Graduates of the combined degree MSW/MPH program can expect to find employment in traditional health care settings that rely on the medical model of intervention as well as in settings that use a social health mode. Students may choose either the Health Promotion and Education (HPEB) track or the Health Services Policy and Management (HSPM) track in the MPH program. Students normally spend the equivalent of three years in their studies for their combined MSW/MPH degrees. Students’ MSW fieldwork can be used to satisfy the MPH required practice experience – students should make those arrangements with the HPEB MPH Program Director. For more specific degree information, go to the MSW/MPH section of the Academic Bulletin.

Note:  MSW/MPH students are required to complete five (5) credit hours of HPEB 797 to graduate. Students normally complete HPEB 797 during the last year of the program. Two (2) of the five (5) HPEB 797 credit hours are to be completed during SOWK 783. The remaining three (3) credit hours will be completed during SOWK 784. The MPH Program Director will provide more information about these requirements.

Admissions

The College of Social Work and the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior (HPEB) in the Arnold School of Public Health, participate in a combination degree program that allows individuals to complete both the Social Work, MSW  and Master of Public Health degrees in less time than completing the two degrees separately.  Students apply to the combination degree program option through the USC Graduate School. Application reviews, including required supplemental application materials required by the programs, and admission recommendations are made independently by the College of Social Work and by the Arnold School of Public Health.  Official notification of the admission decisions comes from the Graduate School.  Students enrolled in both MSW and MPH courses in any term may be subject to fees for both programs.  

Students enrolled in either the social work or public health program beyond their first year of graduate study cannot apply for the combination degree program.   Part-time social work students may enroll in the combination degree program.  Advanced Standing social work students enrolled beyond the summer bridge term cannot apply for the combination degree program. Students in the Online Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior - Professional Program are not eligible for the combination MSW/MPH program.

Degree Requirements M.S.W. (60 Hours) / M.P.H. (45 Hours)

Students may complete the dual degree program by starting in either the Master of Social Work program or the Master of Public Health program.  Each program offers a typical sequence of courses; through academic advisement with a dual degree coordinator in each program, students select specific courses to satisfy the requirements for each degree.  All curriculum and hour requirements must be satisfied in order to graduate from the dual degree program.   Students in the dual degree program must complete the program within six academic years.  See the MSW bulletin and the MPH student handbook for additional information.

Two (2) SOWK elective courses can be satisfied by successfully completing two HPEB elective courses (6 credit hours total).  SOWK 783 and SOWK 784 (6 credit hours total) satisfy the HPEB 797 requirement. The Fieldwork courses require coordination and contract with a HPEB advisor to meet the terms of the MPH Applied Practice Experience.  Thus the 60-credit hour MSW degree and 45-credit hour MPH degree can both be completed with a total of 94 credit hours.

The table below reflects the plan of study for a full-time student who begins the dual degree program in social work. Note that some of the courses beyond the first year of MPH and SOWK studies may be adjusted due to program or accreditation changes.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall		Credit Hours
SOWK 712	Human Behavior and the Social Environment I	3
SOWK 714	Diversity and Social Justice Issues for Social Work Practice	3
SOWK 716	Human Behavior and the Social Environment II	3
SOWK 781	Field Instruction I: Generalist Social Work Practice	3
SOWK 791	Social Work Research Methodologies	3
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
SOWK 722	Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families and Small Groups	3
SOWK 732	Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities	3
SOWK 742	Social Welfare Policy Analysis	3
SOWK 782	Field Instruction II: Generalist Social Work Practice	3
SOWK Elective Course		3
	Credit Hours	15
Second Year
Fall
PUBH 724	Quantitative Methods for Public Health Practice I	3
PUBH 726	Qualitative Methods for Public Health Practice	3
HPEB 701	Theoretical Foundations of Health Promotion	3
SOWK 735	Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals	3
SOWK 775	Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups	3
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
PUBH 725	Quantitative Methods for Public Health Practice II	3
PUBH 730	Public Health Systems, Policy, and Leadership	3
HPEB 707	Health Promotion Research Methods	3
HPEB Elective course 1		3
HPEB Elective course 1		3
HPEB Elective course 1		3
	Credit Hours	18
Third Year
Fall
PUBH 735	Practical Applications of Public Health Planning	4
SOWK 783	Field Instruction III: Advanced Social Work Practice (shared course) 2	3
SOWK 755	Advanced Social Work Practice with Organizations	3
HPEB 748	Community Health Development	3
HPEB 710	Evaluation of Health Promotion Programs (fulfills SOWK 793) 3	3
	Credit Hours	16
Spring
SOWK 718	Systems Analysis of Social Work Practice	3
SOWK 766	Advanced Social Work Practice with Families	3
SOWK 776	Advanced Social Work Practice with Communities	3
SOWK 784	Field Instruction IV: Advanced Social Work Practice (shared course) 2	3
HBEB Elective course (shared course)		3
	Credit Hours	15
	Total Credit Hours	94

¹

One HPEB elective will satisfy a SOWK elective (3 credits)

²

SOWK 783 and SOWK 784 will satisfy HPEB 797 (5 credit hours in MPH-HPEB)

³

HPEB 710 will satisfy SOWK 793 (3 credits)

 

NOTE: courses may be taken over the summer with approval of the respective program advisor

 

The total requirement for the MSW is 60 (54 + 6 shared).

The total requirement for the MPH-HPEB is 45 (40 + 5 shared).