Coordinated Master of Public Health (in Health Behavior)/Master of Science in Nursing

The coordinated MPH in Health Behavior/MSN degree is designed to address health behavior issues and needs of advanced practice nurses.  This program of study prepares graduates to participate in the development, implementation, and evaluation of innovative health behavior programs and policies. Graduates may assume a variety of positions in nursing or health behavior including health behavior program directors and project coordinators.  This dual degree program builds on the synergy generated through two complementary curriculum tracks.  The purpose of this program is to prepare nurses for leadership positions in public health and health behavior intervention programs

Admissions:  Students are admitted separately to the MPH and MSN degree programs and must meet admission requirements in both the School of Public Health and the School of Nursing.

Curriculum: Students must complete a minimum of 43-46 semester hours of credit for the MPH degree, which includes six credit hours of required Nursing course work. Nineteen credits in the School of Public Health meet the requirements for core courses in the Master of Public Health program and provide a strong knowledge base in epidemiology, biostatistics, health behavior, environmental health sciences and health care organization and policy.  Twenty-four to twenty seven additional credits (18-21 Health Behavior credit hours and 6 Nursing credit hours) meet the requirements for the Health Behavior track in the School of Public Health. Students may select a focus in the nursing curriculum on one of four tracks. (Please see School of Nursing Catalog for more information). The coordinated MPH/MSN degrees can be completed in two years or six consecutive terms if the student registers for full-time study beginning in the fall term.  However, many students elect to register on a part-time basis and spread their program over seven or more terms. If a coordinated degree student drops out of the MSN program, he/she must apply for transfer to the MPH Health Behavior track.

Coursework		Credit Hours
MPH Core (including the Integrative Experience)		19
BST 600	Biostatistics for Public Health	4
ENH 600	Fundamentals of Environmental Health Sciences	3
EPI 600	Introduction to Epidemiology	3
HB 600	Social and Behavioral Science Core	3
HCO 600	Introduction to Public Health Systems and Population-Based Programs	3
MCH 695	The Public Health Integrative Experience	3
Health Behavior Track		18 – 21
HB 624	Advanced Theory	3
HB 630	Health Communications: Theory and Practice	3
HB 641	Research Methods in Behavioral Science	3
HB 643	Health Program Evaluation	3
HB 697	Internship	3
HB 699	Master's Level Research Project	3 - 6
Required Nursing Courses for Health Behavior Track		6
NUR 602Q	Issues Affecting Advanced Nurse Practice	3
NUR 630Q	Principles of Epidemiology	3
		MPH Total 43 - 46
	MSN Degree Total Variable *

 * See the School of Nursing Catalog for the requirements for the MSN portion of the dual MPH/MSN degree. Students may also substitute a Health Behavior elective in the place of the NUR 630Q course.