Department of Maternal and Child Health (GRAD)
The Gillings School's Department of Maternal and Child Health, founded in 1950 and the only academic department of its kind, is a globally recognized leader in research, education, and public health practice.
We are dedicated to improving the health of women, children, and families — domestically and globally. Our teaching program provides students with broad exposure to maternal and child health population needs and priorities, as well as with the skills to become leaders of tomorrow. Our faculty members represent a rich mix of academic backgrounds and interests and contribute their expertise and leadership in a wide range of disciplines. We invite you to join us as we embark upon an exciting new year of scholarship, leadership, and service.
Degrees and Programs
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) Programs
Master of Public Health (M.P.H. Residential)
The Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) concentration in Maternal, Child and Family Health (MCFH) focuses on the determinants, mechanisms, and systems that promote and maintain the health and safety of women, children, and their families to enhance the future health and welfare of society. Our field is population-based and interdisciplinary, and we provide a strong foundation of knowledge, frameworks, and methods for program monitoring, process/impact evaluation, and program planning and implementation. As graduates, students will be equipped with a highly adaptable toolkit and prepared to lead interdisciplinary efforts that require multiple perspectives and competencies in domestic and global contexts. The degree is designed for students who have a bachelor’s degree and is intended for applicants who plan a practice career. It requires 42 credit hours, entailing SPH integrated core courses, MCFH core courses, and three elective courses.
Dual Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work (M.P.H.-M.S.W. Residential)
A cooperative arrangement between the Gillings School and the School of Social Work (SSW), the Dual Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work provides knowledge of the major factors associated with maternal health and child health, principles and methods for improving the health of mothers and children, and principles and methods of program planning, management, consultation, and policy analysis in the U.S. and in international settings. The program provides skills related to program planning, implementation, and evaluation; limited scientific investigation; computer applications; interdisciplinary functioning; and consultation as they relate to maternal and child health. The program objective is to develop a public health perspective consistent with population-based strategies for solving community health problems, addressing the responsibility of government and the contributions of scientific investigation and the interdisciplinary approach.
Dual Master of Public Health and Doctor of Pharmacy (M.P.H.-Pharm.D. Residential)
The objective of the Pharm.D./M.P.H. dual degree is to prepare students for an ever-expanding pharmacist role that increasingly requires proficiency in medication therapy management and health promotion on an individual patient, regional, state, and national level. A public health pharmacist is expected to use their pharmacotherapeutic knowledge and skills, in combination with their public health skills, to “plan, organize, manage, and perform drug-related activities within a specific public health focus or within a public health setting.
Doctoral Program (Ph.D.)
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is a residential degree program which develops research scholars capable of producing and disseminating new knowledge and methods for the public health profession in the field of maternal and child health. Each doctoral student is expected to develop and demonstrate competence in at least three areas: core maternal and child health content, research methods, and a chosen area of specialization. The specialization area will be related to the student’s dissertation research.
Courses
Numbered 600-999:
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) - Maternal, Child, and Family Health Concentration
At the Gillings school, we're dedicated to improving the health of women, children and families - in North Carolina and around the world. Women and children are the largest component of the global population, but experience has shown that — absent categorical attention — their needs are not equitably addressed.
Students in the Maternal, Child and Family Health Concentration gain substantive knowledge of key determinants affecting the health and well-being of mothers, children and families across the life course. In addition, students learn about prevention and treatment options as well as the research, implementation and monitoring and evaluation strategies to develop and improve programs and policies.
Course Requirements
Admissions
Please visit Applying to the Gillings School first for details and information. Application to the residential M.P.H. is a 2-step process. Please apply separately to (1) SOPHAS (or DICAS for Nutrition and Dietetics applicants) and (2) UNC–Chapel Hill (via the Graduate School application link that will be sent after completing the SOPHAS application). Visit the Graduate School Web site for more details. If you are interested in the online M.P.H., please visit the MPH@UNC website and fill out an inquiry form.
Milestones
- Master's Committee
- Master's Written Examination/Approved Substitute (Comprehensive Exam)
- Thesis Substitute (Culminating Experience)
- Residence Credit
- Exit Survey
- Master's Professional Work Experience (Practicum)
Maternal and Child Health, Doctoral Program (Ph.D.)
