, even though the work is being able to be done on your own time, and is due, you know, kind of within the the framework of you, being able to submit it within your own timeline, with, of course, hard due dates. There may be some group projects involved in some of the courses.

MB Mitcham: but there’s also very active discussion boards and most of the courses, faculty are very responsive to office hours. Faculty are very responsive to emails. And also faculty do tend to embed videos, video lectures into their courses. So it’s not just you reading information and regurgitating it. It’s able to explore a lot of interactive learning modalities. So that the concepts really comes to life.

MB Mitcham: The other component that I really like about these courses is that they’re helpful in the field. So prior to working at Mason. I’ve worked a lot in

MB Mitcham: the field of nonprofit settings and then nonprofit work. There are some things that work great. There are some things that don’t work great. So whether you end up working for nonprofit settings, whether you end up working for a government office, whatever you end up doing, the material that you’ll cover in these courses will help set you up for being successful in the field. So it’s not just learning information to get your degree. It’s learning information that will help you be successful.

MB Mitcham: Public health practitioner.

MB Mitcham: So there’s a question in the chat box just to clarify that there’s only one concentration available for online students. That is correct right now, that is the public health practice concentration.

MB Mitcham: However.

MB Mitcham: with that being said, all students in the public health practice, concentration. Actually, all students at Mason are able to take courses and whatever modality they choose. So, for example, if you’re taking public health practice courses, and you’re like, Hey, I really want to take one of the core courses in person on campus. You have the option of doing that. The other concentrations are not

MB Mitcham: online yet there are all of the core courses are available to be taken entirely online. But only the public health practice. Concentration has all of the courses, both the core and the practicum. Obviously. And then the concentration courses open online and, like Sarah mentioned right now the only available elective that is a required elective is a rural health course.

MB Mitcham: There may be an environmental health course down the road, but we’re still working on developing that.

MB Mitcham: Alright. I have just gone through a lot of regurgitation of information. The last bit that I will pass it over to Sarah before we will take questions would be to kind of clarify next steps. If you’re interested in applying for the program through surface what you would need to have available, Sarah, can you share a little bit about that. Please.

Sarah Liu: Absolutely so. All. So for our Mph program. Certificate and Mms, programs. All of the masters program at our department. You have to apply through Sophus. If you’ve never heard of sofas, it is the application system that also students are required to apply through so just kind of going through, you know. To see about eligibility. We do a holistic

Sarah Liu: review for each application. And so, although a 3.0 Gpa. Or higher, is preferred. We do not just determine, based on Gpa. If you feel that, you know you have a Gpa a little bit lower than 3.0. But you’re really passionate about public health. I do not want that to stop you. From applying please make sure that you know you send in your transcripts and your 2 letters of recommendations.

Sarah Liu: Surface will require 3 recommendation letters. What I usually tell students during our information sessions is that the 1st 2 should either be one should definitely be a professor or someone that can talk to your academic performance, and then the other could be a colleague or a supervisor, that you may have had. That can talk about your character, your work, ethic, etc. And then your 3rd recommendation email that you can put. You can either put in your own email or you could

Sarah Liu: ask someone else to write a 3rd recommendation letter, but it is not required by any means

Sarah Liu: for your statement of purpose.

Sarah Liu: This will be really important. Please make sure. You specify that you are. You know what program you’re interested in. So you’re interested in the Mph program with the concentration and public health practice. Please make sure you indicate that. Please talk about why, this is the concentration that you would like to pursue, and what you’re hoping to do with it after you graduate as well. And then, if you have struggled in the past

Sarah Liu: academically. Maybe during your undergraduate years, and you know, because you had a personal thing going on. Please make sure you specify that and talk about the challenge, and then how you possibly overcame it. That is really important to us. When we’re reviewing applications to see

Sarah Liu: if you’ve improved right, or if you have the skill sets to improve or overcome challenges. And then also please make sure you submit your resume in cover letter, whatever documentation that is needed through the portal. If you are an international student there will be additional documentation that you will have to submit. So all transcripts translated into English. So if you went to a school abroad.

