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Master's Degree

Master of Applied Science (MAS) in Population Health Management

Online | Part-Time | 24 years

About the MAS in Population Health Management Program

The health care services delivery landscape is rapidly transforming. New competencies are required to effectively navigate and succeed under evolving state, national, and payer population-oriented health delivery initiatives, health equity improvement and reporting regulations, and value-based reimbursement models. This interdisciplinary program provides experienced professionals comprehensive approaches to developing and implementing population health management and improvement strategies and leading transformation to more equitable, value-based, and population-focused care delivery. View the curriculum.

In this video, Mark J. Bittle, DrPH, MBA, FACHE, Program Director of the Certificate in Population Health Management and Master of Applied Science in Population Health Management, gives a brief description of the programs.

MAS in Population Health Management Program Highlights

Rapidly growing industry

This rapidly growing industry sector has a growing need for highly-skilled professionals

ONLINE

Online delivery provides flexibility and accessibility to students around the world

COMPETITIVE TUITION

All students enrolled in an online Applied Science Certificate or Master's program are awarded a scholarship 

LED BY RENOWNED experts

Led by renowned experts who are shaping the field through policymaking, research and first-hand management

CAHME Certified

Our MAS in Population Health Management program is one of the first five programs certified by the Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education. The MAS in Population Health Management joins the Bloomberg School's CAHME-accredited Master of Health Administration program in our suite of programs focused on advancing healthcare management and leadership.

CAHME Certified Logo for Population Health Management

Hear From Our Students, Alumni, and Faculty

"The MAS program served as the perfect source of inspiration for me. Despite being a distance learning course, the interaction with faculty and classmates both in asynchronous and synchronous fashion felt as if I was attending the course in person. The modules and assignments were perfectly designed for working professionals with a background knowledge in the area. Thanks to this program, I have found a role that I really love in the health policy space while continuing my work as a clinician part time. Thank you for such an amazing and fruitful experience!"

      ~MAS graduate, 2023

 

 

 

What are Population Health & Public Health?

"Public health and population health are intertwined concepts: both seek to improve the health status and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. This program opens the toolbox of public health -- including epidemiology, community action, and communications -- for the purpose of advancing the health of a wide range of clinical and geographic populations."
– Joshua M. Sharfstein, M.D. Vice Dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Former Secretary, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Population health was defined by Kindig and Stoddart in 2003 as "health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group." The notion of population health grew from research that confirmed that multiple determinants influence the health of individuals over a lifetime. Following the framework of Know, Engage, and Manage, population health management refers to a set of defined interventions designed to improve health across the full continuum, taking into account low risk, rising risk, as well as high-risk patient populations. Population Health Management also incorporates a strong focus on outcomes, behaviors, the determinants of health, and recognition of the need for multisector collaboration. According to Dr. Dawn Marie Jacobson of the Public Health Institute, the combination of population-based strategies to address upstream health influencing factors in parallel with individual prevention-focused behavioral change strategies creates a sense of shared responsibility for improving health.

For more on this topic, read "What is Population Health?" and "What is Public Health?".

 

What Can You Do With a Graduate Degree In Population Health Management?

Population health management has emerged as an important strategy for health care providers and payers. The MAS program in Population Health Management prepares students to examine and respond to challenges and opportunities to improve health and health equity within and across populations. The program is structured to guide professionals in transforming health care delivery into sustainable models of equitable, value-driven, accountable care.

The interdisciplinary curriculum also examines the importance of the impact and importance of multiple determinants of health, including access to medical and behavioral health care, health insurance, and health-supporting resources, as well as the influence of public health, genetics, personal behaviors and lifestyle, and a broad range of environmental, and economic factors. 

Visit the Graduate Employment Outcomes Dashboard to learn about Bloomberg School graduates' employment status, sector, and salaries.

Sample Careers

  • Physician (Medical Director, Chief Medical Officer) and Nurse Executives (Chief Nursing Officer)
  • Manager or Director of Community Outreach
  • Director, Care Management
  • Director or Vice President of Population Health
  • Director of Health Equity
  • Director of Community Health
  • Director or Vice President of Clinical Integration
  • Health Information and Knowledge Management Professionals
  • Health Care Finance Professionals
  • Health Quality and Performance Improvement Professionals


Careers

Interested in population health management careers and what you can do with this degree? Check out the careers page.

Hear about Career Impact from an Alum of the Program

Curriculum for the MAS in Population Health Management

Browse an overview of the requirements for this master's program in the JHU Academic Catalogue and explore all course offerings in the Bloomberg School Course Directory. 

50

credits

16

required courses

1

culminating project

Admissions Requirements

For the general admissions requirements see our How to Apply page. The specific program also requires:

Prior Work Experience

3+ years of post-baccalaureate health-related experience

Prior Coursework

Prior quantitative coursework or alternative evidence of quantitative ability

 

Standardized Test Scores

Standardized test scores are not required and not reviewed for this program. If you have taken a standardized test such as the GRE, GMAT, or MCAT and want to submit your scores, please note that they will not be used as a metric during the application review. Applications will be reviewed holistically based on all required application components.

Application Specials

Ask about our monthly application specials!

Applications have closed for the 2024 program starts. The application for August 2025 program starts will open in mid-August 2024 in SOPHAS and SOPHAS Express.
Please email mas-office@jh.edu prior to submitting your application for further information! 

Program Faculty Spotlights

Mark Bittle
Teaching Professor
Health Policy and Management

Mark Bittle, DrPH ’06, MBA, FACHE, focuses on the organizational and management factors that influence physician alignment and managing change in complex organizations.

Tuition and Funding

The online MAS programs have competitive price points and substantial tuition scholarships. The admission application also serves as your scholarship application. All admitted students will receive the online MAS scholarship.

Contact Us

Questions about the program? We're happy to help.

Request more information or call us at 410-955-3543 to speak with an admissions officer. You can also reach us via email at BSPH.Admissions@jhu.edu.

 

Elizabeth F. Topper, PhD, MEd, MPH
Research Professor, and Director, Master of Applied Science (MAS) Programs

 Mark J. Bittle, DrPH, MBA, FACHE
Teaching Professor, and Co-Director, MAS and Certificate programs in Population Health Management

David R. Baker, DrPH
Associate Professor - Adjunct, and Co-Director, MAS and Certificate programs in Population Health Management

Christina Potter, MBA
Academic Program Manager, Master of Applied Science (MAS) Programs
 

MAS-Office@jhu.edu

 

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