The Ph.D. program develops research scholars capable of producing and disseminating new knowledge and methods for the public health profession in the field of Maternal and Child Health. Each doctoral student is expected to develop and demonstrate competence in at least four areas: core Maternal and Child Health content, research methods, a chosen disciplinary concentration, and a chosen area of ‘specialization.’ The specialization area is topic-specific and should be related to the area chosen for the student’s dissertation research.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Public Health Foundational Courses | ||
| SPHG 600 | Foundations of Public Health 1 | 3 |
| Core Courses | ||
| MHCH 701 | Foundations of Maternal and Child Health I 2 | 3 |
| MHCH 702 | Foundations of Maternal and Child Health II 2 | 2 |
| MHCH 801 | Doctoral Research Seminar | 3 |
| MHCH 859 | Proposal Development for Maternal and Child Health | 3 |
| MHCH 804 | Special Topics in Maternal and Child Health | 1 |
| Two Research Method Courses 3 | ||
| Two Analytic Courses 4 | ||
| MHCH 862 | Program Impact Evaluation | 3 |
| Disciplinary Concentrations | ||
| Ph.D. students must declare a disciplinary concentration in another department or program in the School of Public Health. Disciplinary concentrations in departments in other Schools can be considered (e.g. Public Policy) but must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor and the MCH Vice Chair. 15 hours of coursework in the disciplinary concentration are required. | 15 | |
| Electives | ||
| A minimum total of 13 elective credit hours required. Must be graduate level courses. Students may not take more than 3 Independent Study credits. | 13 | |
| Thesis/Substitute or Dissertation | ||
| MHCH 994 | Doctoral Research and Dissertation 5 | 6 |
| Minimum Hours | 52 | |
- 1
Students with a prior public health degree from a CEPH-accredited institution are not required to take SPHG 600; exemptions are available for other students if they can demonstrate that they have completed similar content. Students will need to take equivalent credits in additional courses if they are exempt from SPHG 600.Course credits cannot be made up with dissertation credits. Students should discuss with their Academic Coordinator.
- 2
Students who have an M.P.H. in Maternal and Child Health do not need to take the MHCH 701 and MHCH 702 sequence. Students will need to take equivalent credits in additional courses if they are exempt from MHCH 701 and MHCH 702. Course credits cannot be made up with dissertation credits. Students should discuss with their Academic Coordinator and Faculty Mentor.
- 3
All students must complete at least two 3-credit courses in research methods (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed), which can be taken as part of their disciplinary concentration or as elective credits. These courses can be taken outside of the MCH Department but must be approved by the student’s faculty mentor.
- 4
One of the analytic courses is MHCH 862. Students must take a minimum of two other quantitative analytic courses from the analytic course sequence in their disciplinary concentration. The courses must cover multivariable analysis (e.g. linear regression, non-linear regression etc.) and can be taken as part of the disciplinary concentration credits or as elective credits. The two additional courses must be approved by the student’s faculty mentor. There are no minimum credit hour requirements attached to the non-MHCH 862 courses.
- 5
Total number of dissertation hours will vary based on the program. Please consult with your student services manager or DGS.
Milestones
- Doctoral Committee
- Doctoral Oral Comprehensive Exam
- Doctoral Written Exam
- Prospectus Oral Exam
- Advanced to Candidacy
- Dissertation Defense
- Doctoral Dissertation Approved/Format Accepted
- Residence Credit
- Exit Survey
- Doctoral Research Experience (Internship)
Following the faculty member's name is a section number that students should use when registering for independent studies, reading, research, and thesis and dissertation courses with that particular professor
Professors
Alessandra Bazzano (005), Maternal and Child Health through Life Course Health Development and Social Innovation for Public Health
Dorothy Cilenti (036), Improved Care Systems for Vulnerable Women and Children, Build Foundational Capabilities of Governmental Public Health Agencies, Systems Integration, Workforce Development, Evidence-Informed Decision-Making
Sian Curtis (049), International Reproductive and Maternal Health, Including Family Planning and Abortion, Monitoring and Evaluation of Population and Health Programs
Julie Daniels, Epidemiology of Reproductive Health, Infant and Child Growth and Development, Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Environmental and Nutritional Exposures Related to Reproductive and Developmental Outcome
