MPH Program

MPH/MSW Multi-Award Degree Program

The School of Public Health and Health Professions (SPHHP) and the School of Social Work (SSW) offer a three-year collaborative program leading to both the MPH (Master of Public Health) and the MSW (Master of Social Work) degrees.  This collaborative program reduces by one year the usual pattern of a two-year MPH program and a two-year MSW program. Although the MPH program offers several concentration areas, the MPH is limited to the health services administration MPH concentration.

Each candidate must meet all the degree requirements of each program, except for the reduction in total credit hours over the two degree programs. An MPH/MSW student must successfully complete 88 credits hours of graduate level course work which will consist of 37 in public health courses and 51 in social work.  Upon completion, the student will receive two "diplomas" and two separate entries on his/her transcript confirming the conferral of the two degrees. See below for a typical course schedule.

Students wishing to pursue the collaborative program apply to both programs at the same time, but plan to begin the MPH their first year.

Applications for the Social Work program can be obtained online through the School of Social Work web-site at: www.socialwork.buffalo.edu.  Applications for individuals with a BSW who are applying for Advanced Standing must be received by February 1, otherwise completed applications must be received by March 1. For information about the admission process, contact Kathryn Kendall, Director of Recruitment and Alumni Relations at the address provided below.

For MPH application information, go to: http://sphhp.buffalo.edu/mph/applying.php

For MSW application information, go to: http://www.socialwork.buffalo.edu/

For general MPH information, go to: http://sphhp.buffalo.edu/mph/index.php

For information on the health services administration concentration, please contact:

Carl Li, MD, MPH
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Social and Preventive Medicine
School of Public Health and Health Professions
Farber Hall Rm. 275
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY 14214-3079
(716) 829‑5382
Fax: (716) 829-2979
E-mail:  carlli@buffalo.edu

For information on the MSW program, please contact:

Kathryn Kendall, LCSW
Director of Recruitment and Alumni Relations
School of Social Work
685 Baldy Hall
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY 14260
phone: (716) 645-3381, 230
email: kkendall@buffalo.edu

Required Courses

The following courses are required for the MPH degree:

Course No.
Course Title
Credits
Offered
SPM 501 Epidemiology Principles 4 Each Fall
STA 527 Introduction to Biostatistics 4 Each Fall
SPM 533 Principles of Public Health 3 Each Spring
SPM 535 Biological Basis of Public Health 3 Each Fall
SPM 549 Environmental Health 3 Each Spring
HB 527 Study of Health Behaviors 3 Each Fall
SPM 507 Introduction to Health Care Organization 3 Each Spring
SPM 590 Departmental Seminar  0 Each Spring, Fall

SPM 523

SPM 530


SPM 543

Intro. to Program Planning and Evaluation

Administrative Theory and Practice for Public Health Practitioners

Public Health Practice

3

3

3

Each Fall

Each Fall

Each Spring

SPM 630 MPH Integrative Project 2 Each Spring, Fall

The following courses are required for the MSW degree:

Course No.
Course Title
Credits
Offered
SW 500 Policy & Programs 3 Each Fall
SW 505 Theories of Human Behavior 3 Each Fall
SW 510 Scientific Methods 3 Each Fall
SW 520 Interventions I 3 Each Fall
SW 550 Field 3 Each Fall
SW 506  Theories of Organizational Behavior 3 Each Spring
SW 503 Oppression & Diversity 3 Each Spring
SW 521  Interventions II 3 Each Spring
SW 551 Field 4 Each Spring
SW 563  Advanced Policy, Development, & Analysis 3 Each Fall
SW 564 Administration and Management 3 Each Fall
SW 552 Field 4 Each Fall
SW Advanced Interventions (Chosen from a menu) 3 Each Fall
SW 565 Integrative Seminar in Community 3 Each Spring
SW 553 Field 4 Each Spring

Field Training

The normal six credit MPH field training (internship) requirement will be fulfilled through at least six credits of the Social Work Field Experiences relevant to administration.  Fourteen credits of SW Field are taken in place of 6 credits of SPM 544 field training.

MPH Integrative Project

The required course SPM 630 MPH Integrative Project, which takes the form of a paper and whereby students integrate public health knowledge and skills by focusing on a specific public health issue, is the culminating experience required for the MPH degree and would be completed during the last semester of the MPH/MSW program.

Course Sequence

Following is the six semester course sequence for full-time study to fulfill program requirements. Courses are 3 credits unless noted otherwise.

First Year

Fall

SPM 501 (4 credits) Epidemiology Principles
STA 527 (4) Introduction to Biostatistics
HB 527 Study of Health Behaviors
SPM 535 Biological Basis of Public Health
SPM 590 Departmental Seminar (0 credits)

Total of 14 credits

Spring

SPM 549 Environmental Health
SPM 533 Principles of Public Health
SPM 543 Public Health Practice
3 credits MPH selective
SPM 590 Departmental Seminar (0 credits)

Total of 12 credits

Total of 26 credits for Year 1

Second Year

Fall

SPM 507 Introduction to Health Care Organization
SW 505 Theories of Human Behavior & Development
SW 510 Scientific Methods
SW 520 Interventions I
SPM 523 Introduction to Program Planning and Evaluation [accepted towards the MSW degree]*
SW 550 (3) Field

Total of 18 credits

Spring

SW 500 History & Policy
SW 503 Diversity & Oppression
SW 506 Theories of Organization Behavior & Development
SW 521 Interventions II
SW 551 (4) Field

Total of 16 credits

Total of 34 credits Year 2

Third Year

Fall

SW 564 Administration & Management [accepted towards the MPH degree]**
3 credits SW Advanced Interventions
SW 992 Perspectives on Trauma and Human Rights
SW 552 (4) Field
SPM 530 Administrative Theory and Practice

Total of 16 credits

Spring

SW 569 Community Social Work [accepted towards the MPH degree]**
SW 999(1) Professional Development Semnar
SW 553 (3) Field
SPM 630 (2) Integrative Project
3 credits SSW Elective

Total of 12 credits

Total of 28 credits Year 3

Total of 88 credits for full program

*SPM 523 Introduction to Program Planning and Evaluation is taken in place of SW Evaluation in Social Work

** SW564 Administration and Management and SW 569 Community Social Work during the Advanced Year count as electives for the MPH. 

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