Joint MSW/MPH Degree Program Overview

Enrollment in the joint degree program is recommended for full-time students only.
Note: Full-time applicants start the joint degree in the MSW program; applicants eligible for MSW Advanced Standing start the joint degree in the MPH program and so should apply to the MPH program and enroll in MPH coursework prior to applying to the MSW program. For more information please contact Dr. Christopher Mitchell.

Students must apply to and be admitted separately to both the School of Public Health and the College of Social Work master’s degree programs. The policies of each program with respect to admission requirements, degree requirements, and other academic requirements are applicable. To be considered for admission students must take the GRE (required for admission to SPH), have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, and satisfy other application requirements for each college.

Transferring into MSW/MPH joint degree program
Students who enter either of the individual degree programs and later decide to transfer into the joint program may do so before entering their second year of study if they meet the admissions requirements of the other degree program. Students must apply and be accepted into both individual degree programs. Students entering from the SPH individual degree program will begin the Social Work core sequence immediately.

Students currently enrolled in the MSW program (full-time foundation year) may apply to the MPH degree by submitting the following documentation:

1. Scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) submitted directly to UIC SPH.
2. A Request for Change of Graduate Degree
3. A personal statement
4. An updated resume

MSW students who are interested in applying to the joint degree should contact Dr. Christopher Mitchell.

Please download this PDF for more detailed information.

The Jane Addams College of Social Work (JACSW) and the UIC School of Public Health (SPH) offer a joint program leading to the Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health (MSW/MPH).  Programs of study leading to joint MSW/MPH degrees are offered by each of the following MSW Specializations and SPH Divisions:

MSW Areas of Specialized Practice
• Child and Family
• Organization and Community Practice
• Mental Health
• School Social Work

MPH Divisions
• Community Health Sciences
• Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
• Epidemiology
• Health Policy and Administration

Length of Program: Full time students may complete the programs in three to three and ½ years.

Admission Requirements: Students must apply to and be admitted separately to both the School of Public Health and the College of Social Work master’s degree programs. The policies of each program with respect to admission requirements, degree requirements, and other academic requirements are applicable. To be considered for admission students must take the GRE (required for admission to SPH), have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, and satisfy other application requirements for each college.

Program Requirements: Students must complete a minimum of 42 semester hours of course work at SPH as required by the specific SPH division and must complete 62 semester hours of course work as required for the MSW (inclusive of shared credit hours).

Required Coursework: The coursework for the joint degree will include: 1) Core (generalist) courses in Social Work (1st year MSW); 2) core courses in Public Health; 3) divisional core courses in either Community Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, or Health Policy and Administration; 4) Specialization courses in Social Work (2nd year MSW), 5) shared electives; 6) field work, optimally at a site which allows the student to integrate his or her training in social work and public health; and 7) a capstone project reflecting the integration of the student’s public health and social work training.

Core (Generalist) Social Work Requirements (28 SH)

SocW430 , SocW410 , SocW460 , SocW570, SocW431, Socw411 , SocW420 , and SocW571.

Advanced Social Work Courses by Specialization (34 SH)

Students select one:

Organization and Community Practice Specialization Requirements: SocW 519, 531, 572, 520, [3 credits of IPHS 402 shared in lieu of 563, 565, 567], 573; and 6 SH of shared MPH electives.

Child and Family Specialization Requirements: SocW 582, 552, 572, 583, [3 credits of IPHS 402 shared in lieu of 563, 565, 567],573; and 6 SH of shared MPH electives.

Mental Health Specialization Requirements: SocW 586, 554, 572, 587, [3 credits of IPHS 402 shared in lieu of 563, 565, 567], 573; and 6 SH of shared MPH electives.

School Social Work Specialization Requirements: SocW 588, SocW 555, SPED 410 , SocW 572, SocW 589 SocW 565 Research II: School social work [Note: Unlike the other specializations, School social work students may not share IPHS 402 credits in lieu of SocW 565], SocW 573, and 3 SH of shared MPH electives.

Core School-wide MPH Requirements (18 – 20 SH)

IPHS 401, IPHS 402 [or the equivalent online courses- IPHS 404 and IPHS 405], IPHS 403, IPHS 698, and IPHS 650.

