Spatial Analysis for Public Health

Program Overview

The Master of Applied Science (MAS) is a fully online, part-time degree designed for working professionals, delivered through the Online Programs for Applied Learning (OPAL). Programs focus on emergent industry sectors in public health and health care that have a need for highly skilled professionals. By building on the strengths of the School, they provide unmatched opportunities for advanced training and focus on both local and global health issues. Students are prepared to create innovative solutions through multidisciplinary approaches that apply the latest scientific knowledge. All MAS programs will culminate in a final Integrative Activity. The goal of this activity is for students to synthesize knowledge and skills obtained through coursework in a final project that demonstrates mastery of program competencies, as applied to real-world public health and health care questions. Students can complete their degree program in as little as two years, but are allowed up to four years.

The MAS program in Spatial Analysis for Public Health is an interdisciplinary program. Faculty at the Bloomberg School of Public Health contribute to the program via course development, teaching, and advising students. The topics and concepts allow graduates to effectively design and conduct public health-related spatial analysis by applying knowledge and tools learned in the program.

Students are equipped with the skills to understand, map, analyze and interpret spatial data as they relate to public health. The program will provide learners with skill-oriented training in spatial analysis taught through a comprehensive spatial science paradigm to include courses in spatial data, geographic information systems and spatial statistics. The program also offers training in epidemiology and biostatistics, courses that reflect the breadth and depth of public health and practical skills derived from workshops in professional development.

LinkedIn Group

We have established a LinkedIn group for each of the OPAL program areas in order to strengthen connections between current students, faculty, and alumni of OPAL programs, as well as to facilitate student-to-student peer networking.

Participation is voluntary, but we encourage students to join this professional networking community.

BSPH OPAL Spatial Analysis for Public Health

Additional Public Health Learning Resources

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Public Health Training Center provides links to many of its online learning resources, as well as external resources, databases and public health organizations. These can be used to supplement learning on a particular topic, or provide background material. Many of these resources are available for free via their website.

The Welch Medical Library at Johns Hopkins has many resources related to research, writing and documentation on their YouTube channel.

The School has a number of research and practice related seminar series that occur throughout the year and contribute to the intellectual community of the School, for students, staff, and faculty.  The Bloomberg School has a website that provides some additional resources for practitioners as well.

Practitioners can also access dozens of courses from Bloomberg School faculty on Coursera. Practice-focused offerings include courses on topics such as gun violence, food systems, health equity, biostatistics, and epidemiology, among others. 

MAS in Spatial Analysis Contact Information

MAS Program Advisers

Frank Curriero, PhD
Professor and Program Director, MAS and Certificate programs in Spatial Analysis for Public Health
Email: [email protected]

Tim Shields, MA
Associate Scientist and Program Co-Director, MAS and Certificate programs in Spatial Analysis for Public Health
Email: [email protected]

For Program-wide Issues

Elizabeth F. Topper, PhD, MEd, MPH
Senior Lecturer and Director, Online Programs for Applied Learning (OPAL)
Email: [email protected]

PROGRAM COMPETENCIES

The Master of Applied Science in Spatial Analysis for Public Health is an interdisciplinary program. The goal of the MAS in Spatial Analysis for Public Health program is to prepare students from diverse individual and professional backgrounds for positions that utilize spatial data to address public health problems.

By the end of the program, students should be able to:

1. Interpret and critique epidemiologic studies addressing public health problems
2. Apply measures of morbidity and mortality to the evaluation and comparison of the health of populations
3. Synthesize how geography affects public health
4. Obtain and transfer information from spatial data technologies into a database appropriate for mapping
5. Utilize a geographic information system to map and spatially integrate public health related databases
6. Analyze and interpret maps using tools from the field of spatial statistics to describe and interpret distributions of health outcomes in a population
7. Design and implement a spatial analysis protocol for addressing a public health problem

Hopkins invests in developing global perspectives so students can be engaged citizens wherever they are.

As a global university with students from all over the world, we welcome all kinds of experiences and new ways of thinking. We’re here to connect international students with the resources you need to become leaders and active members in our community and beyond. 

Please email [email protected] with any general international admissions questions. You can also email your regional admissions counselor if you have any questions specific to the area where you live or study.