The Zilber College of Public Health and the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare collaboratively offer a program designed to provide students with theoretical, research-based policy and practice knowledge and accompanying skill sets, to address health inequities and inequalities and respond to the health and well-being needs of communities at the local, regional, national and international arenas.
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Admission
Students are admitted to each graduate program separately and based on admission requirements which are consistent with those specified by the UWM Graduate School, the MPH program in the Zilber College of Public Health, and the MSW program of the Department of Social Work.
Credits and Courses
Students accepted into this MPH/MSW program complete the following courses:
Master of Public Health (MPH)
Required Common Core Courses (24-25 Credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Common Core Courses | ||
| PH 702 | Introduction to Biostatistics | 3 |
| PH 703 | Environmental Health Sciences | 3 |
| PH 704 | Principles and Methods of Epidemiology | 3 |
| PH 705 | Principles of Public Health Policy and Administration | 3 |
| PH 706 | Perspectives on Community & Behavioral Health | 3 |
| PH 708 | Health Systems and Population Health | 3 |
| PH 733 | Overview of Qualitative Methods for Public Health * | 1 |
| PH 791 | Leadership in Public Health | 1 |
| PH 800 | Capstone in Public Health | 2 |
| SOC WRK 823 | Coordinated Public Health and Social Work Field Education ** | 3 |
| Total Credits | 25 | |
- *
Students in the PHP Track take PH 776 Qualitative Approaches in Public Health Policy instead of PH 733. Students in the CBHP Track may take PH 776 Qualitative Approaches in Public Health Policy as an elective instead of PH 733.
- **
SOC WRK 823 satisfies the PH 790 Field Experience for MPH/MSW students.
Students specialize in one of the two public health tracks of study:
- Community and Behavioral Health Promotion
- Public Health Policy
Community and Behavioral Health Promotion Track (24 credits)
In addition to the common MPH core classes, students complete:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PH 700 | Structures of Inequality and Population Health | 3 |
| PH 725 | Theories and Models of Health Behavior | 3 |
| PH 726 | Community Health Assessment | 3 |
| PH 727 | Program Planning & Implementation in Public Health | 3 |
| PH 728 | Program Evaluation in Public Health | 3 |
| Electives (see table below) | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
Community and Behavioral Health Promotion Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Methods “S” Electives | 6 | |
| Select two of the following courses: | ||
| PH 729 | Survey Research Methods in Public Health | 3 |
| PH 776 | Qualitative Approaches in Public Health Policy | 3 |
| PH 831 | Community Engagement and Participatory Research Approaches in Public Health | 3 |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Select one of the following courses: | ||
| PH 719 | Social Justice in Public Health | 3 |
| PH 730 | Overview of Children with Special Health Care Needs | 3 |
| PH 740 | Special Topics in Public Health: | 1-3 |
| PH 752 | Public Health and Mental Health | 3 |
| PH 820 | Maternal and Child Health Foundations, Policy and Practice | 3 |
| PH 999 | Independent Study | 1-3 |
| Other courses as approved by advisor. | ||
Public Health Policy Track (24 credits)
In addition to the common MPH core classes, students complete:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PH 776 | Qualitative Approaches in Public Health Policy | 3 |
| PH 777 | Quantitative Research Methods for Public Health Policy | 3 |
| PH 779 | Public Health Policymaking and Policy Analysis | 3 |
| PH 785 | Principles of Public Health Economics | 3 |
| Electives (see table below) | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
Public Health Policy Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Content Elective | 3 | |
| Select one of the following courses: | ||
| ED POL 630G | Race, Ethnicity, and Public Policy in Urban America | 3 |
| PH 700 | Structures of Inequality and Population Health | 3 |
| PH 719 | Social Justice in Public Health | 3 |
| PH 730 | Overview of Children with Special Health Care Needs | 3 |
| PH 752 | Public Health and Mental Health | 3 |
| PH 769 | Critical Perspectives on Nutritional Epidemiology and the Food System | 3 |
| PH 784 | Social and Economic Policy as Health Policy | 3 |
| PH 820 | Maternal and Child Health Foundations, Policy and Practice | 3 |
| PH 859 | Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities in the United States | 3 |
| Methods and Practice Elective | 9 | |
| Select three of the following courses: | ||
| BUS ADM 755 | Health Care Administration and Delivery Systems | 3 |
| BUS ADM 766 | Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| ED POL 601 | Foundations of Community-Based Organizations | 3 |
| ED POL 602 | Proposal Writing and Fundraising Skills for Community-Based Organizations | 3 |
| NONPROF 791 | Nonprofit Advocacy and Public Policy | 3 |
| PH 726 | Community Health Assessment | 3 |
| PH 727 | Program Planning & Implementation in Public Health | 3 |
| PH 728 | Program Evaluation in Public Health | 3 |
| PH 729 | Survey Research Methods in Public Health | 3 |
| PH 763 | Epidemiology for Equity | 3 |
| PUB ADM 630 | Budgeting and Finance in the Public Sector | 3 |
| PUB ADM 763 | Scope and Dynamics of Public Administration | 3 |
| URBPLAN 791 | Introduction to Urban Geographic Information Systems for Planning | 3 |
| Other courses as approved by advisor. | ||
Total MPH Degree Credits Required: 48-49 Credit Hours
Master of Social Work (MSW)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Curriculum | ||