Sarah Liu: please make sure you get those transcripts, and then you you have that translated you will also need to submit English proficiency test scores. If you have more questions about that, you can always feel free to email me, and I can connect you to the graduated admissions office that can give you a little bit more guidance as to

Sarah Liu: how you can obtain those documentations, or where to submit them. But those are generally the steps. Applications are still open. They will be open until August first, st so it is still not too late to submit your application if you’re interested, although

Sarah Liu: I do recommend submitting your application as soon as possible, so it gives reviewers some time to look at your application, and then so you can get, you know, admitted in time, and then you can register for classes in time, as they do fill up. So. If you have any questions about the application or admission process, please feel free to reach out to me.

MB Mitcham: Thank you, Sarah. So the last little bit of spiel for me will be one of the other things that I value about this program. A lot of online programs are cohort driven meaning, everyone who goes through the online program are all online students. Our Mph program at Mason is very, I would like to say, unique again.

MB Mitcham: because all of our students are all of our students. It doesn’t matter what concentration you’re completing. You’re one of our Mph students. So for faculty, there’s no differentiation between online students versus in person students, you’re our students. So, for example, all of the core courses and all of the practicum courses which makes up the bulk of what you would be completing for your program

MB Mitcham: are available online, which means that it’s not just online students who take them. It’s all of our students who want the additional flexibility of online courses. So you will be going through if you do join the program. I you will be going through your courses with other students in the program, and that really gives it a really nice I I don’t think like, almost like academic family feel where it again, it’ll be with people who are also completing their online degree.

MB Mitcham: But it’s. And again, it’s not an online degree. Necessarily, it’s a degree. But you’re just having an online concentration option.

MB Mitcham: So that, coupled with other benefits like, we have a robust mentor program where mentors who have gone through our program, or some of our alums are willing to share their experience and then work with current students to help them get jobs and placements and things like that. Again. I know I’m horribly biased, but it really is a truly fantastic program.

MB Mitcham: Alright. So thank you for listening to our spiel at this point. If you have any questions, if you want to put them in the chat I will respond to one right now. Graduated with BA in 2,008 completed my Vet tech degree online in 2022. I’m sure if you can get an academic recommendation, am I able to have the doctor that was my mentor during that tech school as an academic recommendation. So I will answer this, and then, Sarah, if you disagree, or have any additional clarification, if you could, please chime in

MB Mitcham: my option would be yes, have them, make a recommendation. So, as Sarah mentioned earlier. So faculty are the the people who review applications. So we’ll we’ll look through all the stuff that Sarah mentioned

MB Mitcham: having people able to speak to your abilities. Really helps. Give us a good picture. Your experiences really help to give us a good picture of why you want to be in this program and any explanation of like. If there was a gap between your education.

MB Mitcham: you know, explaining why that happened. You know what what you’ve learned in those those years also really helps. So just basically share with us whatever you think would be helpful for us to get a good idea of who you are, and why you’d be a really good fit for this program. Alright, Sarah, do you have anything to add to that.

Sarah Liu: Yeah, no, that’s exactly what I would have said. You can absolutely have the doctor. That was your mentor, you know. Write a view a recommendation letter. I think that would be a great letter to have.

Sarah Liu: you know. I it’s always tricky with an online degree, too. You know, it’s not like, oh, because you don’t have a professor. Write your recommendation letter. We’re just not going to read your review. Application at all. But it. It is just preferred. So like, I usually tell students, you know, if it’s been a couple of years since you were in school, you know, it never hurts to reach back out to fac professors or faculty members that you’ve had. And you know sometimes they don’t give you a reply, or sometimes they.

Sarah Liu: You can’t write a recommendation letter, and that’s okay. But at least you’ve tried right. And so I would still encourage you, if possible, to reach out to faculty members that you may have had during your school years. But but absolutely have your doctor write a recommendation letter as well, since you need to anyways.

MB Mitcham: And I will add to that if you are unable to get a faculty letter of recommendation, and I understand what Sarah said this one again not to chime on the whole, like this is one reason why our program is so awesome. Train.

