Social Work/Public Health (MSW/MPH)
The MSW/MPH dual degree program provides a multidisciplinary education covering both client-centered and population-based health perspectives to train those who will work to address the health and social needs of vulnerable populations. The dual degree program is designed to prepare social work and public health leaders who understand and respond to social and health issues in order to promote the well-being of communities at local and global levels. The program will have an emphasis on eliminating social and health inequities through transformative education, rigorous research, and active community engagement.
Curriculum
MSW/Master of Public Health
The MSW/MPH program blends coursework from the School of Social Work and the Master of Public Health (MPH) program.
Students in the dual degree will select the Micro Practice Specialization with Advanced Clinical Practice Track. Within the MPH program, students complete the Public Health Policy and Management track.
The focus of the MSW Program is to prepare students to become practicing social workers in their concentrations of practice. Generalist content, therefore, is taught in the foundation courses from a practice perspective and prepares MSW students for study during their concentration year. The curriculum of the MSW program is thus designed to prepare students to have the knowledge and skills necessary for them to effectively intervene with and on behalf of the client systems that they serve.
The MPH Program provides students with the theoretical, methodological, and practical experience relevant to addressing contemporary public health issues. The MPH curriculum consists of required course work in all five areas of concentration in public health (Health Services Administration, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Environmental Health, and Social/Behavioral Health), track-specific and elective courses, and a practicum training experience, and a capstone project.
The dual degree has been carefully crafted to fulfill both program requirements while maximizing opportunities for curriculum integration through shared content. The resulting curriculum requires 75 credit hours which can be completed within three years on a full-time basis.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MPH Requirements | ||
| MPH Core Courses | ||
| MPBH 400 | Determinants of Population Health | 3 |
| MPBH 402 | Public Health Practice and Management | 3 |
| MPBH 403 | Introduction to Epidemiology | 3 |
| MPBH 404 | Biostatistics for Health and Biological Science | 3 |
| MPBH 407 | Public Health Policy: Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| MPBH 499 | Public Health in Action | 3 |
| Public Health Policy and Management Track Courses | ||
| MPBH 416 | Health Services Research Methods | 3 |
| MPBH 425 | Policy Analysis | 3 |
| Management-oriented Courses | ||
| MPBH 422 | Population Health Planning & Management | 3 |
| CMAN 533 | Fiscal Management in Health Care Organizations | 3 |
| Bioethics (BEHL) 400-Level Elective | 3 | |
| Choose one of the following: | ||
| Justice & Health Care | ||
| Biomedical Ethics and Law | ||
| Social Determinants of Health and Bioethics | ||
| Public Health Ethics | ||
| Organizational Ethics: Business, Professionalism, and Justice | ||
| Advancing Health Equity Practice | ||
| Global Bioethics | ||
| MPH 400-Level Elective | 6 | |
| MPBH 411 | MPH Capstone | 1-3 |
| MSW Requirements | ||
| Generalist MSW Courses | ||
| SOWK 500 | Life Span Development, Human Behavior, Trauma, & Theory | 3 |
| SOWK 501 | Assessment of Client Concerns in Context | 3 |
| SOWK 502 | Power, Oppression, Privilege, and Social Justice | 3 |
| SOWK 503 | Practice Skills with Individuals and Families | 3 |
| SOWK 504 | Integrated Micro/Mezzo/Macro Theory and Practice | 3 |
| SOWK 505 | Group Work Practice in Social Work: Micro/Mezzo/Macro | 3 |
| SWFI 530 | Internship I & Simulated Experience | 0.5 |
| SWFI 530S | Integrative Seminar | 1 |
| SWFI 531 | Internship II & Simulated Experience | 0.5 |
| Specialized Courses | ||
| SOWK 680 | Advanced Micro-Level Practice | 3 |
| SOWK 681 | Advanced Mezzo & Macro Practice | 3 |
| SWFI 632 | Internship Instruction III & Simulated Experiences | 0.5 |
| SWFI 632S | Integrative Seminar | 1 |
| SWFI 633 | Internship Instruction IV & Simulated Experiences | 0.5 |
| Micro Practice Specialization with Advanced Clinical Practice Track Courses | ||
| SOWK 603 | Seminar in Brief Treatment | 3 |
| or SOWK 645 | Crisis Intervention | |
| SOWK 614 | Clinical Social Work Practice in Health Care | 3 |
| Total Hours | 75 | |
Suggested Sequence of Courses
MPH and MSW Dual Degree Template - Micro Practice Specialization
Management Focus, Micro Specialization-Advanced Clinical Practice Track
This option assumes field starts in year 2.
