How UC Berkeley’s Online MPH can prepare you for a digital shift

Uncovering the link between childhood trauma and early puberty in girls. Exposing alarming spikes in self-harm among multiracial youth. Revealing how racial dynamics in the workplace affect cardiovascular health. These are just some of the breakthroughs that faculty at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health have made in the past year. And these dedicated and passionate faculty educators are just as passionate about teaching as they are about research.

This academic and pedagogical excellence combined with a focus on real-world change is what makes UC Berkeley’s top-ranked Online Master of Public Health (MPH) the best choice for 21st century professionals. The 27-month program equips working adults around the world with the knowledge and tools to lead in the ever-evolving public health sector, which now requires tech fluency –– including competencies in programming and data visualization.

Thankfully, whether UC Berkeley Online MPH students specialize in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Health Policy and Management, or Food, Nutrition and Population Health, they engage with a curriculum that is continually evolving alongside the industry.

Turning messy data into strategic insight at Pfizer

After earning her undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley and working in a research capacity at UCSF, Emily Colby returned to Berkeley with a forward-looking goal: gaining an MPH to advance her career. Flexibility and depth were what she needed most in a graduate program. She found both in UC Berkeley’s Online MPH.

During the program, Colby took on several teaching support roles, including tutoring and serving as a Graduate Student Instructor for the Introduction to Epidemiology course. These opportunities strengthened her grasp of foundational concepts and helped her build meaningful connections with fellow students and faculty.

To apply knowledge, she took on a practicum at Pfizer, which paved the way for a full-time role with the company, where she now serves as Manager of Real-World Evidence, Partnerships and Innovation.

“My position is focused on internal analytics, so I spend a lot of time running queries for internal stakeholders who are making big decisions about the future of drugs that are in development or already on the market,” Colby explains.

The UC Berkeley Online MPH played a central role in preparing her for this work. Entering the program with minimal programming experience, she gained critical technical skills that she now applies daily. She also developed the ability to select appropriate statistical models and interpret mathematical notation — skills that proved essential both on the job and during technical interviews.

Beyond technical expertise, she learned how to ask the right questions, select the right data, and consider context as critical to analysis. Colby, a ’24 graduate, also credits the program’s emphasis on working with real-world data for helping her adapt quickly to the demands of her current role. Handling large, messy datasets — such as electronic health records and insurance claims — is now just part of her day-to-day work.

From pharma exec to AI innovator

With years of experience in oncology drug development and a seat on the board of the Zen Hospice Project, Fabrice Beretta turned to UC Berkeley’s Online MPH to explore a question that had long been on his mind: How can we better understand the determinants of health to reduce suffering, while balancing profits with purpose?

What he found was a launchpad. “It sparked my interest in keeping up with technology, and I am still actively working on AI solutions to dramatically improve the costs and efficiency of conducting clinical trials,” he says. “But it all started with the Online MPH program.”

Berkeley’s tech-forward approach ran throughout the curriculum. Though artificial intelligence was not yet a dominant force in the public health curriculum in 2017, when Beretta began his MPH, foundational courses in epidemiology and geographic information systems (GIS) provided deep insights to data science and statistical modeling. “It was an enjoyable ‘master class’ in technology savviness,” Beretta says, crediting the program’s tech-focused GIS courses for showing how geospatial data could generate powerful storyboards for real-world health decision-making.

Courses in regulatory sciences deepened his understanding of how drug development strategies are shaped by regulatory frameworks. Learning about historic accelerations in drug approvals — such as those during the AIDS crisis — helped him connect scientific development with policy and strategic execution.

While at Berkeley, Beretta also completed a practicum with Omada Health, a digital healthcare company using cognitive behavioral therapy to tackle obesity. “It was a fantastic experience to witness the speed at which tech companies can operate while also appreciating how the regulatory context is so important to ensure the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of healthcare interventions,” says the 2019 alum.

The exposure thoroughly prepared Beretta for his transition into advanced roles in the pharmaceutical industry. His role as Core Team Leader at BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. involved aligning research, clinical development, regulatory strategy, and cost-effectiveness analysis.

And with the rise of AI in healthcare, Beretta has since pivoted toward a project focused on applying machine learning models to drug development, thanks to the statistical foundations laid at Berkeley.

Leading with data, equity, and strategy

Dariyen Carter entered UC Berkeley’s Online MPH in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I wanted to be part of the solution, particularly for communities historically marginalized due to their socioeconomic status,” he says. “UC Berkeley’s reputation, commitment to equity, and forward-thinking curriculum made it the ideal place to deepen my public health knowledge.”

Plus, the program’s flexibility allowed him to stay in the field while upskilling. At the time, Carter was working in HIV prevention at a pharmaceutical company and volunteering with a sexual health outreach organization. “These experiences helped me bridge academic learning with real-world impact,” he says.

Wearing many hats didn’t stop Carter from moving into a leadership position at Charles River Laboratories while still a student. His new role involved overseeing complex research operations that blend public health principles with business strategy and innovation. The hard skills he developed early on as an Online MPH student directly supported his transition.

Competencies in statistical analysis, epidemiologic study design, and health informatics now serve as the backbone of his daily decision-making. Whether evaluating research workflows or designing internal studies, he relies on these tools to assess performance, optimize outcomes, and guide ethical operations at scale.

One example stands out. Using statistical modelling, Carter evaluated the cost-effectiveness of different operational strategies at Charles River Laboratories. The findings improved internal processes and contributed to broader conversations about sustainable research practices in the industry.

Just as vital were the soft skills Carter gained as an MPH student at Berkeley. “The university equipped me to make confident, evidence-based decisions in a fast-paced, tech-heavy environment where data, research, and public health priorities must coexist,” says the 2023 graduate. “Their mentorship and guidance helped shape the leader I am today.”