MS/MPH Dual Degree Option
Overview
The Master of Science/Master of Public Health (MS/MPH) dual degree option is designed to prepare students for a diverse range of careers in nursing and public health. It is available to students in all graduate nursing specialties and the Clinical Nurse Leader program. The advantage of this program is that students can earn both degrees in less time, and therefore at less cost, than if they pursued each degree separately. This is made possible by offering electives (and, for some nursing specialties, core courses as well) that fulfill the requirements for both degrees.
For detailed information on the MPH concentrations, visit the University of Maryland School of Medicine Web site at medschool.umaryland.edu/epidemiology/mph/.
Program Requirements
Students must meet all the requirements for both the MS and MPH programs to receive both degrees. To obtain the MS degree, students must earn between 30 and 72 credits, depending on the program of study. To obtain the MPH degree, students must earn 42 credits consisting of 23 credit hours of core courses, including 6 credit hours for the capstone experience, and 19 credit hours in an area of concentration. Students must specialize in one of two concentrations in the MPH program, which are currently:
- Epidemiology
- Community & Population Health
For detailed information on the MPH concentrations, visit the University of Maryland School of Medicine Web site at medschool.umaryland.edu/epidemiology/mph/.
The School of Nursing will allow students to use 9 credits obtained in the MPH program to fulfill MS elective requirements The School of Medicine will allow students to use 6 credits earned in the MS program as MPH electives. In addition to these 15 shared credits, nursing courses that fulfill requirements for both degrees and have a joint designation in both the School of Nursing and the School of Medicine, or that are listed as MPH electives, may count toward both the MS and MPH. Finally, with prior approval of the Nursing Specialty Program Director, an approved 6-credit MPH capstone experience may serve as the final practicum or precepted experience in the School of Nursing.
Admission and Course Requirements
Each school will award its own degree and will have its own admissions process. For additional information, please visit the University of Maryland School of Medicine Web site at medschool.umaryland.edu/epidemiology/mph/.
Sample Programs of Study
Sample Program of Study for School of Nursing Community/Public Health MS Specialty: Epidemiology Concentration*
| Required Core Courses (23 Credits) | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | |
| PH 600 NURS 671 |
Principles of Epidemiology Substitute: SON Epidemiological Assessment Strategies |
3 3 |
|
| PH 621 | Biostatistical Methods | 3 | |
| PH 668 | Environmental/Occupational Health | 3 | |
| PH 648 | Introduction to the Health System, Policy & Management | 3 | |
| PH 610 | Foundations of Public Health | 3 | |
| PH xxx | Public Health Ethics | 2 | |
| PH 789 | Supervised Capstone Experience Substitute**: 4 credits of NURS 753 Practicum in Leadership in Community/ Public Health upon approval of Specialty Director and MPH Concentration Director |
6 | |
| Community/Public Health MS Specialty students need 16 additional credits to satisfy the MPH core requirement. | |||
| Required Concentration Courses (10 Credits) | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | |
| PREV 803 | Clinical Trials/Experimental Epidemiology | 3 | |
| PREV 659 | Observational Studies in Epidemiology | 3 | |
| PREV 720 | Statistical Methods in Epidemiology | 4 | |
| Community/Public Health MS Specialty students need 10 additional credits to satisfy the MPH concentration requirement. | |||
| Approved Elective Courses (9 Credits) | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | |
| NURS xxx | Electives, subject to approval | 9 | |
| Community/Public Health MS Specialty students need 9 additional elective credits to satisfy the MPH elective requirement. | |||
| Total Credits | |||
| Required Core, Concentration, and Approved Electives | 42 | ||
| Total Additional Credits for MS/MPH | 35 | ||
| Total Credits for Dual Degree | 77 | ||
*Students will take all of the courses required in the Community/Public Health Specialty.
**Substitute fulfills only partial requirement for the MPH. MS students need an additional two credits of supervised field experience and must meet the proposal, participation, presentation and portfolio requirements for the MPH.
MS/MPH Dual Degree MPH Community & Population Health Concentration Program for School of Nursing Community/Public Health MS Specialty: Community & Population Health Concentration*
| Required Core Courses (23 Credits) | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | |
| PH 600 NURS 671 |
Principles of Epidemiology Substitute: SON Epidemiological Assessment Strategies |
3 3 |
|
| PH 621 | Biostatistical Methods | 3 | |
| PH 668 | Environmental/Occupational Health | 3 | |
| PH 648 | Introduction to the Health System, Policy & Management | 3 | |
| PH 610 | Foundations of Public Health | 3 | |
| PH xxx | Public Health Ethics | 2 | |
| PH 789 | Supervised Capstone Experience Substitute**: 4 credits of NURS 753 Practicum in Leadership in Community/Public Health upon approval of Specialty Director and MPH Concentration Director |
6 | |
| Community/Public Health MS Specialty students need 16 additional credits to satisfy the MPH core requirement. | |||
| Required Concentration Courses (9 Credits) | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | |
| PREV 758 | Health Survey Research Methods | 3 | |
| PREV 625 | Community-based Participatory Research: Theory and Methods | 3 | |
| PREV 732 | Program Planning and Evaluation in Community Public Health | 3 | |
| Community/Public Health MS Specialty students need 6 additional credits to satisfy the MPH concentration requirement. | |||
| Approved Elective Courses (10 Credits) | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | |
| NURS 769 | Society, Health and Social Justice | 3 | |
| NURS 761 | Populations at Risk in Community/Public Health | 3 | |
| NURS xxx | Others, subject to approval | 4 | |
| Community/Public Health MS Specialty students need 4 additional elective credits to satisfy the MPH elective requirement. | |||
| Total Credits | |||
| Required Core, Concentration, and Approved Electives | 42 | ||
| Total Additional Credits for MS/MPH | 26 | ||
| Total Credits for Dual Degree | 68 | ||
*Students will take all of the courses required in the Community/Public Health Specialty.
**Substitute fulfills only partial requirement for the MPH. MS students need an additional two credits of supervised field experience and must meet the proposal, participation, presentation and portfolio requirements for the MPH.
