Program Overview
Program Overview
The Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) in Health Policy is a professional degree program designed for individuals seeking competency-based education and training in health policy to establish or expand their careers as health policy professionals in the United States. The interdisciplinary faculty members associated with the program are recognized for excellence in policy analysis, health services research, public health practice, and teaching.
Program Administration
- Program Director: Beth Resnick, DrPH, MPH
- Assistant Director: David Earle, MLA
Bachelor's/MSPH
The Johns Hopkins University, in conjunction with the Bloomberg School, offers a combined Bachelor's degree and Master of Science in Public Health in Health Policy (MSPH) degree. The combined degree programs have been tailored to prepare students for a career in health policy.
MSPH Program Requirements
Year 1 Course Requirements
The MSPH in Health Policy program requires a minimum of 64 credits of didactic coursework to be completed in the first year of the program. Students must complete a self-assessment and a tentative course plan prior to matriculating.
Core MSPH Courses
The following courses are required:
- Introduction to Online Learning
- Academic & Research Ethics at BSPH
- Introduction to the U.S. Healthcare System
- Formulating Policy: Strategies and Systems of Policymaking in the 21st Century
- Health Advocacy
- Public Health and the Law
- Organizational Behavior and Management
- Applied Microeconomics for Policymaking
- Social Policy for Marginalized and Disenfranchised Populations in the U.S.
- MSPH Seminar in Health Policy 1
- Research and Evaluation Methods for Health Policy
- Epidemiologic Inference in Public Health I
- A complete series in biostatistics, either Statistical Methods or Statistical Reasoning
- Foundational Principles of Public Health
- The Role of Qualitative Methods and Science in Describing and Assessing a Population's Health
- Essentials of Environmental Health
- Biologic, Genetic and Infectious Bases of Human Disease
- Psychological and Behavioral Factors That Affect A Population's Health
- Globalization and Population Health
- Essentials of One Health
- Basic Resources Management for Public Health
- Creating, Implementing and Monitoring Budgets for Projects and Programs
- Principles of Negotiation and Mediation for Public Health Professionals
- Applications of Negotiation and Mediation for Public Health Professionals
- Systems Thinking: Concepts and Methods
Electives
In addition to the core course curriculum, MSPH in Health Policy students must take elective courses in order to meet the first year 64 credit requirement. Elective options should be discussed with the academic adviser prior to registration.
Year 2 Course Requirements
Each term of the second year, students must register for the course PH.308.810 Field Placement Health Policy-MSPH for 16 credits.
Field Placement
The second-year field placement experience and the required field placement seminar series allows students to apply their academic training in a professional health policy/public health setting, demonstrate essential health policy analyst competencies and transition seamlessly to a full-time health policy career.
Field Placement Goals
The field placement experience provides students with the opportunity to apply their academic training in real-world settings under the guidance of at least one senior-level health policy/public health professional and the program faculty.
Selection and Approval of Field Placement Sites
Students may choose to pursue field placements in a wide variety of settings, including governmental agencies, the legislative arena, consulting, advocacy, non-profit, research, and professional organizations in both domestic and/or international settings.
Field Placement Requirements
HPM faculty and staff oversee the evaluation of the field placement as a culminating experience. During the field placement, students are required to attend a monthly professional development seminar.
Evaluation Of Student's Mastery of the MSPH Competencies
Each preceptor is asked for feedback on the student's performance of the MSPH competencies through the completion of a brief evaluation form near the end of the student's placement.
MSPH Program Policies
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory academic progress is measured by the following:
- To maintain satisfactory academic performance and good academic standing, all master's students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.75, and grades of A, B, P (pass), or S (satisfactory) in all courses required by the school or by the students department.
- Written documentation of successful completion of all Bloomberg School and departmental degree requirements within the established time limitations
- Confirmation of satisfactory performance by the students department and/or adviser as required.
Course Waivers
In rare cases, students may request a waiver or substitution of a required program course. Any request must be submitted in writing according to the guidelines outlined below at least one week prior to the start of the academic term and be approved in writing by the student's Program Director.
Master's Tuition Scholarship (MTS)
The Master's Tuition Scholarship (MTS) provides eligible MSPH students with a tuition scholarship worth 75% of one year's tuition.
MSPH Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes specific to the MSPH in Health Policy are met through coursework and an approved professional experience. Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Assess the array of social determinants contributing to inequitable distribution of resources and poor health outcomes among vulnerable populations in the U.S.
- Appraise the range of policy mechanisms that can be used to influence health and social outcomes among populations.
- Critique existing U.S. social policy approaches in a range of areas including healthcare, housing, and disability policy.
- Apply core concepts in how the law and the courts deal with public health issues.
- Evaluate how specific policy proposals will likely affect access to care and healthcare spending.
CEPH-Defined Foundational Competencies for Professional Programs
According to the requirements of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), all BSPH degree students must be grounded in foundational public health knowledge.