| SOC WRK 604 | Social Systems and Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SOC WRK 662 | Methods of Social Welfare Research | 3 |
| SOC WRK 665 | Cultural Diversity and Social Work | 3 |
| SOC WRK 705 | Individual Behavior and Social Welfare | 3 |
| SOC WRK 708 | Social Work Methods I: Individuals and Families | 3 |
| SOC WRK 709 | Social Work Methods II: Groups, Organizations and Communities | 3 |
| SOC WRK 721 | Field Instruction I | 3 |
| SOC WRK 750 | Social Welfare Policy Development and Implementation | 3 |
| Advanced Practice Curriculum | ||
| SOC WRK 711 | Direct Social Work Practice I | 3 |
| SOC WRK 712 | Advanced Practice and Leadership in Organizations and Communities | 3 |
| SOC WRK 795 | Evaluation of Social Work Practice and Programs | 3 |
| SOC WRK 851 | Social Issue and Policy Analysis: | 3 |
| Field Courses | ||
| SOC WRK 722 | Field Instruction II | 3 |
| SOC WRK 822 | Field Instruction IV | 3 |
| SOC WRK 823 | Coordinated Public Health and Social Work Field Education | 3 |
| Electives (see table below) | 4 | |
| Total Credits | 49 | |
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose at least two courses: | ||
| SOC WRK 630G | Families and Poverty | 3 |
| SOC WRK 680G | Death and Dying | 3 |
| SOC WRK 685G | Social Gerontology | 3 |
| SOC WRK 690G | Mindfulness and Community Building | 3 |
| SOC WRK 753 | Adult Psychopathology | 3 |
| SOC WRK 754 | Child and Adolescent Psychopathology | 3 |
| SOC WRK 765 | Social Work Boundaries and Ethics in Professional Practice | 2-3 |
| SOC WRK 771 | Development of the Family Over the Life Span | 3 |
| SOC WRK 774 | Trauma Counseling I: Theory and Research | 3 |
| SOC WRK 775 | Trauma Counseling II: Diagnosis and Treatment | 3 |
| SOC WRK 791 | Current Topics in Social Work: | 1-3 |
| SOC WRK 811 | Direct Social Work Practice II: | 3 |
| SOC WRK 818 | Treatment of Co-Occurring Disorders | 3 |
| SOC WRK 820 | Seminar in Social Work Practice: | 3 |
| SOC WRK 855 | Practice Skills and Concepts for Aging and Health | 3 |
| SOC WRK 999 | Independent Reading in Social Work | 1-3 |
| Other courses as approved by advisor. | ||
Total Degree Credits Required:
(1) With BSW: 34 cr. (includes 9 cr. satisfied by public health credits)
(2) Without BSW: 58 cr. (includes 9 cr. satisfied by public health credits)
Total Credits for Coordinated Degree Program:
(1) With BSW: 73 - 74 cr.
(2) Without BSW: 97 - 98 cr.
The credits for the coordinated program would typically be completed in both programs at the same time, rather than one program after the other. A student not completing the requirements for the coordinated degree program would need to complete all requirements for an individual program in order to receive a degree.
Additional Requirements
Time Limit
Students in the coordinated MPH/MSW degree program must complete all degree requirements within seven years of the first enrollment semester as a degree student.
Social Work MSW Learning Outcomes
Students moving from the Professional Foundation Curriculum to the Advanced Curriculum within the Masters in Social Work (MSW) Program will be able to:
- Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
- Engage diversity and difference in practice.
- Advance human rights and social, economic and environmental justice.
- Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
- Engage in policy practice.
- Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
- Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
- Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
Students graduating from the Masters in Social Work (MSW) Program will be able to, at the level of an advanced practitioner:
- Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
- Engage diversity and difference in practice.
- Advance human rights and social, economic and environmental justice.
- Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
- Engage in policy practice.
- Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
- Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
- Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
Public Health MPH Learning Outcomes
All graduate students in UWM’s Zilber School of Public Health can expect to:
- Explain the foundational principles and historical perspectives that shape the field of public health.
- Describe how multiple determinants, including socioeconomic, biological, behavioral, and environmental, and the interrelations among these determinants shape population health and health inequities.
- Integrate principles of social and environmental justice within public health practice and research.
- Employ ethical principles and protocols in public health practice and research.
- Implement approaches to public health practice and research that recognize the social, cultural and environmental circumstances of individuals, communities and populations.
- Utilize appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative methods in public health practice and research.
- Apply interdisciplinary theories, research methods and best practices to address public health issues and promote population health.
- Collect, synthesize and critically analyze information and data to identify and address public health issues and inform interventions.
- Practice professionalism; demonstrated by integrity, respect, transparency, sound judgment, and constructive interactions with colleagues, community members, stakeholders and the public at large.
- Demonstrate leadership and partnership skills that foster and support collaborations across diverse communities, settings and sectors.
- Communicate effectively about public health issues with diverse audiences using a variety of strategies and modalities.
- Advocate for the public’s health and health equity.