MB Mitcham: But to chime on the whole, reason why our program is so awesome. I also completed my education. My higher education completely online and saw the good, the bad, and the ugly of it. And one thing that bothered me was a lack of responsiveness of some faculty where I’d want letters of recommendation because I was academically excellent, and I I struggled to get them just because I wasn’t their presence in class. Our faculty are not like that. I can’t even begin to tell you how much

MB Mitcham: letters of recommendation I’ve written for our students. So with all of that being said, yes, our programs got fabulous, which you probably have guessed by now. But the other thing is, if you can’t get that, maybe allude to that in your letter. Your narrative essay about why you’re applying to the program. You could even say, it’s been several years since I’ve been

MB Mitcham: in school, you know. I I really want to be part of this program. I’ve you know, done my due diligence, trying to get letters of support from academic references haven’t been able to. However, I reached out to these professionals who can speak to my character. I’m really interested in being in the program faculty who review those applications will read that, and that’ll help again. Show us that it’s not just you not trying. That is, you doing everything that you can to check the boxes?

MB Mitcham: Alright.

MB Mitcham: how many hours a week for studying? Do you recommend for each class. What is the longest amount of time you could take to get through the program and still do well what percentage of public health jobs are remote or have telework options after graduation. Alright! Those are excellent, excellent questions. Sarah, do you want to tackle any part of that one? Or would you like me to start first? st

Sarah Liu: Yeah, sure. Well, what I can tell you is well, the hours.

Sarah Liu: Personally, I think it varies on each student. What I can tell you is the full time is considered 9 credits. While during underc undergrad you might be taking 1518 credit classes. Graduate level classes are a lot more reading, intensive writing, intensive, and it all just depends on how many hours you allocate, or to understand the material and so that is what I can tell you, I’m sure.

Sarah Liu: which I’m gonna tell you more about that, since she actually teaches classes. But in terms of the longest amount of time.

Sarah Liu: I don’t. You have a 6

Sarah Liu: 6 year limit. So every since your since your acceptance, you have 6 years to complete your degree. It’s not that, you know. If you finish your degree in 2 years versus 6 years, it’s not that there is a correlation of you being successful versus not successful. I think it all just

Sarah Liu: absolutely depends on what works with your timeline. Just because you get your degree until years doesn’t mean you’ll

Sarah Liu: do well versus 6 years and then for the percentages, I don’t have an exact number but I do know that a good amount of public health jobs are either remote or hybrid, still due to from the pandemic but there are plenty of telework options for it within the public health field. So that’s what I can say. Dr. Mitchell, would you like to answer these questions?

MB Mitcham: Thank you, Sarah, so I always ask that question of how long is it going to take? And Sarah was absolutely correct. It really depends. There are some students that will take a lot longer just because it takes them longer to methodically process through information. There are some that will take a little bit less time.

MB Mitcham: The the general rule of thumb is about 6 to 9 h per course per week, but honestly, that varies greatly if you read everything that you’re supposed to read. And again, I’m a faculty member, I understand. If I give it to you to read doesn’t necessarily mean that you will. Some people have a much easier time writing papers than others, so it it just it greatly varies. You are the best gauge of your your work.

MB Mitcham: Life steady balance. So

MB Mitcham: sorry I can’t give you a concrete answer with that, but it it it generally varies. I will say also another thing about our courses is, they are 15 weeks in length for the fall and spring semesters. Gch, 500 is the outlier.

MB Mitcham: That course is available in 8 week length, just because again, it has to be taken by everyone in the college and then our summer courses for our program are the online. Summer courses are 8 weeks in length, but most courses are 15 weeks and length. So although yes, there may be

MB Mitcham: work for these courses because there’s going to be because there courses that you’re taking? There’s not an overly huge amount of work each week, just because it’s spread out in that 15 week. So if any of you have ever taken online courses before, typically it’s that 8 week truncated format where everything can seem a little bit more concentrated, the 15 week allows for more digestibility of the information and less work during the week. Also a side note with that

MB Mitcham: at least in the classes that I develop. And again, I’ve developed a decent number of them in this program. I hate busy work. I don’t think that there’s a value and busy work for the sake of busy work. So the assignments and my courses are there. But they’re not intended to be there, just to be assignments. They build on each other, which helps save time later on down the road. So sorry. It’s kind of a vague answer to that and then getting to the last bit about percentage of public health jobs or remote.

