Program Overview

Overview of the MS in Health Security Program

The MS in Health Security program is designed to prepare future leaders for activities necessary to strengthen the Nation's health security and minimize the danger and impact of acute public health crises, including epidemics/pandemics. Students will learn to apply scientific principles to prevent, detect, protect against, mitigate, and respond to health security challenges.

Program Competencies

The program aims to equip students with the following competencies:

1. Analyze the human, social, or political risks of major health security threats
2. Translate existing data or science for effective operational response strategies to health security threats, especially in vulnerable populations
3. Implement effective program management and leadership skills into health security operations
4. Examine the capacity of public health systems to effectively respond to health threats
5. Communicate health security threats or response actions to leadership or the public

Program Requirements

The MS degree in Health Security requires a total of 45 credits, including:

• SPHTM Foundational Requirements: 9 credits
  • SPHL 6020: Foundations in Public Health (3 credits)
  • SPHL 6050: Biostatistics for Public Health (3 credits)
  • SPHL 6060: Epidemiology for Public Health (3 credits)
• Program Course Requirements: 27 credits
  • DRLS 6050: Leadership (3 credits)
  • ENHS 6080: Fundamentals of Environmental Health Sciences (3 credits)
  • ENHS 6970: Exposure Assessment (3 credits)
  • ENHS 6910: Health Security Threats (3 credits)
  • ENHS 6950: Psychosocial Aspects of Disaster (3 credits)
  • ENHS 6430: Disaster & Emergency Communication (3 credits)
  • ENHS 7130: Outbreak and Disaster Response Readiness (3 credits)
  • SPHL 7230: Project Management for Public Health (3 credits)
  • TRMD 7650: One Health Approaches to Disease (3 credits)
• Climate and Health Core: 3 credits (choose one)
  • ENHS 6450: Climate Change and Public Health (3 credits)
  • ENHS 7610: Applied Data Science for Climate and Health (3 credits)
• Selective Courses: 6 credits (choose two)
  • DRLS 6010: Human and Social Factors (3 credits)
  • DRLS 6040: Environment and Infrastructure (3 credits)
  • ENHS 6560: Environmental Health Microbiology (3 credits)
  • ENHS 6600: Principles of Toxicology (3 credits)
  • EPID 6750: Outbreak Epidemiology (3 credits)
  • ESSC 6002: Critical Infrastructure Protection (3 credits)
  • IHSD 6331: Public Health and Nutrition in Complex Emergencies (3 credits)
  • SPHL 6110: Introduction to GIS for Public Health (3 credits)
• Additional Requirements:
  • ENHS 9980: Master's Thesis Research (0 credits)
  • Elective Courses: 9 credits

Model Course Schedule

The program follows a structured course schedule:

• Year 1:
  • Fall: SPHL 6020, SPHL 6050, ENHS 6080, ENHS 6910 (12 credits)
  • Spring: SPHL 6060, ENHS 6970, ENHS 6430, ENHS 6950 (12 credits)
  • Summer: SPHL 7230 (3 credits)
• Year 2:
  • Fall: ENHS 6450 or ENHS 7610, DRLS 6050, Elective, Elective (12 credits)
  • Spring: ENHS 7130, TRMD 7650, ENHS 9980 (6 credits)

Program String and Field of Study

The program string is PHMS_GR, and the field of study is HESC.