Claudia Fernandez (031), Workforce and Leadership Development, Inter-Professional Teams, Leadership Issues in Healthcare and Related Fields
Bethany Hedt-Gauthier, Health Systems, Building Research Capacity in Resource-Limited Settings, Implementation Science, AI-Enabled Digital Tools, Maternal Health, Surgical Care, Health Equity
Iheoma Iruka (083), Early Care and Education, Anti-Poverty/Asset-Building Programs, Systems and Policies, Home Visiting and Parenting Programs, Home and Classroom Environment, Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist, Culturally Responsive Practices and Policies
Kavita Singh Ongechi (010), Evaluation of Maternal and Child Health Interventions in Low and Middle-Income Countries, Role of Social Factors on Maternal and Child Health Outcomes, Measurement of Maternal and Child Health Outcomes, Newborn Health
Herbert Peterson (001), Global Health, Maternal and Newborn Health, Including Family Planning, Implementation Science
Ilene Speizer (015), Unintended Pregnancy Prevention, Evaluation of Reproductive Health Programs in Developing Countries, Adolescent Health, Male and Couple Involvement, Gender-Based Violence, HIV Prevention
Alison Stuebe (069), Breastfeeding, Maternal Depression, 4th Trimester Needs
Clinical Professors
John Thorp Jr., Preterm Birth, Birth Asphyxia, Episiotomy, Community Child Health
Associate Professors
Janine Barden-O’Fallon (033), Family Planning, Reproductive Health, International Health, Monitoring and Evaluation Methods for Global Health Programs in Developing Countries
Angela Parcesepe (048), Violence, Mental Health, Substance Use Disorders, Global HIV Prevention, Treatment in Low-Resource Settings
Meghan Shanahan (067), Diagnosis and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect, Program Evaluations, Prescription Drug Overdose
Christine Tucker (013), Maternal Health, Birth Outcomes, Practice-Based Research and Program Evaluation, Latino Health, Migrant Farmworker Health
Assistant Professors
Kristin Black (081), Community-Based Participatory Research, Mixed Methods and Racial Equity Approaches to Understand and Address Inequities in Reproductive Health and Chronic Disease Outcomes
Larelle Bookhart (084), Infant Feeding and Breastfeeding, Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative and Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, Community-Based Maternity Care Workers, Maternal and Child Health Racial and Socioeconomic Inequities
Catherine Sullivan (072), Breastfeeding, Lactation, Birth Practice, Nutrition Education and Support Services, Pediatric Obesity, Maternal Weight Management, Fourth Trimester
Lindsey Yates, Social Justice, Health Equities, Healthcare Access for Underrepresented Minorities
Teaching Assistant Professor
Caroline Chandler (85), Early Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health and Well-Being, Qualitative and Quantitative Methods
Jon M. Hussey (34), Child Abuse and Neglect, Child and Adolescent Health, Injury Prevention, Population
Adjunct Professors
Jessamy Bagenal, Women, Technology, Climate and Health, Public Health, Surgery, Health Systems
Jose Belizan, International Maternal and Child Health, Implementation Science
Mary Jane Benson, Global Reproductive Health, Program Monitoring and Evaluation
Pouru Bhiwandi, Gynecology, International Women's Health, Public Health, Maternal and Child Health
Dorothy Browne, High-Risk Individuals and their Families (Drugs, HIV and AIDS, Sexual Behavior, etc.) Maternal and Child Health Disparities
Martha Carlough, Global Maternity Care, Global Health Education
Roldolfo Gomez Ponce de Leon, Global Sexual and Reproductive Health
Phillip Graham, Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention, Program Evaluation
Marcia Herman-Giddens, Child Development, Abuse and Advocacy, Infectious Diseases
Vijaya Hogan, Infant Mortality, Prematurity, Health Equity
Marian Johnson-Thompson, Microbiology, Environmental Health
Michael Kafrissen, Clinical Research, Product Development, Aging
Baker Maggwa, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Operations and Implementation Research
Tekleab Mekbib, Implementation Science
Krista Perreira, Immigrant Health, Reproductive Health, Mental Health, Cardiovascular Health, Public Policy Analysis
Doris Rouse, Maternal and Child Health, Global Health, Public and Private Partnerships
Robert Schepbier, Implementation Science
Wendee Wechsberg, HIV Prevention, Women and Gender Issues, Substance Use, Gender-Based Violence
Adam Zolotor, Child Maltreatment, State Health Policy
Adjunct Associate Professors
Joy Baumgartner, Maternal and Child Health, Global Mental Health, Health Services Research and Evaluation
Deborah Billings, Global Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice, Pre- and Post-natal Care, Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence, Abortion, and Post Abortion Care
