Description
The Global Health MPH program emphasizes a social justice approach to global health with a focus on the social, economic, and political determinants of health, and the history and context of global responses to health problems. The core curriculum develops competencies in the basic tools of public health, including epidemiology, biostatistics, global health systems, environmental health, and social behavioral sciences. Courses in research methods and management are also required. A practicum provides hands-on experience with local or international agencies engaged in global health activities, and academic coursework culminates with independent scholarship leading to a research or practice thesis. The curriculum is highly interdisciplinary, with faculty and courses from across campus including natural and social sciences and the humanities. Case studies and applied learning are common approaches, and contributions by students provide a major component of the learning environment.
Applying
We admit students from across all disciplines. Applicants should demonstrate some background and interest in global public health and social justice via their work/volunteer experience.
Concurrent Option: MPH/MD, MPH/MAIS, MPH/MN, MPH/MPA, MPH/MSW, MPH/JD, MPH/PhD with Anthropology
Application Deadline: Dec. 1 for Autumn Quarter entry
Competencies
In addition to the MPH Common Core competencies and coursework, the General Track has five discrete competencies. Students will meet these competencies through General Track required coursework, a practicum, and thesis or capstone project.
General Track competencies:
- Summarize and reflect on the major social determinants of health that affect social well-being, poverty, and health, globally, including the relative roles of education, family income, nutrition, housing, water, sanitation, health care, colonialism, neoliberalism, conflict, racism, and inequality.
- Analyze the role of health institutions, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and global donors; their ideologies, agendas, power dynamics, and policy frameworks; and the evolution of their responses to global health issues since the mid-20th century.
- Design and present a comprehensive proposal to address the major health issues in selected countries, including gap analyses, logical frameworks, budgets, and evaluation frameworks.
- Describe a global health research project or program evaluation, and present the rationale, goals, and appropriate methods for its successful implementation.
- Reflect upon issues of power, privilege, inequity, and social justice, discuss how racism, colonialism and other structural inequities impact global health policy and practice.