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Maternal and Child Health Program
The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program at George Washington University is one of four broad specialty areas in the Department of Prevention and Community Health. We are dedicated to improving the health of women, children, youth, and families across the country and around the globe.
Mission Statement
The Maternal and Child Health program at The George Washington School of Public Health and Health Services is a Master of Public Health (MPH) program designed to train individuals to become responsible and productive public health professionals with expertise in maternal and child health. We take a multidisciplinary perspective, integrating biological, demographic, epidemiological, developmental, environmental, behavioral, and social characteristics that promote the health and well-being of women, children, and families during the course of their lifetimes.
The goals of this educational program are to strengthen the:
- Knowledge and skills necessary to assess the health care needs of women, children, and families
- Ability to plan, design, implement, evaluate, and communicate about programs and research focused on promoting health and preventing disease among women, children, and families
Our program is built around five basic competency areas in maternal and child health:
- Scientific basis for MCH practice
- Methodological and analytical skills
- Management and communication
- Policy and advocacy
- Values and ethics in MCH public health practice
Academic Programs
We offer two degree programs in Maternal and Child Health:
- 45-credit Master of Public Health, which generally takes about two years to complete.
- 18-credit Graduate Certificate, which can be completed on its own or combined with an MPH in another program or department.
All MPH students who select the Maternal and Child Health program enroll in core courses (18 credits) and program-specific courses and electives (27 credits). The 45-credit requirement includes both a practicum and a culminating experience, which allow students to apply their classroom education in organizations engaged in maternal and child health and/or to pursue research.
Curriculum Guide and Advising Tips
Faculty and Staff
Karen McDonnell
Amita Vyas
Constance Battle
Monica Ruiz
Elizabeth Reed
Contact Us
Amita N. Vyas, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Director, Maternal & Child Health Program
Department of Prevention and Community Health
George Washington University
School of Public Health and Health Services
2175 K Street NW Suite 700
Washington, DC 20037
(202)994-3695
Email: avyas@gwu.edu
Our Research
Our faculty and students have conducted research in the following areas:
- South Asian Health
- Empowering Latino Youth
- Global HIV/AIDS prevention
- Obesity prevention among women, children, and families
- Exercise
- Health and health care in schools
- Infant mortality
- Safe pregnancy and childbirth
- Childhood injury prevention
- Adolescent pregnancy prevention
- Women's mental health
- Family planning
- Breastfeeding practices
- Intimate partner violence
- Teen Dating Violence
Service Activities
Among the many service activities in which our faculty and students participate:
- Homeless Children's Playtime Project Adult Health and Development Program (through the University of Maryland and the U.S. Public Health Uniform Services.
- Mentor for Southeast White House
- Metro Teen Aids Campaigns
GW + Phones = Hope and Text4Baby Campaigns
Prevention and Community health student volunteers for Text4Baby, and faculty members Dr. Amita Vyas, and Dr. Karen McDonnell with Chelsea Clinton and Christy Turlington Burns at the GW Phones for Hope Rally in October.