Shelah Bloom, Reproductive Health, Gender-Based Violence in Global Context
Dalia Brahmi, Sexual and Reproductive Health (Safe Abortion and Contraception), Primary Care
Amy Bryant, Family Planning, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Holly Burke, Family Planning, Contraception, HIV Prevention, Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health, Health Communication, Program Evaluation
Cynthia Cassell, Reproductive Health, Global Health, Children with Special Healthcare Needs
Kerith Conron, Social and Psychiatric Epidemiology, LGBT Health
Abigail English, Adolescent Health, Policy and Law, Human Trafficking
Jennifer Fehringer, Global Health Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning, Technical Leadership of Awards, Mixed-Methods Impact Evaluations and Qualitative Components Impact
Alfredo Fort, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Population and Facility-Based Survey Design
Jean Fotso, Maternal and Child Health, Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health
Dana Hagele, Policy and Program Development for At-Risk Child Populations, Child Behavioral and Emotional Difficulties
Dilshad Jaff, Global Public Health
Nathalie Kapp, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Most Significantly in the Areas of Contraception and Abortion
Gerri Mattson, Child and Adolescent Preventive Health, Perinatal Depression and Substance Abuse, Foster Care, Mental Health
Donna McCarraher, International Health, Research and Programs in Maternal Health, Family Planning, Service Integration
Elizabeth McClure, Maternal and Newborn Health in Low and Middle-Income Countries
Constance Newman, Gender and Sexual Reproductive Health, Gender Based Violence in the Workforce
Aunchalee Palmquist, Ethnographically Informed Research on Human Lactation, Breastfeeding, Bioethics and Human Rights Frameworks, Reproductive Health Inequities
Tammy Ringel-Kulka, Children's Oral Health, Health Promotion, and Disease Prevention
Lucy Siegel, Health Care Access, Quality, Effectiveness and Cost
David Sokal, Family Planning, Promoting Research on New Male Methods
Elizabeth Tolley, Health Behavior, Contraception, HIV Prevention and Treatment
Sarah Verbiest, Maternal and Child Health, Health Equity, Leadership, Implementation Science
Yudan Wang, Policy Evaluation, Injury Prevention, Quantitative Research Methods
Adjunct Assistant Professors
Kathryn Andersen, Global Health, Abortion, Contraception, Reproductive Health
Mary Ashinyo, Planning, Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation of Global Healthcare Facility Quality Improvement
Courtney Bonner, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Mental Health, Substance Use, and Violence, Sustainable Intervention Development
Kristen Brugh, International Health and Development, Mixed-Methods Evaluation in Lower- and Middle-Income Countries
Cecilia Casanueva, Child Maltreatment, Maternal and Child Health
Renee Ferrari, Qualitative Methods, Preventative Health Services, Health Services Research, Maternal and Child Health
William Oscar Fleming, Capacity of the Public Health Workforce to Understand Complex Systems and Collaboratively Design and Implement Public Health Innovations
Melissa Green, Leadership, Social Media, Health Inequity
Joumana Haidar, Implementation Science
Stephanie Hernandez, Health Disparities, LGBT Health, Quantitative Methodology, Population Health
Priya Nanda, Population Reproductive Health and Gender Equality
Logan Nickels, Family Planning, Male Contraception, Biochemistry
Anne Odusanya, Community Health Behavior and Education, Implementation and Evaluation, Equity-Oriented Approaches to Programing and Working with Minoritized Communities
Marcia Cordova-Roth, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, Family-Centered Care, Cross-Sector Efforts Addressing Health Care Access Inequities and Disparities
Hannah Silverstein, Impact Evaluation on Effects of Health, Social Protection Programs on MCH Populations
Mallory Turner, Child Development, Racial and Early Life Inequities and Disparities
Stephanie Watson-Grant, Global Health Policy Effects on Health Systems and Health Outcomes, Monitoring and Evaluation
Andra Wilkinson, Adolescent Health Issues, Program Implementation and Outcomes
Katie Wouk, Breastfeeding, Mixed Methods Quality Improvement, Equity Improvement for Quality Care Access
Adjunct Instructors
Leslie deRosset, Maternal and Child Health Inequities and Disparities
Rebecca Greenleaf, MCH, Developmental Disabilities, Curriculum Development, Early Childhood
Amy Mullenix, Workforce Development, Women's Preconception Health
Faculty Emeriti
Trude Bennett
Anita M. Farel
Sherri Green
Carolyn T. Halpern
Jonathan B. Kotch
Lewis Margolis
Sandra L. Martin
Diane Rowley
Department of Maternal and Child Health
