With shared interest in the environmental, biological, cultural and political implications of health outcomes, anthropology and public health have long been intertwined in solving issues of population health and well-being.
The MPH/PhD dual-degree program is designed exclusively for current WashU Anthropology PhD students whose research is framed by a population health focus. Integrating a public health perspective into an anthropology training program equips students with skills and practice-based knowledge that expands their capacity for studies of environmental, social and cultural aspects of human society. Students earn an MPH with one additional year of study.
Recommended course sequence
Years 1 & 2 of the Anthro PhD/MPH program are completed in Arts & Sciences, and 9 credits are applied toward the MPH degree. Students begin their MPH coursework during the summer of their second year, and focus on their MPH coursework for all of Year 3, concluding in the summer. Once their MPH coursework is completed, students return to Arts & Sciences to resume their Anthro PhD work.
43 credits across summer 1, fall, spring and summer 2 semesters. Classes may include:
- Foundations of Public Health courses (15 credits)
- MPH Research Methods (3 credits)
- Cross-Cutting Themes in Public Health (1 credit)
- Planning, Implementing and Evaluating Evidence-Based Programs and Interventions (3 credits)
- Applied Linear Modeling (3 credits)
- Transdisciplinary Problem Solving in Public Health (3 credits)
- MPH practicum (3 credits)
- MPH capstone (2 credits)
Tutition structure
Tuition and fee charges are based on the division of the student’s primary, full-time enrollment, which varies by semester and is referred to as the student’s prime division.
When enrolled at WashU Arts & Sciences, students are assessed tuition according to the Arts & Sciences tuition structure, and can receive Arts & Sciences scholarships. For the remaining semesters, students are prime to WashU Public Health, are assessed tuition according to WashU Public Health’s tuition structure, and can receive WashU Public Health scholarships.
Apply
Current WashU Anthropology PhD students wishing to add the MPH should apply through SOPHAS, the centralized application service for public health no later than March 1. Select the MPH/PhD program designation under Washington University in St. Louis –School Public Health within the SOPHAS portal.