Beth,
That sounds like a well thought out decision.
If I may add a couple points that I think apply, but also led me to my decision...
I also had some concerns about being a part of a new program, but after meeting with some administrators / professors / students there, I realized that the program itself is definitely new, but Brown's experience in public health research is definitely well-established.
The Community Health Department where the MPH program is situated has been around for decades, and has done quite a bit of public health research.
It's just that they have only been offering the MPH degree in the last 8 years, and the fact that they have received the max (7 year) accreditation from CEPH, which is validation that they know what they're doing.
Moreover, the fact that there are 2 internship opportunities will definitely help us to expand our networks (assuming we want to work shortly after our MPH degree is awarded).
And the fact that the program is 2 years in length will cater to individuals who want to spend time preparing for other endeavors.
Lastly, and highly important for me, the fact that there are no concentrations offered means that students have the opportunity to define their own "tracks", obviously after they complete the core courses.
The administrator I spoke with said that this may not be the case in a few years, however, as the Department of Community Health may be expanding into an official School of Public Health (2-5 year time horizon).
The financial generosity notwithstanding, Brown was an easy choice for me (especially after visiting), over columbia, dartmouth, and tufts.
