The Bush School and the School of Public Health have combined to offer students the ability to receive both a Master of International Affairs degree and a Master of Public Health degree in a three year period. These two degrees are a natural fit. Diseases do not stop at borders. That is both a public health and a national security reality. Public health work increasingly crosses borders. International affairs increasingly deals with issues of global cooperation on preventing and responding to pandemics and other transborder health emergencies. Bilateral agreements between countries and international organizations, like the World Health Organization, play an important role in managing public health issues. Public health is international and international affairs are inseparable from public health.
Students’ primary enrollment will be the Bush School for the final four semesters of their program (spring 2, summer 2, fall 3, spring 3). During that time students will complete 36 credits along with a required internship or language immersion (not for credit) in the second summer semester. Three of those credits will be the SPH capstone course (SOPH 680). SOPH 680 is a required course for the Master of Public Health degree with a major in Health Policy and Management. Students will enter the Bush School with one required course for the Master of International Affairs degree (INTA 606) completed. In the three semesters of enrollment in the Bush School the student will complete the remaining required courses for the degree (INTA 608, BUSH 631, BUSH 635 or INTA 605, INTA 670). Students may request a waiver of INTA 670, the capstone course requirement, if their SOPH 680 capstone course has international content. The student will also complete the two three-course concentrations required for the degree.
In this concentrated program, students follow a strictly defined curriculum, to be able to complete all of the requirements for both degrees (which normally each take two years) in this shortened time frame. They will complete 42 credit hours in Public Health and 36 credit hours in International Affairs. Students are required to satisfy the MIA degree’s language requirement. The MPH summer practicum course, if involving an international topic or experience, can also satisfy the MIA internship requirement. Students must complete at least one capstone course that meets the requirements of both Schools. If a student decides during the course of study to drop one of the degrees being sought, the requirements for the other degree will revert to the normal requirements for that degree.
Students can pursue two majors within the School of Public Health as part of this combined degree program: Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management and Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Community Health Science.
Students will apply separately to each School, with a notation that they intend to pursue the combined MIA/MPH degree program.
For additional information on the combined degree program, please contact the Bush School at bushschooladmissions@tamu.edu and/or please contact the School of Public Health at SPH-OSA@tamhsc.edu
