The Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health and Department of Political Science in the College of Arts and Sciences offer a coordinated program that leads to the Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Services Policy and Management and the Master of Public Administration (MPA). Some courses fulfill requirements for both portions of the dual degree.  Through academic advisement, specific courses are chosen for each individual student to satisfy both sets of program requirements. The MPA requires 18 credit hours in core courses completed in the first year of study; the MPH has 16 hours of required sequenced core courses completed in the second year of study.

Two courses (6 credit hours) from the MPA can be applied to the MPH program of study.  POLI 774 The Public Policy Process satisfies the HSPM Policy Elective Requirement and POLI 775: Financial Administration satisfies the required HSPM Management Course HSPM 730: Financing of Health Care.

Completion of HSPM 788 Public Health Practice Expeience satisfies the MPA internship requirement.  One HSPM Management Elective  (3 credit hours) approved by the advisor can be applied to the MPA program of study.  Thus the 39 credit hours required for the MPA and 45 credit hours required for the MPH can both be completed with a total of 72 credit hours.

The table below reflects the plan of study for a full-time student who begins the dual degree program with the MPA. This plan may be adjusted in consultation with HSPM and POLI advisors. 

1st Year Fall Semester: MPA Year Core Courses (12 hours)

POLI 770 - Perspectives on Public Administration   

POLI 771 - Public Data Analysis   

POLI 773 - Human Resources Administration in Government  

POLI Elective (3 hours)*

1st year Spring Semester: MPA Year Core Courses (12 hours)

POLI 774 - The Public Policy Process  

POLI 775 - Financial Administration   

POLI 754 - Public Accountability and Ethics  

POLI Elective (3 hours)*

2nd year Fall Semester: Public Health Core Courses (14 hours)

PUBH 725 - Quantitative Methods for Public Health Practice  

PUBH 726 - Qualitative Methods for Public Health Practice   

HSPM 726 - Applied Public Health Law for Administrators   

HSPM Management Elective (3 hours)*

2nd year Spring Semester: Public Health Core Courses (13 hours)

PUBH 735 - Practical Applications of Public Health Planning  

PUBH 730 - Public Health Systems, Policy, and Leadership  

HSPM 712 - Health Economics  

HSPM Management Elective (3 hours)*

3rd year Fall Semester: MPA Courses/HSPM MPH Courses (12 hours)

HSPM 727 - Advancing Public Health Policy  

HSPM 768 - Health Services Administration II  

POLI Elective (3 hours)*

POLI Elective (3 hours)*

3rd Year Spring Semester:  MPA Courses and HSPM MPH Courses (9 hours)

POLI 753 - Capstone Seminar in Public Administration  

HSPM 788 - Public Health Practice Experience  **

HSPM 796 - Health Services Policy and Management MPH Capstone Course  

PUBH 678 - Transforming Health Care for the Future   

*Students may elect to take these courses during summer sessions to meet curriculum requirements.

**HSPM 788 requires coordination with an MPA advisor to meet the MPA internship requirements