The Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health (MSW/MPH) dual degree provides academic training in order to maximize the impact of both public health and social work practices. This dual degree develops expertise at the nexus of public health and social work. The goal of this program is to train leaders who have the skills and competencies to address many of the social and public health problems facing the state of Alaska, this nation and the world.
An advantage of the dual MSW/MPH option is that by mutual agreement between the two programs, some courses count toward graduation requirements in both programs. Thus the time to complete both degrees and the total number of credits required has been reduced. The time to complete both degrees for a full-time student is approximately three years (nine semesters). If both degrees were pursued sequentially, the minimum time to the degrees is four years (12 semesters). Similarly, the total number of credits to acquire the dual degree is fewer than 80; the total number of credits for sequentially obtaining both degrees is 105.
Admission Requirements
- Satisfy the Admission Requirements for Graduate Degrees.
- Students must apply separately and meet the admission requirements of both the MSW and MPH programs. See those programs for specific requirements.
Advising
Each student will have two academic advisors, one for each degree program. Students will have two graduate studies plans (GSPs), one for each degree program. The GSPs will vary based on full or part-time status and the semester of entry into the MSW or MPH program.
Academic Requirements
To maintain satisfactory academic progress toward the dual degrees, a student is expected to be in good standing in both academic programs. See Graduate Degree Policies for additional requirements.
Graduation Requirements
- Satisfy the General University Requirements for Graduate Degrees.
- Complete the program requirements below.
Each degree will be awarded when the requirements for graduation for that degree have been met.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the following MPH core courses: | ||
| HS A605 | Public Health and Society | 3 |
| HS A610 | Environmental and Occupational Health | 3 |
| HS A615 | Health Services Administration | 3 |
| HS A624 | Circumpolar Health Issues | 3 |
| HS A625 | Biostatistics for Health Professionals | 3 |
| HS A626 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
| HS/SWK A628 | Program Evaluation | 3 |
| HS A629 | Public Health Research Tools and Methods | 4 |
| HS A630 | Public Health Emergencies and Disasters | 3 |
| HS A695 | Applied Practice Experience | 3 |
| HS A696 | Integrative Learning Experience | 2 |
| Total | 33 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the following MSW core courses: | ||
| SWK A607 | Social Welfare Policy and Services | 3 |
| SWK A608 | Advanced Policy Practice | 3 |
| SWK A630 | Practice with Individuals | 3 |
| SWK A631 | Introduction to Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SWK A632 | Practice with Families and Groups | 3 |
| SWK A633 | Advanced Practice with Families and Groups | 3 |
| SWK A634 | Transformational Leadership in Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SWK A635 | Transformational Leadership Capstone | 3 |
| SWK A636 | Practice with Organizations and Communities | 3 |
| SWK A642 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment | 3 |
| SWK A643 | Human Diversity in Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SWK A644 | Social Work Practicum I | 3 |
| SWK A645 | Social Work Practicum II | 3 |
| SWK A646 | Advanced Generalist Practicum I | 3 |
| SWK A647 | Advanced Generalist Practicum II | 3 |
| Total | 45 | |
A minimum of 78 credits is required for the Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health dual degree, including a minimum of 42 credits of public health-relevant coursework.