Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work

Social inequities — such as access to education, composition of neighborhoods and availability of safe public spaces — can drive health disparities. This relationship is so strong that there is a term for these influences: social determinants of health. The MPH/MSW dual degree integrates public health, social justice and policy to address this complex relationship on local, state, national and international scales.

Curriculum

MPH/MSW students take 33 credit hours in social work and 34 credit hours in public health. An additional 18 credit hours are counted toward the completion of both degrees.

Within the 33 MSW credit hours, students complete two practica and have opportunities to personalize their curriculum toward their concentration, with coursework such as:

• Practice with Organizations and Communities
• Designing Sustainable Social Policies and Programs
• Substance Use Disorders

Within the 34 MPH credit hours, students complete one practicum and coursework such as:

• Gender, Poverty and Global Health
• Public Health and the Built Environment
• Health Administration and Policy

Students take 18 credit hours of MSW/MPH equivalent courses, which integrate issues of social work and public health. These courses may include:

• Social Justice and Human Diversity
• Research Methods

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Practica

MPH/MSW students complete three practica: two for the MSW degree and one for the MPH. These fieldwork experiences give students the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom in real-world settings, as well as connect with outstanding professionals within their area of interest. Our diverse list of national and international partner organizations offers students flexibility when choosing a practicum site. MPH/MSW dual-degree students have completed practica at locations including:

• Centerstone
• St. Louis Regional Health Commission
• St. Louis Integrated Health Network
• E3 Nutrition Lab

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Tuition structure

In the fall and spring semesters, tuition and fee charges are based on the student’s primary, full-time division of study, referred to as the prime division. MPH/MSW students spend three semesters prime to WashU Public Health, during which time they pay tuition according to WashU Public Health tuition structure and are eligible to receive WashU Public Health scholarships. The remaining three semesters, students are prime to WashU Brown School. They pay tuition according to WashU Brown tuition structure and are eligible to receive WashU Brown scholarships. 

Tuition for summer session is paid on a per-credit-hour basis.

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