Degree Programs
MPH-MA
Master of Public Health - Master of Arts in Bioethics Dual Degree
The many advances in health sciences have resulted in new, complex ethical considerations for individuals, health care professionals, institutions, and other relevant decision makers. Professionals in public health, prevention sciences, health sciences, the life sciences, and the social sciences have relied on the field of bioethics when dealing with controversial issues related to (1) individual vs. community rights, (2) analysis of benefits, harms, risks, and costs, and (3) ethical issues in global health research.
Students will learn about ethical issues in population health practice, research, and policy. For example, they will examine questions related to individual and community responsibilities during infectious disease outbreaks and man-made or natural disasters. They will consider the ethical implications of various public health practices related to human rights, domestic and international research, resource allocations, security, and genetic/health screenings, as well as other relevant areas.
Through the dual degree program, the two degrees can be obtained with a total of 60 earned credits, as compared with the 75 credits required if the degrees are obtained separately.
Students will complete the Bioethics MA curriculum and the MPH curriculum except that students in the combined program will be allowed to double-count courses as follows:
- PBHL-H 602: Public Health Internship (3 credits) will count toward both degrees, replacing PHIL-P 548: Clinical Ethics Practicum (3 credits) in the bioethics curriculum.
- Students must complete a capstone research project by receiving three credits under PBHL-H 705 and three credits under PHIL-P 803. These six credits will be counted toward both degrees. They will count as electives in the MPH curriculum, and as concentration-specific electives in the Bioethics MA curriculum.
- Students will also be allowed to select up to six credits of the following electives from either the Bioethics MA or the MPH curricula (no more than three credits from each). These six credits will be counted toward both degrees. They will count as electives in the MPH curriculum, and as concentration-specific electives in the Bioethics MA curriculum.
MPH curriculum
Public health core courses
Take all four courses for a total of 12 credits.
- PBHL-P 510 Introduction to Public Health (3 credits)
- PBHL-P 511 Comprehensive Methods and Applications in Biostatistics and Epidemiology (3 credits)
- PBHL-P 513 Planning, Evaluation & Management (3 credits)
- PBHL-P 512 Communication & Leadership (3 credits)
Health policy and management concentration courses
Take all six courses for a total of 18 credits.
- PBHL-H 611 Policy Design, Implementation & Management (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 616 Leading Public Health Service Organizations (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 619 Financial Management for Public Health Organizations (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 628 Healthcare Information Systems (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 641 Public Health Ethics (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 658 Health Policy and Program Evaluation (3 credits)
Public health elective courses
Select three credits from list below.
- PBHL-H 621 Grant Writing and Administration for Public Health (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 613 Emergency Preparedness for Public Health (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 644 Health Impact Assessment (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 624 Developing Strategic Capabilities (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 657 Cost-Effectiveness (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 639 Law, Poverty and Population Health (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 621 Grant Writing and Administration for Public Health (3 credits)
- PBHL-S 614 Program Planning and Evaluation (3 credits)
- PBHL-E 601 Advanced Epidemiology (3 credits)
- PBHL-A 640 Public Health Applications of GIS (3 credits)
Public health practical experience
Take both courses for a total of six credits
- PBHL-H 602 Public Health Internship (3 credits)
- PBHL-H 711 Capstone Experience in Health Policy and Management (3 credits)
Updated: April 2024