MB Mitcham: That varies greatly. So remote jobs are like, Sarah said, are still there, but the percentage and the number are constantly changing, due to needs. One thing, again, that I value about the field of public health. It’s so diverse. It’s not just contract tracing that you can do for work, or it’s not just working in the Department of Health for a government

MB Mitcham: jobs like working in a school as a health educator or working for a cooperative extension or working to help with urban gardening or helping to run a city mission. All of those things that help people and help to direct their health.

MB Mitcham: All can fall under the umbrella of public health. So maybe when you’re thinking about potential jobs after graduation, think about the type of work that you’d like to do. And then within that context, there, some jobs are more aligned to a remote or telework option, and some are more aligned to an in person option.

MB Mitcham: Hopefully, that helps. There’s another question I’ve already. If I’ve already submitted an application through selfish. How long does it take to find out the University’s decision? I’m going to throw Sarah under the bus and have her answer that question.

Sarah Liu: So yes, of course. So honestly depends on when you submitted your application right? But typically we try to get through them as soon as possible. We know that this is a big decision for a lot of students. However, we do try to give faculty members enough time to review the application as well. Typically, I’d like to say

Sarah Liu: we try to get a decision within a 1 month, I think. One month, or if if we can try to accelerate that process a little bit less than that. But E, everything comes and goes, you know, if you’re missing some documents, or, you know, depending on when you fill out the supplemental application after you submit the surface application. You know, there’s multiple components to filling out your application, and so depending on

Sarah Liu: where you are. In what stage of the application? That timeline, certainly, differs. But if you turned in your application and your supplemental application. And you’re just purely waiting for a decision. We try to get back to you within a month or so.

MB Mitcham: Alright. Are there any other questions?

MB Mitcham: Excellent questions? Alright. So what is the average starting salary? So a. As with many of these questions. I wish I could give you like you will. I am guaranteeing that you’re going to start with a certain salary doesn’t really work that way. It it really depends on the type of job that you choose, and I will say that it also depends on the type of job.

MB Mitcham: well, not location necessarily, although the location does come into play, but the type of job hiring. So if you’re working for the government, you’ll earn less than you might in the private sector. But there are excellent benefits that come with government work. Like

MB Mitcham: student loan forgiveness you. If you do government work, you can apply for student loan forgiveness. There are also fabulous retirement packages and healthcare packages that come with that. So, although it might not be a great dollar value as compared to private contract work.

MB Mitcham: You know, government work comes with a host of other things that you might not consider necessarily when thinking about income. Nonprofit work is also fabulous. Doesn’t necessarily pay the best. But again, a lot of nonprofit work have very robust support packages like healthcare, and things like that. So

MB Mitcham: and again, it’s going to vary greatly, depending on where you’re located. If you live near DC, you will have a higher income than if you are living and working somewhere not near DC, so again, there are multiple factors. I will say that because

MB Mitcham: master’s degrees have become more commonplace. And I’m not saying this just because I’m the director of the online Mph program. They’ve become more expected for public health work. So for a lot of jobs that have good job security and that pay well. A master’s degree is typically required. For many of those and through talking with somebody.

MB Mitcham: if you have any questions I would like to, and I’m sorry, Sarah. I’m throwing you under the bus, but if you would like to talk with somebody, the advisor at Mason for the master’s program and talk through different options. Sarah is fabulous. I know students love her, and you can reach out to her. If you’d like to talk with me, my contact information I will leave in the chat. If you want to have that, please feel free to reach out to me. I’m always happy to chat one on one through pretty much anything, including recipes. If you ever wanna talk about food, so, you know, feel free to reach out to us.

MB Mitcham: And when would we register and start courses? So typically whenever you register for a term, you’d start whatever term at which you registered. So there are 2 terms for which you can register for the online Mph program, which again, it’s just, it’s our Mph program. But the public health practice concentration.

