Public Health (Health Policy and Administration), M.P.H.

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Health administrators are charged with coordinating a wide variety of activities crucial to the effective and efficient delivery of health services and programs. The health administrator plans, organizes, coordinates, and supervises the delivery of services within health care organizations, including hospitals, mental health clinics, medical group practices, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, insurance and pharmaceutical companies. Students earning the MPH/MBA degree find positions in the above areas as well as with consulting firms.

Master of Public Health Requirements

Program Requirements

MPH students must complete 45 hours of coursework.
MPH/MBA students must complete a minimum of 78 hours.
Pass a comprehensive exam.
Students must have a 3.0 GPA in all course work to graduate.

The MPH health policy and administration program is open to individuals who have completed an undergraduate degree. The degree can be completed in 15 months using a rigorous, concentrated format that includes four to five classes each semester (including a summer semester). For information on this degree program, contact the MPH coordinator in the Department of Public Health at 266-5435.

Internship

Students must complete a six-credit hour (400 clock hours) internship at an approved site.

Admission Requirements

Application for admission to the MPH program is made through the Graduate School of the university and through the Department of Public Health.

Applications are due July 15 for fall semester and October 15 for spring semester.

A complete application consists of the Graduate School application, the Department of Public Health application and essay, GRE scores, transcripts and three letters of reference from persons qualified to assess the applicant’s readiness for graduate study. International applicants also must submit a TOEFL/IBT score.

Minimum GPA is 2.75 on the last 60 hours of coursework.

Minimum TOEFL/IBT score is 79 for international applicants.

Applications are evaluated by the department’s Graduate School Admissions Committee. Enrollment priority is given to Mississippi residents. Other factors in the decision for admission include the GPA, GRE scores, writing skills demonstrated in the essay, and the reference letters.

Students applying to the MPH/MBA program must also apply to the MBA program and take the GMAT exam.

Continuous Enrollment Requirement: Students must meet the requirement specified in the front section of this Bulletin.

Plan of Study. Students must submit their signed, official Plan of Study Form to the Graduate School by the end of the first semester they are enrolled. The Plan of Study Forms are available at www.usm.edu/graduateschool/ planofstudy.php - click on the “Plan of Study” link.

Research and Scholarly Integrity Education

All faculty holding Regular or Associate graduate faculty status, must complete CITI training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments. All graduate students must complete the CITI training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments the first semester they are enrolled in graduate school. The RSIE policy and training information are found on the Graduate School web page –www.usm.edu/graduate-school. Contact the Dean of the Graduate School if you have any questions regarding the policy of training information.

Masters in Public Health Core Requirements (18 hours)

DPH 622 - Epidemiology 3 hrs.
DPH 623 - Biostatistics 3 hrs.
DPH 655 - Environmental Health 3 hrs.
DPH 656 - Social and Behavioral Aspects of Health 3 hrs.
DPH 611 - Internship in Community Health 3-9 hrs. (6 hrs. required)

Requirements for Emphasis in Health Policy and Administration (21 hours)

DPH 626 - Introduction to Health Systems 3 hrs.
DPH 627 - Health Policy 3 hrs.
DPH 657 - Healthcare Financial Management I 3 hrs.
DPH 670 - Health Law and Ethics 3 hrs.
DPH 716 - Health Economics 3 hrs.
DPH 727 - Health Care Strategic Planning 3 hrs.
DPH 737 - Health Care Org Behavior and Human Resources 3 hrs.
DPH 747 - Health Care Marketing 3 hrs.
DPH 757 - Healthcare Financial Management II 3 hrs.

Masters in Public Health/Masters in Business Administration Dual Degree Foundation Courses

The MPH/MBA dual degree was developed for those students interested in pursuing higher-level careers in health administration and/or consulting. Students must apply the MPH and MBA programs separately and meet the admission criteria of each program.

Pre-Program Requirements for MBA:

Computer Literacy
MAT 102 Business Calculus / Applied Calculus
BA 301 Statistics (pre-requisite Math 102)

Business Core Pre-requisite Requirements (24 hours)

For students who do not have an undergraduate degree in business:

MGT 300* Management for Organizations
ACC 200* & ACC 300* Introduction to Financial Accounting/Managerial Accounting
ECO 201** & ECO 202** Principles of Macroeconomics/Principles of Microeconomics
MGT 325* Operations Management (pre-requisite MGT 300)
MKT 300* Principles of Marketing
FIN 300 Principles of Finance (pre-requisites MAT 102, ACC 200, ECO 201 and ECO 202)

Note:

* These courses are offered online by the Southern Miss College of Business at least once a year.

** These courses offered online by the Mississippi Virtual Community College (www.msvcc.org).

Masters in Business Administration/Masters in Public Health Dual Degree Core Courses (78 hours total)

(Note: MBA courses only offered on the Gulf Coast campus)

MBA 600 - Organizational Behavior and Leadership 3 hrs.
MBA 605 - Marketing Management 3 hrs.
MBA 610 - Analytical Decision Making 3 hrs.
MBA 611 - Managerial Accounting 3 hrs
MBA 620 - Global Economy 3 hrs.
MBA 640 - Financial Management 3 hrs.
MBA 650 - Global Business Systems 3 hrs.
MBA 660 - Global Business Strategy 3 hrs. *
Advisor Approved Business Electives 9 hrs. **
DPH 611 - Internship in Community Health 3-9 hrs. (6 hrs. required) ***
DPH 622 - Epidemiology 3 hrs.
DPH 623 - Biostatistics 3 hrs.
DPH 626 - Introduction to Health Systems 3 hrs.
DPH 655 - Environmental Health 3 hrs.
DPH 656 - Social and Behavioral Aspects of Health 3 hrs.
DPH 627 - Health Policy 3 hrs.
DPH 657 - Healthcare Financial Management I 3 hrs.
DPH 670 - Health Law and Ethics 3 hrs.
DPH 727 - Health Care Strategic Planning 3 hrs.
DPH 737 - Health Care Org Behavior and Human Resources 3 hrs.
DPH 738 - Ethics for Health Care Managers 3 hrs.
DPH 747 - Health Care Marketing 3 hrs.
DPH 757 - Healthcare Financial Management II 3 hrs.

Note:

* MBA 660 is a capstone course that is subject to departmental approval, and is to be taken in the final semester of the MBA program.

** MBA approved electives are classes offered by the College of Business.

*** DPH 611 is a culminating experience and is taken in the final semester of the MPH program. Graduate students may take one three-hour course with internship.

Requirements for Master’s Minor in Public Health (18 hours)

Approved electives 3 hrs.
DPH 622 - Epidemiology 3 hrs.
DPH 623 - Biostatistics 3 hrs.
DPH 625 - Health Administration 3 hrs.
DPH 655 - Environmental Health 3 hrs.
DPH 656 - Social and Behavioral Aspects of Health 3 hrs.