V. INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS

G. JOINT DEGREE PROGRAMS

Criterion V.G. If the school offers joint degree programs, the required curriculum for the professional public health degree shall be equivalent to that required for a separate public health degree.

Documentation

1.  Identification of joint degree programs offered by the school and description of the requirements for each.

2.  Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met.


V.G.1. Identification of joint degree programs offered by the school and description of the requirements for each.

The Mailman School fosters a multidisciplinary approach to public health through masters level dual degree programs, which are offered in conjunction with other graduate schools of the University. These dual degree programs provide Mailman School students with an opportunity to tap into the full resources of the University and to gain knowledge, skills, and perspectives in fields outside of public health. The School currently has nine dual degree programs with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, School of Dental and Oral Surgery, School of Nursing, Program in Occupational Therapy, School of Business, School of International and Public Affairs, School of Social Work, and Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, as outlined below.

DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMS OFFERED IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER SCHOOLS OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL / DEGREE /

MOST COMPATIBLE

MSPH DEPARTMENTS
College of Physicians & Surgeons / MD/MPH / BIO, EPI, GPH, HPM, PFH
School of Dental & Oral Surgery / DDS/MPH / BIO, EHS, GPH, HPM
School of Nursing / MSN/MPH / EHS, EPI, GPH, HPM, PFH, SMS
Occupational Therapy / MSOT/MPH / GPH, HPM, PFH, SMS
School of Business / MBA/MPH / BIO, EHS, EPI, GPH, HPM, PFH
School of International and Public Affairs / MIA/MPH / EHS, EPI, GPH, HPM, PFH, SMS,
School of International and Public Affairs / MPA/MPH / GPH, HPM
School of Social Work / MSW/MPH / GPH, HPM, PFH, SMS
Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation / MSUP/MPH / EHS, HPM, GPH
Application

Applicants seeking admission to dual degree studies must apply separately to each of the two collaborating schools and must meet the admissions requirements of each. Once both schools grant admission to their individual degree programs, the student may begin an integrated dual degree program. Students considering dual degree programs are strongly encouraged to apply to both schools as early as possible. Except where otherwise noted, students may apply to both schools at the same time, or may apply to the second school after admission to the first school.

Registration and Tuition

Enrollment in a dual degree program requires special attention and planning to ensure that all academic and tuition payment requirements are met in a timely fashion. Students register in only one school at a time (school of primary registration) and pay tuition to that school. However, students can add flexibility to their schedules by cross-registering in any one semester to combine studies from both schools. Registration continues in either school until all academic requirements (at the Mailman School: course work, practicum, culminating experience, and medical background exam) have been met and the student has registered for the number of terms or points through each school, as each requires. Advisors are appointed in each school and should be consulted as soon as the student begins studies so that an appropriate balance and time sequence are achieved.

The student’s financial aid award is made through the school of primary registration. Students who apply for aid are encouraged to plan their registration well in advance for each academic year and consult with financial aid officers, in both schools, if necessary, well before the beginning of the academic year to ensure that the school in which they plan to register covers them in each semester.

Students pursuing the MPH degree are required to take the core courses in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Health Policy and Management, and Sociomedical Sciences, as well as other courses as required by the student’s department.

Public Health and Medicine

This dual degree program, under the direction of the Mailman School and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, is intended for Columbia University medical students who have an interest in the social and community aspects of medical care and health management. Its objective is to prepare physicians for an expanding range of opportunities and roles in health and medical care. In addition to preclinical and clinical medical training, students gain substantive knowledge of the health care delivery system and the technological, social, and political forces contributing to patterns of illness and health care. Graduates of this dual program are prepared for careers that combine clinical practice with research and administration in public or private sector health care delivery and community health improvement.

Students take 35 points in public health, in addition to meeting all requirements for the MD degree. Registration and scheduling patterns, and the overall length of the dual program, vary among individual students.


