Social Work / Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, M.S.W. / M.P.H.
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.
| 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 777 | Advanced Theory for Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SOWK 782 | Field Instruction II: Generalist Social Work Practice | 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 |
| HPEB Elective course 1 | 3 | |
| SOWK 779 | Advanced Social Work Interventions | 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 (shared 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 793 | Evaluation of Social Work Programs | 3 |
| HPEB 748 | Community Health Development | 3 |
| HPEB 710 | Evaluation of Health Promotion Programs | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOWK 718 | Systems Analysis of Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SOWK 778 | Advanced Analysis of Social Policy, Programs, and Services | 3 |
| SOWK 784 | Field Instruction IV: Advanced Social Work Practice (shared course) 2 | 3 |
| SOWK Elective course | 3 | |
| SOWK Elective course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 94 | |
- 1
Students may elect to take these courses during summer sessions in order to meet curriculum requirements upon approval of the dual degree coordinator in each program.
- 2
SOWK 783 and SOWK 784 require coordination and contract with a HPEB advisor to meet the terms of the Applied Practice Experience of the MPH program.