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School of Public Health
University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (UNTHSC)
Education and Administration Building (EAD), 7th Floor

3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard
Fort Worth, TX 76107
817-735-2401 or 877-868-7741

E-mail: sph@hsc.unt.edu

Web site: www.hsc.unt.edu

Richard S. Kurz, Professor and Dean of the School of Public Health

Chairs:
Eric Johnson, Chair, Department of Epidemiology
David Sterling, Chair, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
Karan Singh, Chair, Department of Biostatistics and Interim Chair, Department of Social and
Behavioral Sciences
Jose Pagan, Chair, Department of Health Management and Policy
Christine Moranetz, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Elizabeth Trevino-Dawson, Assistant Dean for Curriculum
Diane Wynn, MEd, Director, Office of Student and Academic Services

Program of Study

The School of Public Health currently offers master’s- and doctoral-level course work in public health. The MPH degree program is a 48 semester credit hour (SCH) program that includes a core curriculum of five courses (totaling 15 credit hours), in which public health students are provided an overview in biostatistics, community health, epidemiology, environmental health, and health management and policy. MPH students are required to complete 24–30 credit hours in their chosen concentration, 3 hours of public health practice experience and a culminating experience (thesis or comprehensive exam option).

The goal of the DrPH program is to prepare students for leadership roles in the professional practice of public health in governmental, private and not-for-profit organizations.

The school is currently implementing PhD programs in many of the public health disciplines. For additional information, refer to the School of Public Health web site at www.hsc.unt.edu.

The objectives of the MPH and DrPH programs are to prepare students to meet the needs of the growing health care industry and the demand for trained public health workers in the public sector. Students in this program have the added benefit of interacting with health care providers and students in the osteopathic medical program at the Health Science Center, as well as faculty engaged in significant public health research at both the UNTHSC and UNT campuses.

Career Opportunities

Today, public health is the umbrella over many issues, including some that seem unrelated to health care but that ultimately influence it. Public health ranges from the study of smog in the air we breathe to gang intervention programs on our neighborhood streets. Growing threats from our environment, the resurgence of infectious diseases, increasing violence, an aging population and the escalating costs of health care are all immediate concerns of public health professionals.

Public health professionals monitor and evaluate the health needs of entire communities, promote healthy practices and behaviors, and work to identify and eliminate environmental hazards to assure our population remains healthy. They are employed by government, hospitals, health systems, universities and many private companies. Without public health, our society could not advance. With it, we are making a difference.

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences

Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (MPH): Designed to train students to acquire up-to-date knowledge and competency in this area based on sound scientific theory and methodology in the field of environmental and occupational health sciences, this concentration provides students with the unique opportunity to immediately begin to translate the knowledge acquired in the classroom or laboratory, into practical applications in the real world setting through participating in faculty cutting-edge research; internships in industry, state or national agencies; or site visits to these establishments.

Department of Epidemiology

Epidemiology (MPH): Designed for students seeking technical skills in the fundamental methods of disease investigation and prevention in large populations. Courses emphasize basic and advanced epidemiologic principles and their application to current problems in public health and related disciplines.

Department of Biostatistics

Biometry (MPH): Designed to train public health professionals to engage in biomedical research, data management and data analysis. Emphasis is on the methodology and applications of contemporary statistical procedures and research designs, using advanced computing technology. Students will also develop the theoretical competency to understand and apply information published in statistical journals.

Clinical Research (MPH): The program is for professionals who wish to prepare for roles in clinical research, health care research, medical database management or statistical consulting in medical or public health settings. This MPH concentration is oriented toward applied clinical research, outcome measurement and applied biostatistics.

Department of Health Management and Policy

Health Management and Policy (MPH): The health management and policy concentration is designed to prepare students with competencies needed for careers in health management policy analysis and policy development. The curriculum addresses health systems, quantitative methods, health economics and finance, managed care, private and public sector management, state and national policy, and health law. The concentration provides instruction in professional competencies commonly found in schools of business, management, public administration and public policy.

Master of Health Administration (MHA): The MHA program is designed to prepare students with competencies needed to assume management positions in health services organizations throughout the world. The 60 credit hour program is designed for aspiring and committed professionals who are interested in careers in health services administration in such settings as hospitals, managed care organizations, medical group practices, ambulatory, long-term care, insurance and pharmaceutical companies, consulting firms, government agencies, for profit organizations and nonprofit sector organizations. Emphasis is placed on theoretical bases in three areas: organization and operations, economics and finance, and policy analysis. Through an internship and a final integrative experience, students are asked to incorporate, synthesize and apply their knowledge within both an operational and a community context. The result is an organizational perspective that encourages students to integrate knowledge from a range of management disciplines while emphasizing accountability for effective performance.

Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Community Health (MPH): The community health concentration prepares professionals from a variety of backgrounds (nursing, medicine, dentistry, allied health, social work, health education, nutrition, psychology, anthropology, sociology) for public health careers. This concentration uses a multidisciplinary approach to identify community, family, social, and behavioral factors in both the onset of and solution to public health problems through disease prevention, health promotion, or health care. This concentration also prepares students to take the Certified Health Care Education Specialists (CHES) exam. Traditionally, program graduates have assumed positions in public health departments, health and human service agencies, and other health care settings.

Dual Degree Programs

DO/MPH: This five-year dual degree program provides DO students at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) with specialized public health training to develop, integrate and apply culturally competent social, psychological and biomedical/public health approaches to the promotion and preservation of health in one’s community.

Medical Anthropology (MS in Applied Anthropology/MPH in Community Health): These concurrent degree programs are offered by the UNTHSC/School of Public Health and the Department of Anthropology at the University of North Texas in Denton. The School of Public Health and the Department of Anthropology at the University of North Texas have developed a cooperative agreement that allows students to pursue the MPH and a graduate degree in anthropology. The dual degree program in applied anthropology and public health offers an opportunity to strengthen collaboration in public health, anthropology and social science research and practice. Medical anthropology is a field that uses anthropological theories as a framework to understand public health issues. Its emphasis on social and cultural influences on health, illness and healing are central to the shared goals of improving health and social justice to eliminate local and global disparities. Students interested in this dual degree program must concurrently apply to the School of Public Health and UNT’s Toulouse Graduate School. Each school utilizes different applications, has its own application/admission requirements and has different application deadlines. The applicant must be admitted to both programs before being officially deemed a dual degree student in this program.

Department of Public Health Education

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH): The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree in public health practice is an indication of distinguished scholarly accomplishment in the professional field. The goal of the DrPH program is to provide advanced training in public health leadership for individuals who will serve in a variety of roles within government, private and not-for-profit organizations. The DrPH program requires a minimum of 60 semester credit hours (SCH) and is offered on a full-time or part-time basis.

The DrPH curriculum will serve to integrate the five core areas of public health, emphasizing work experience relevant to this advanced degree and addressing learning methods in the context of public health practice. To develop leadership skills, students will interact and collaborate with senior public health practitioners through a variety of courses and the residency. Program content and learning experiences will address the public health competencies identified by the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH).

Entrance Requirements

The School of Public Health maintains a system of departmental admissions. Therefore, the admissions criteria may vary from department to department. In general, students must demonstrate a desire for a career in public health, an understanding relative to the particular area of study they wish to pursue and the cognitive capacity to master the material necessary to obtain the MPH or DrPH degree.

Application Procedure

MPH and doctoral applicants are required to complete the SOPHAS online application for schools of public health, which is available on their web site at www.sophas.org. In addition, applicants are required to submit official transcripts of all prior college-level course work, GRE scores from the Educational Testing Service www.ets.org, three letters of evaluation by individuals in a position to comment on the applicant’s potential as a student and future professional, resume or curriculum vitae, and any other documentation that may be required to expedite the student’s application to SOPHAS. Frequently asked questions are located at sophas.org.

• Master of Health Administration applicants can complete the school’s online application or an application via SOPHAS.
• Dual Degree applicants are required to complete the UNTHSC-SPH Online Application
• Non-Degree applicants are required to complete the UNTHSC-SPH Online Application
• Students at the University of North Texas (UNT) requesting enrollment for classes to transfer to UNT for their degree programs should e-mail their request to sph@hsc.unt.edu rather than completing an application.

To be considered for admission to the MPH or DrPH programs (including dual degree programs offered by UNTHSC and UNT-Denton) contact the University of North Texas Health Science Center/School of Public Health at 817-735-2401, toll-free at 877-868-7741 or via e-mail at sph@hsc.unt.edu for an admissions application. Applicants must file the following official credentials with the Schools of Public Health Online Application Service (SOPHAS).

• application fee;
• complete official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended;
• international applicants with foreign transcripts must also include an official WES or ECE transcript evaluation report listing course by course U.S. grade point equivalencies;
• official scores from all required entrance exams or tests (may include one or more of the following: GRE, GMAT, MCAT, etc.);
• three letters of evaluation by individuals in a position to comment on the applicant’s potential as a student and future professional;
• an essay of personal career goals (referencing a desired concentration); and
• a current curriculum vitae or resume.

The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097; telephone number 404-679-4501) to award master’s and doctoral degrees.

Courses of Instruction

All Courses of Instruction are located in the UNTHSC catalog or available online at www.hsc.unt.edu.

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