MSW-MPH Program Guidelines for Current and Prospective Students of Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania
The dual degree program, Master’s of Social Work/ Master’s in Public Health, is a “natural.” Both disciplines are vitally concerned about human and social well-being, whether at micro (clinical practice) or macro (societal and policy) levels. The urban dilemmas of substance use and abuse, mental and behavioral health policy and practice, violence incidence and interventions, and access to health care are particularly vital areas of mutual focus. Research-based strategies in both disciplines address differential access and treatment in these and other health domains stemming from such categories as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic position, and gender. The Penn School of Social Policy and Practice has been actively involved in the development of the Master’s in Public Health degree at Penn since its inception in 2002 and remains a partner through advisory committee participation, shared faculty, and shared students.
The MSW/MPH is a three-year program. The following template may be used as a guide for the construction of individual student schedules. All plans of study must be approved by the MPH Program Office prior to starting coursework. Course descriptions for social work can be found at www.sp2.upenn. Course descriptions for public health can be found at www.publichealth.med.upenn.edu.
MSW/MPH Curriculum: General Template
Year 1 |
|
Fall |
SW601: History/Philos. Soc. Work & Soc. Welfare |
| SW 602: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I | |
| SW 603: American Racism | |
| SW 604+Field: Foundation of S.W. Practice | |
Spring |
SW 611: Contemporary Social Policy |
| SW 612: Human Behavior in the Social Environment II | |
| SW 613: Understanding Social Change: Issues of Race & Gender | |
| SW 614+Field: Social Work Practice | |
Summer |
715 Intro to Research |
Year 2 |
|
Fall |
PUBH500: Intro to PH |
| PUBH501: Intro to Biostats (= SW Research Option) | |
| PUBH503: Environ/Occup Health (1.0 cu) | |
| PUBH507 Ethics, Policy & Law (1.0) cu | |
Spring |
PUBH502: Intro to Princ/ Methods of Epidemiology 1.0 cu (could be SW practice elective: clinical or macro) |
| PUBH 508-1: Capstone (1.0) | |
| PUBH506: Methods for PH Practice (1.0 cu) (= SW Practice Elective: Clinical or Macro) | |
Year 3 |
|
Fall |
SW704+Field: Advanced Clinical SW Practice I OR |
| SW 708+Field: Advanced Macro SW Practice I | |
| PUBH505: PH Administration and Policy (1.0 cu) | |
| PUBH 504: Behavioral and Social Sciences in Public Health | |
| SW 7xx: Free Elective (e.g. Intimate Violence; Policies for Ch & Families) (= MPH elective) | |
Spring |
SW714+Field: Advanced Clinical SW Practice II OR |
| SW 718+Field: Advanced Macro SW Practice II | |
| PUBH508-2: Capstone (1.0 cu) | |
| SW 7xx: Practice Elective (e.g. Substance Abuse; At-Risk Youth; Health Settings; Aging; Loss) (= MPH elective) | |
Although the MPH is not a clinical degree, the MSW/MPH is open to social work students in both advanced clinical and advanced macro social work practice tracks, as both tracks also address how research and policy are implicated in practice needs and implementation/intervention strategies.
*The MPH curriculum consists of 10 required courses and 4 electives. Four social work courses will be applied as electives toward the MPH degree. Social Work courses eligible for the dual degree include SW611, SW 603, SW 602, SW 757, SW 742, SW 704/708, SW 714/718, SW 706, SW 774, SW 781, SW722, as well as other health-related and population-based courses in the social work curriculum.
*Four MPH courses will be applied toward the MSW degree: for example, PubH 506 (could count as a SW practice elective—clinical or macro); PubH 502 (could count as a SW practice elective—clinical or macro); PubH 501 (could count as a SW Research Option); and virtually any other public health course could count as SW Free Electives. The Bridging the Gaps Clinical Internship may qualify as a MPH elective. Social work students should discuss this option with their MPH program advisor in advance.
** The MPH Capstone Project involves 108 hours of field experience in a public health (i.e. population-focused) setting. Students in the dual degree program will consult with their Capstone Mentor and the Social Work Field Director when planning the advanced social work field internship such that the hours required by the Capstone Project can be included in the social work internship. This planning process will generally take place in year 2 of the three-year dual degree program.
For more information contact:
Joretha N. Bourjolly, Ph.D.
Associate Professor/Clinician Educator
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Advisor of record in the School of Social Policy and Practice for dual degree students
jerri@sp2.upenn.edu
215-898-5524
Jackie McLaughlin, MS, RD
Associate Director, MPH Program
jmclaugh@mail.med.upenn.edu
215-746-2043