The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested path for completing coursework. An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term as well as the start term for a major or graduate study. Students should consult their advisor for assistance with course selection.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| SOWK 501 | Assessment of Client Concerns in Context 1 | 3 |
| SOWK 503 | Practice Skills with Individuals and Families 1 | 3 |
| MPBH 400 | Determinants of Population Health 2 | 3 |
| MPBH 402 | Public Health Practice and Management 2 | 3 |
| SOWK 502 | Power, Oppression, Privilege, and Social Justice 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOWK 500 | Life Span Development, Human Behavior, Trauma, & Theory 1 | 3 |
| SOWK 504 | Integrated Micro/Mezzo/Macro Theory and Practice 1 | 3 |
| MPBH 404 | Biostatistics for Health and Biological Science 2 | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Summer | ||
| SOWK 505 | Group Work Practice in Social Work: Micro/Mezzo/Macro 1 | 3 |
| MPBH 407 | Public Health Policy: Concepts and Practice (MSW elective) 2,3,4 | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MPBH 403 | Introduction to Epidemiology 2 | 3 |
| MPH Elective | Elective 2 | 3 |
| MPBH 416 | Health Services Research Methods 2,4,5 | 3 |
| SWFI 530 | Internship I & Simulated Experience 1,4,6 | 0.5 |
| SWFI 530S | Integrative Seminar 1 | 1 |
| Hours | 10.5 | |
| Spring | ||
| CMAN 533 | Fiscal Management in Health Care Organizations 2 | 3 |
| MPBH 499 | Public Health in Action 2,4,7 | 3 |
| MPBH 425 | Policy Analysis 2 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Seminar in Brief Treatment 1 | ||
| Crisis Intervention 1 | ||
| SWFI 531 | Internship II & Simulated Experience 1 | 0.5 |
| Hours | 12.5 | |
| Summer | ||
| SOWK 680 | Advanced Micro-Level Practice 1 | 3 |
| BEHP 4xx | Bioethics Elective 2 | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| SOWK 614 | Clinical Social Work Practice in Health Care 1 | 3 |
| MPBH 422 | Population Health Planning & Management 2,4,8 | 3 |
| MPBH 411 | MPH Capstone 2 | 1 |
| SWFI 632 | Internship Instruction III & Simulated Experiences 1 | 0.5 |
| SWFI 632S | Integrative Seminar 1 | 1 |
| Hours | 8.5 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOWK 681 | Advanced Mezzo & Macro Practice 1 | 3 |
| MPH Elective | Elective 2 | 3 |
| MPBH 411 | MPH Capstone 2 | 1 |
| SWFI 633 | Internship Instruction IV & Simulated Experiences 1 | 0.5 |
| Hours | 7.5 | |
| Total Hours | 75 | |
- 1
MSW
- 2
MPH
- 3
Counts for SOWK 602 Health and Behavioral Health Policy and Systems
- 4
Shared credit
- 5
MPBH 416 Health Services Research Methods substitutes for SOWK 506 Research and Evaluation in Social Work Practice
- 6
MPBH 410 MPH Practicum (1 hr credit sharing it will map to both SWFI 530 Internship I & Simulated Experience and SWFI 531 Internship II & Simulated Experience)
- 7
MPBH 499 Public Health in Action substitutes for SOWK 509 Social Work Policy and Community Intervention
- 8
MPBH 422 Population Health Planning & Management is equivalent to SOWK 606 Practicum in Research & Evaluation-counts as a Social Work elective
Specialization & Track Options
The Social Work/Public Health (MSW/MPH) is only compatible with theMicro Practice Specialization with Advanced Clinical Practice Track.
Dual Degree Programs
Students in dual degree programs are responsible for abiding by academic policies and graduation requirements of both academic units to which they are enrolled. It is strongly recommended that students schedule regular meetings with academic advisors from both units to ensure timely degree completion. Dual degree programs may have slightly different degree requirements from the standard for one or both of the degrees earned. Students should closely read through all degree requirements and ask for clarification as needed.
MPH Learning Outcomes
Students will graduate with public health competencies in the areas of evidence-based approaches, public health and health care systems, planning and management, policy, leadership, communication, interprofessional practice, and systems thinking. For a description of the MPH Learning Outcomes, go to the MPH Program description page.
MSW Program Learning Outcomes
Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Social workers understand the value base of the profession and its ethical standards, as well as relevant laws and regulations that may impact practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Social workers understand frameworks of ethical decision-making and how to apply principles of critical thinking to those frameworks in practice, research, and policy arenas. Social workers recognize personal values and the distinction between personal and professional values. They also understand how their personal experiences and affective reactions influence their professional judgment and behavior. Social workers understand the profession’s history, its mission, and the roles and responsibilities of the profession. Social Workers also understand the role of other professions when engaged in inter-professional teams. Social workers recognize the importance of life-long learning and are committed to continually updating their skills to ensure they are relevant and effective. Social workers also understand emerging forms of technology and the ethical use of technology in social work practice. Social workers:
- make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context;
- use reflection and self-regulation to manage personal values and maintain professionalism in practice situations;
- demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior; appearance; and oral, written, and electronic communication;
- use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes; and
- use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior.
Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
Social workers understand how diversity and difference characterize and shape the human experience and are critical to the formation of identity. The dimensions of diversity are understood as the intersectionality of multiple factors including but not limited to age, class, color, culture, disability and ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, marital status, political ideology, race, religion/spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status. Social workers understand that, as a consequence of difference, a person’s life experiences may include oppression, poverty, marginalization, and alienation as well as privilege, power, and acclaim. Social workers also understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures and values, including social, economic, political, and cultural exclusions, may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create privilege and power. Social workers:
- apply and communicate understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels;
- present themselves as learners and engage clients and constituencies as experts of their own experiences; and
- apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies.
Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
Social workers understand that every person regardless of position in society has fundamental human rights such as freedom, safety, privacy, an adequate standard of living, health care, and education. Social workers understand the global interconnections of oppression and human rights violations, and are knowledgeable about theories of human need and social justice and strategies to promote social and economic justice and human rights. Social workers understand strategies designed to eliminate oppressive structural barriers to ensure that social goods, rights, and responsibilities are distributed equitably and that civil, political, environmental, economic, social, and cultural human rights are protected. Social workers:
- apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels; and
- engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice.
Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
Social workers understand quantitative and qualitative research methods and their respective roles in advancing a science of social work and in evaluating their practice. Social workers know the principles of logic, scientific inquiry, and culturally informed and ethical approaches to building knowledge. Social workers understand that evidence that informs practice derives from multi-disciplinary sources and multiple ways of knowing. They also understand the processes for translating research findings into effective practice. Social workers:
- use practice experience and theory to inform scientific inquiry and research;
- apply critical thinking to engage in analysis of quantitative and qualitative research methods and research findings; and
- use and translate research evidence to inform and improve practice, policy, and service delivery.
Competency 5: Engage in Police Practice
Social workers understand that human rights and social justice, as well as social welfare and services, are mediated by policy and its implementation at the federal, state, and local levels. Social workers understand the history and current structures of social policies and services, the role of policy in service delivery, and the role of practice in policy development. Social workers understand their role in policy development and implementation within their practice settings at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels and they actively engage in policy practice to effect change within those settings. Social workers recognize and understand the historical, social, cultural, economic, organizational, environmental, and global influences that affect social policy. They are also knowledgeable about policy formulation, analysis, implementation, and evaluation. Social workers:
- Identify social policy at the local, state, and federal level that impacts well-being, service delivery, and access to social services;
- assess how social welfare and economic policies impact the delivery of and access to social services;
- apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Social workers understand that engagement is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers value the importance of human relationships. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge to facilitate engagement with clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers understand strategies to engage diverse clients and constituencies to advance practice effectiveness. Social workers understand how their personal experiences and affective reactions may impact their ability to effectively engage with diverse clients and constituencies. Social workers value principles of relationship-building and inter-professional collaboration to facilitate engagement with clients, constituencies, and other professionals as appropriate. Social workers:
- apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to engage with clients and constituencies; and
- use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and constituencies.
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Social workers understand that assessment is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge in the assessment of diverse clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers understand methods of assessment with diverse clients and constituencies to advance practice effectiveness. Social workers recognize the implications of the larger practice context in the assessment process and value the importance of inter-professional collaboration in this process. Social workers understand how their personal experiences and affective reactions may affect their assessment and decision-making. Social workers:
- collect and organize data, and apply critical thinking to interpret information from clients and constituencies;
- apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of assessment data from clients and constituencies;
- develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives based on the critical assessment of strengths, needs, and challenges within clients and constituencies; and
- select appropriate intervention strategies based on the assessment, research knowledge, and values and preferences of clients and constituencies.
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Social workers understand that intervention is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers are knowledgeable about evidence-informed interventions to achieve the goals of clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge to effectively intervene with clients and constituencies. Social workers understand methods of identifying, analyzing and implementing evidence-informed interventions to achieve client and constituency goals. Social workers value the importance of inter-professional teamwork and communication in interventions, recognizing that beneficial outcomes may require interdisciplinary, inter-professional, and inter-organizational collaboration. Social workers:
- critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals and enhance capacities of clients and constituencies;
- apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in interventions with clients and constituencies;
- use inter-professional collaboration as appropriate to achieve beneficial practice outcomes;
- negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of diverse clients and constituencies; and
- facilitate effective transitions and endings that advance mutually agreed-on goals.
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Social workers understand that evaluation is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Social workers recognize the importance of evaluating processes and outcomes to advance practice, policy, and service delivery effectiveness. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge in evaluating outcomes. Social workers understand qualitative and quantitative methods for evaluating outcomes and practice effectiveness. Social workers:
- select and use appropriate methods for evaluation of outcomes;
- apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the evaluation of outcomes;
- critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate intervention and program processes and outcomes; and
- apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.