Arizona State University (ASU) is launching two new graduate programs in fall 2025. These programs, the one-year Master of Science in Public Health Technology and the two-year Master of Public Health will be offered through ASU’s newly established School of Technology for Public Health. They aim to modernize the healthcare system and enhance students' career opportunities.
The Master of Science in Public Health Technology program is designed to cater to individuals who aspire to advance their careers in the medical field but have faced hurdles such as not getting into medical school or matching with a residency program on their first attempt. The program also targets clinicians, medical students, and public health officers who seek to become innovators but lack the business acumen or technical skills to bring their ideas to life. By providing comprehensive design, engineering, and data science training, the program aims to equip students with the skills necessary to succeed in modernized healthcare settings.
The Master of Public Health program integrates technology, engineering, and design thinking into public health education. This two-year degree allows students to delve deeper into public health and technology, offering elective courses that enhance their expertise in these fields. The program aims to modernize the public health ecosystem by leveraging advanced technologies that have historically been underutilized due to chronic underfunding.
According to Dr. Susan Blumenthal, co-chair of the advisory council for ASU’s School of Technology for Public Health and founder of the public health technology field, these programs represent a unique opportunity to use technological solutions to address major public health challenges. ASU will be the first university in the nation to seek accreditation for a concentration in public health technology within a Master of Public Health program.
Information sessions about these new degrees will be held in December 2024 and January 2025 to provide prospective students with more program details. Michelle Villegas-Gold, assistant vice president of strategic initiatives at ASU Health, emphasizes that these degrees are designed to keep talented individuals in Arizona, increase their chances of entering medical school or residency programs within the state, and ultimately contribute to the local healthcare workforce.
The curricula are structured to be transdisciplinary, incorporating elements of technology, engineering, and design into the core of public health education. Students will learn to be "technofluid," capable of navigating public health and technology landscapes. This integration aims to prepare graduates to modernize and improve public health infrastructure, which has long relied on outdated technologies.
The programs will focus on entrepreneurship and innovation in addition to technical training. Students will learn how to pitch ideas, raise funds, and turn their concepts into viable products or companies. This entrepreneurial component is crucial, given the decreasing availability of traditional funding for public health initiatives. By equipping students with these skills, ASU aims to prepare them to secure funding from venture capitalists and philanthropists, ensuring the sustainability and impact of their innovations.
The new degrees are an extension of ASU Health’s core mission to improve the health of Arizonans by making healthcare more equitable and accessible. By addressing the digital divide and ensuring that technological solutions are implemented thoughtfully and inclusively, ASU aims to foster a more modern and effective public health ecosystem.
We applaud our partner, Arizona State University, for its continued efforts to empower the next generation of technologists and hope to see them launch companies and disrupt industries right here in the Valley.
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