Advanced Public Health Courses by Speciialization (variable)

Community Health Sciences Core Requirements: Students in Community Health Sciences must complete CHSC 421, CHSC 422, CHSC 423, and an approved specialization.

Environmental and Occupational Health Core Requirements: Students in EOHS must complete one of the following: Exposure Assessment courses: EOHS 411, EOHS 421, or EOHS 432; and select one of the following Health Assessment Courses: EOHS 455, or EOHS 551. In addition students must complete EOHS 480, and up to 9 semester hours of electives in consultation with their advisor.

Epidemiology Core Requirements: Students in Epidemiology must complete EPID 404, EPID 406, EPID 410, EPID 411, EPID 591 and BSTT 401.

Health Policy and Administration Core Requirements: HPA students must complete HPA 403, HPA 444, HPA 460, HPA 467 and one of the following: HPA 430, HPA 432, HPA 445 or HPA 465.

Shared Credit Hours

Electives: Except for students in the School Social Work specialization, students may reduce the number of credit hours by nine, counting three credits of IPHS 402 towards advanced research (SocW 563, 565, 567) and six semester hours of public health coursework toward the MSW course electives. Since School Social Work concentration students must take SPED 410 as a part of their required concentration-specific coursework, they only have 3 sh of electives instead of the 6 sh of electives in the other MSW specializations. Depending on the student’s MPH concentration, the joint program may be reduced by an additional 1 to 9 semester hours by counting advisor-approved social work courses toward MPH elective hours. Available elective hours by MPH concentration: 2 sh CHS; 1 sh Epidemiology; up to 3 sh (one pre-approved SocW course) EOHS; 9 sh HPA].

Field Work/ Field Instruction Hours: With proper planning and approval of the SPH advisor, the joint program may be reduced by an additional three to five semester hours by incorporating a significant public health experience into the Social Work Field Instruction (SocW 570-573).

Maximum Permissible Shared Hours: The maximum allowable number of shared credit hours is 17 semester hours for students in the School Social Work Specialization. The maximum allowable number of shared credit hours for students in the other three MSW specializations is 20 semester hours. The actual number of shared credit hours that will be permitted is dependent upon the student’s division and advisor approval.

Progression through the Program: Students will typically alternate between the colleges beginning with the MSW; for example, in Year 1 students will complete the MSW core course requirements in Year Students will complete the majority of MPH course requirements in Year 3. Students will return to the College of Social Work to complete their MSW specialization requirements and may also take MPH coursework. Students may require one additional semester to complete their MPH coursework within the School of Public Health.

Tuition and Fees: Tuition and fees charged by the two programs differ. Students will be charged MSW tuition and fees for their first year of study and MPH tuition and fees for the second year. In year three, MSW tuition and fees will be applied again. If students must then complete remaining credit hours for the MPH program, the student will be charged MPH tuition and fees for their final semester of attendance.

Transferring into MSW/MPH joint degree program: Students who enter either of the individual degree programs and later decide to transfer into the joint program may do so before entering their second year of study if they meet the admissions requirements of the other degree program. Students must apply and be accepted into both individual degree programs. Students entering from the SPH individual degree program will begin the Social Work core sequence immediately.

Leaving the program before the requirements for the joint masters is complete: Students who leave after completing the necessary hours for one of the degrees, either the Master of Social Work or the Master of Public Health, but before completing the joint MSW/MPH, will receive the former degree. Students completing solely the Master of Public Health may (depending on background experience) be required to satisfy requirements of a comprehensive MPH program.

Contact Information:

Jane Addams College of Social Work:
Christopher Mitchell, PhD
Director of Academic Program Development and Assessment
(312) 996-8509
cgm@uic.edu

School of Public Health:
Susan Altfeld, PhD
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
(312) 355-1134
saltfeld@uic.edu

Full-time Student
Year 1 Full-time in the MSW Program

Year 2 Full-time in the MPH Program (Community Health Sciences Division²)

Year 3 Full-time in MSW Program (Mental Health Specialization³)

Tuition and fees charged by the two programs differ. Students will be charged MSW tuition and fees for their first year of study and MPH tuition and fees for the second year. In year three, MSW tuition and fees will be applied again. If students must then complete remaining credit hours for the MPH program, the student will be charged MPH tuition and fees for their final semester of attendance. More information regarding tuition and fees is available here.