Public Health and Dentistry

This dual degree program is organized and directed by the Mailman School and Columbia University’s School of Dental and Oral Surgery. In addition to clinical dentistry, students gain broad insights into the complexities of the evolving health care delivery system in the United States and develop the skills to assume roles as implementers and leaders within that system. The program prepares interdisciplinary professionals who can be effective as practitioners and interpreters at the interface between dentistry, other health disciplines, and the health system.

Public Health and Nursing

The Mailman School and the School of Nursing offer a dual program for the MPH degree and the MS degree in Nursing. This interdisciplinary program prepares nurse practitioners or clinical specialists to function effectively as public health practitioners helping to interpret, plan, and administer programs. This program is directed toward nurses with at least one year of appropriate experience, who expect to be practicing clinicians and at the same time hold responsible positions in administration, education, research, or policy, or who plan a career in clinical nursing, but desire to enhance their clinical knowledge with a related public health concentration. The minimum number of points of credit required is 75. Distribution of points between the two schools varies with the clinical track selected, but students complete at least 30 points in each school. Both degrees must be awarded simultaneously.

Public Health and Occupational Therapy

The Mailman School and the Program in Occupational Therapy of the Faculty of Medicine offer a dual program for the MPH and Master of Science (MS) in Occupational Therapy. The program is designed to prepare occupational therapists for leadership roles in shaping the health policies of America’s increasingly complex health care delivery system. An understanding of public health principles helps students to transfer their clinical skills to community-based services and to assume policy and administrative positions in school systems, businesses, and national and state agencies concerned with health policies and practices. The dual degree program interfaces with two programs in Occupational Therapy: the professional (entry) level and the post-professional (advanced) level. The MS/MPH program is an option for students at both levels, on a full- or part-time basis. The total number of points of credit required for the dual degree is 90 for entry level (professional), including 38 in public health; and 72 for the advanced level (post-professional) occupational therapy program, including 40 in public health.


Public Health and Business

This program offers a challenging course of study in the social, economic, and political facets of public health and health administration practices, along with rigorous quantitative training in management. Combining the MPH and the Masters in Business Administration (MBA), the program is designed to prepare individuals for administrative positions in the health care industry, including hospitals, consulting firms, etc., that require sound management and a broad knowledge of public health. The total number of points required is 80, with 35 in public health and 45 in business.

Public Health and International Affairs

The purpose of the dual degree program combining the MPH and the Master of International Affairs (MIA) is to provide training for careers in international and national agencies involving health policy analysis and administration. The emphasis of the School of International and Public Affairs on political and economic aspects of various world regions complements many areas of public health. The minimum number of points required is 75, with at least 30 points of registration in each school.

Public Health and Public Administration

This dual degree program, with the School of International and Public Affairs, combines the MPH and the Master in Public Policy and Administration (MPA). The purpose of this program it to train students for careers in health policy analysis and administration, as well as for positions in local, state, and federal governments and in the private sector. The total number of points required is 75, with a minimum of 30 points of registration in each school.

Public Health and Social Work

The nature and extent of today’s health problems, and the alternatives available for their solution, involve political, economic, community, organizational, behavioral, and other social issues. This dual degree program, with the School of Social Work, combines the MPH and the Master in Social Work (MSW). It permits students to develop orientation and skill in both social work and public health. Generally, students enrolled as degree candidates in either school who wish to apply to the dual program, should do so no later than the end of the second term of registration. The program of study integrates the fundamentals of professional social work practice with a public health perspective. The total number of points required is 90, with 45 in public health and 45 in social work.

Public Health and Urban Planning

The Mailman School and the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation offer a dual program for the degrees of MPH and Master of Science (MS) in Urban Planning. The primary objective of this dual degree program is to prepare individuals for planning positions in health systems agencies, various units of government, and the private health sector. The total number of points required is 80, with 35 points in public health and 45 in urban planning.

V.G.2. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met.

The School perceives that this criterion is met.


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