MSN-MPH

MSN-MPH Program Guidelines forCurrent and Prospective Nursing Students at the University of Pennsylvania

Curriculum

Graduate students are offered the opportunity to enroll in a joint MPH/MSN degree program.  These students will complete the core requirements of both the MPH [10 cu’s] and MSN in Health Leadership [6.5 cu’s] Programs for a total of 16.5 cu’s for the joint degree program for nursing students in the Health Leadership Program

The curriculum of the Health Leadership program was designed with maximum flexibility (6 core courses (6.5 cu’s), 5 selected theoretical foundations courses that can be selected from any Penn graduate school, and 1 elective as of Spring 2002). One of the reasons for such flexibility was the anticipation of promoting leadership in health through a variety of interdisciplinary joint degree programs, such as with the Masters in Bioethics, and now the Masters in Public Health. 

Explanation of Courses

Masters in Public Health: 10** courses required core [10 c.u.’s]

1. N570/PubH 500: Introduction to Public Health
2. N500/PubH Introduction to Principles and Methods of Epidemiology
3. PubH501: Introductory Biostatistics
4. PubH 503: Environmental & Occupational Health
5. PubH505: Public Health Administration and Policy
6. PubH 504: Social & Behavioral Sciences in Public Health
7. PubH 507: Public Health Ethics, Law and Policy (0.5 CU)
8. PubH 506: Methods for Public Health Practice (1.5 CU)
9. PubH 508: Capstone Integrative Experience (2.0 CU)

Masters of Science in Nursing, Health Leadership: 6.5** course units required core

Please note that N500: Introduction to Principles of Epidemiology is required in both programs, making the actual number of combined core course units of 16.5 cu’s)

1. N748: Leadership Development for Health
2. N749: Historical and Theoretical Foundations of the Nation’s Health
3. N500: Introduction to Principles of Epidemiology**
4. N650: Health Systems Analysis
5. N540: Current Issues in Health and Social Policy
6. NXXX: Negotiation for Change Agents

Please note the following general guidelines for other MSN program offerings considering a joint degree proposal in the future:

1. Must have minimum of 16 course units for MPH
2. MPH program includes 6 elective courses that could be used to create a plan of study within other of the MSN program offerings or options.
3. MSN program offering must determine minimum number of nursing courses required for MSN; i.e., if your current clinical program has 8 required courses, then all of those courses must be taken along with the 10 required MPH courses.
4. If you are considering a plan of study for joint MSN/MPH degree, all of the required nursing courses must be approved as electives by the MPH Program Office.

Contact: Jackie McLaughlin MS, RD, LDN at 215.746.2043 or jmclaugh@mail.med.upenn.edu for more information.