MB Mitcham: All of our other programs at Mason in our Mph degree only have a fall admission cycle. So you would apply through surface through that August 1st cut off that Sarah had mentioned, and then you’d be starting that fall unless you wanted to do something called defer. And then you could request a deferral and then possibly start in the spring

MB Mitcham: for the public health practice concentration. There are 2 enrollment periods per year. One is in the fall. One is in the spring. So typically if you apply for spring, you’d be starting in the spring, which would start in January. If you’re applying for fall, you’d be starting in the fall.

MB Mitcham: which would be in August, and again our our semesters run 15 weeks in length.

MB Mitcham: and we do offer courses fall, spring and summer.

MB Mitcham: So if you start in the spring semester, you can either not take courses in the the summer if you want, or you could take courses in the summer as desired.

Sarah Liu: Yes, and just to add on to those things. In terms of just even talking through different career options, the College of public health actually also has a career advisor. And so you could definitely have access to the career advisor as well as a master’s of public health student. Who talks specifically about the different career options. Also, George Mason University has a wonderful university career service

Sarah Liu: as well. And they have people. Different advisors based on different disciplines as well, and they usually help you with you know, locating a job that you might be interested in preparing you with resume resume workshops, interviewer workshops like there’s plethora of resources for students, so they are able to secure the best job possible. And so that those are all resources

Sarah Liu: available. It just depends on if you utilize them or not as well. But there have been a lot of students who have used our university career services, and they’ve been really prepared for that. Another opportunity for students to kind of get a job after graduation is their practicum a lot of I think a lot of students.

Sarah Liu: either. I don’t. I can’t tell your percentage, but a good amount of students have also told me that they might have a career opportunity where they had their practicum with their practicum supervisor. So it just kind of leads them to a job, or at least somewhere to start out, which is great. So just to just wanted to talk about that.

Sarah Liu: And then for registration as of right now, since it’s already the middle of summer. When you at least for the fall term, you would register right away once you get admitted, and accept the offer of admissions. For the

Sarah Liu: public health concentration. There is also, somebody that can you? You get the option to either. Enroll somebody can enroll you in classes, or you can enroll by yourself. But that is also a great benefit where you know.

Sarah Liu: if you’re just like, well, I want someone to enroll me in my classes. Then that is also something that could be arranged for our online students. So just wanted to add that on.

MB Mitcham: Thank you, Sarah. Question and the question chat, how much is the tuition for the full program? Each credit is 725 per credit hour, which is less than the in State tuition for our traditional program. So believe it or not, whether you live in Virginia or outside of Virginia. If you are part of the public health Practice concentration, you’ll be paying less for your degree than students in any other program.

MB Mitcham: And then there is also. I just had it pulled up. Where did that go?

MB Mitcham: There’s also

MB Mitcham: a distance learning fee and a new student fee that are added to that. But there are options for you know, Federal aid. And there are also other options to earn income.

MB Mitcham: So just because you might not be located on campus for your courses. All of our students are eligible to work as graduate student assistance. So that’s another benefit that if you would like to maybe be part of some research and work with a faculty member and you know, be hired as one of those student research assistants or teaching assistants. There aren’t a lot of those positions available every semester.

MB Mitcham: but you would be eligible to apply for those as well. So there are other options to help with funding as well.

MB Mitcham: Excellent questions. Are there any others that anyone has?

MB Mitcham: Alright? Well, thank you. Everyone for joining us tonight? I greatly appreciate you taking the time on a Wednesday evening to listen to us and to hear more about the program. Sarah and I both put our contact information and a chat box. If you would like to reach out to us at any point and ask questions, we’re happy to answer them. Also rise. Point has a fabulous team that are willing and able to answer questions as well. But.

MB Mitcham: if you join us in our program, welcome, if you don’t join us in our program. Wish you the best of luck and thanks for listening, and we’ll see you soon.

Sarah Liu: Thank you, everybody. It’s so nice to meet you. And please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Sarah Liu: Good night, everyone.