Nursing and Public Health (MSN/MPH)

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The Master of Science/Master of Public Health (MSN/MPH) dual degree option prepares you for a diverse range of careers in nursing and public health.

This dual-degree program is designed to prepare graduates for leadership positions in health-related agencies and settings in which a combined expertise in nursing and public health is beneficial.

It is available to students in the Community/Public Health Nursing specialty.

You'll earn:

  • a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Maryland School of Nursing
  • a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Maryland School of Medicine

And you may earn both degrees in less time — and at less cost — than if you pursued each degree separately.

  • The MSN degree requires 38 credits.
  • The MPH degree requires 42 credits, including 23 credit hours of core courses and 19 credit hours in an area of concentration; you must select a concentration in either Epidemiology or Community & Population Health.

You can graduate with both degrees in as little as three years.

  • The School of Nursing will allow students to use 9 credits obtained in the MPH program to fulfill MSN elective requirements.
  • The School of Medicine will allow students to use 6 credits earned in the MSN 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 MSN and MPH
  • with prior approval of the Nursing Specialty Program Director, an approved 6-credit MPH capstone experience may serve as the final practicum or precept experience in the School of Nursing.

Each school awards its own degree and has its own admissions process. You must meet all the requirements for the MSN and MPH programs to receive both degrees. 

For more information, visit the University of Maryland School of Medicine site.

More Information About the MSN/MPH Dual-Degree Program:

Courses You'll Take: Epidemiology Concentration

For financial aid purposes, there are credit minimums for full-time status that may differ from the plans of study. See details.

Sample Plan of Study: 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 MSN 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 MSN 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 MSN 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 MSN/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. MSN students need an additional two credits of supervised field experience and must meet the proposal, participation, presentation and portfolio requirements for the MPH.

Courses You'll Take: Community & Population Health Concentration

For financial aid purposes, there are credit minimums for full-time status that may differ from the plans of study. See details.

Sample Plan of Study: 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 MSN 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 MSN 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 MSN 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. MSN students need an additional two credits of supervised field experience and must meet the proposal, participation, presentation and portfolio requirements for the MPH.

 

Scholarship Opportunities

Your nursing education is an important investment. Financial aid and scholarships can help make your goals a reality.

UMSON offers multiple opportunities to help you afford your graduate education. Note that the opportunities below only apply to the portion of your dual-degree program earned at UMSON.

Type of AidAward
Federal Financial Aid various award amounts
Merit Scholarships $1,500-$3,000 per semester
(You are automatically considered for a merit scholarship upon submitting a completed application for enrollment in an UMSON academic program.)
Donor-Funded Scholarships $500-2,000 per semester
(offered during the fall and spring semesters)
Conway Scholarship full scholarship: tuition and fees
(for those who will have completed 12 credit hours of graduate study by the start of the semester for which the Conway Scholarship is awarded and who have at least half of their credit hours remaining)
Graduate Assistantships stipend, tuition remission, in-state status, and paid student health insurance

Learn More About Financial Aid and Scholarships

All students receiving funds through the University must:

  • be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits) in a degree-seeking program
  • complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year by UMB's award priority deadline
    • FAFSA Submission period: Oct. 1 (of the previous year) through Feb. 28
    • FAFSA School code: 002104

The UMB Office of Student Financial Assistance & Education is available to guide prospective and current students through the FAFSA application process and the financial aid award package.

Contact Us:

UMSON Scholarships and Grants Office
410-706-0489 | nrsscholarships@umaryland.edu

UMB Student Financial Assistance and Education Office
410-706-7347 | aidtalk@umaryland.edu

 

MSN Admission Information

In this section:

Deadline:

For best consideration, applicants are encouraged to have all required application materials submitted by the respective deadlines to ensure your application is considered for admission and scholarships.

Fall 2024 Timeline
Regular Deadline/Deadline for UMSON Scholarship Consideration July 15, 2024
Completed applications received after this deadline are reviewed solely on a space-available basis. Only applicants who apply by this deadline will be eligible for consideration for merit scholarships (no additional application required). Federal financial aid eligibility is not impacted by this deadline.
Final Deadline Aug. 5, 2024
All applications and supplemental documents must be received by this date. Incomplete applications after this deadline will be canceled.

Qualifications:

  • bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing from:
    • an ACEN- (formally known as NLNAC), CCNE- or NLN CNEA- accredited college or university
      or
    • an equivalent degree from a comparable foreign institution
  • an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0

Application Materials:

Materials

Submission Guidelines

 
Online Application and non-refundable $75 application fee.

Start your application now via the Admissions Dashboard.

The Admissions Dashboard is where you will:

  • submit your online application and fee
  • submit/request any supplemental documents
  • check your application status.
You can save your progress and return to your application at a later date. We recommend that you continue to log in for regular updates. 
One recommendation. Your recommendation must come from a recent professional source. Only the first recommendation received will be considered. Submit/request these materials via the Admissions Dashboard.      
Essay. Please submit a 500-1,000-word essay that addresses the following:
  • The specific specialty area you like to pursue and your motivation for pursuing a master’s degree in nursing in this specialty.
  • The population you would like to service or the area of health care in which you would like to work after graduation.
  • The qualities you feel are essential to the advanced nursing profession that you bring with you.
  • What are your research interests or your practice issues in this specialty area?
Typed résumé or CV. Be sure to include your full name with your résumé submission.
A copy of your valid, unrestricted (current) RN license in the United States. For a current list of compact states, see the Maryland Board of Nursing website; if you hold an active Maryland RN license, send us a copy of your printable license verification, available on the Maryland Board of Nursing website.

Official transcripts. An official transcript from every institution previously attended or currently attending must be submitted in a sealed envelope, as prepared by the sending institution. 

Returning students are not required to submit UMSON transcripts; we will upload a copy of your UMSON transcript to your application.

Please note that UMSON is listed two ways in the Academics area. Please make sure you choose one of the following:

  • Maryland Baltimore, Univ of
  • UMB- School of Nursing

Have each institution submit electronically to admissions.nursing@umaryland.edu.

 
Residency classification. Applicants who are claiming in-state (Maryland) residency MUST apply for in-state status.  Complete a residency application and submit it either by mail, e-mail, or fax to the Office of the Registrar using the instructions supplied at the bottom of the residency application. The completed application, signed and dated, should be submitted prior to the first day of enrollment for the term and program for which you are seeking admission.

Applicants without a High School Diploma or College Degree in the U.S:

  • If you do not have a degree from a U.S. high school, college, or university, you are required to demonstrate English proficiency.
  • If you have completed coursework outside of the U.S., you must have your transcripts evaluated.

More information.

The Health Service Leadership management and Nursing Informatics master's specialties are not eligible for F-1 or J-1 student visa sponsorship by the University of Maryland, Baltimore due to the amount of online courses.

If you have questions regarding the admissions requirements or process, contact the Office of Admissions and Student Scholarships to avoid errors that could delay the processing of your application.