Coordinated Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies / Master of Public Health Program
The coordinated Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and Master of Public Health (MSPAS/MPH) degree program, offered through the UAB School of Health Professions and UAB School of Public Health, provides students with important skills for dealing with population health issues. MPH focus courses may be customized to the experience and needs of the student.
The coordinated graduate degree program provides opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and a public health practice experience with rural primary care clinical community partners. This innovative program enhances physician assistant education with integrated training in public health and primary care and thereby provides students with the information and skills needed to monitor and assess community health, develop and analyze programs and policies, coordinate and integrate care, and utilize appropriate population health measures in quality improvement strategies.
Curriculum
Students must complete the MPH Core plus 7 credit hours of MPH focus courses for a total of 30 credit hours in addition to the required MSPAS curriculum requirements. 12 credit hours from the MSPAS curriculum are credited toward the MPH degree for a total of 42 MPH credit hours. Students may complete the MPH degree program totally online, in class, or through a mix of online and in class experiences.
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| MPH Core Requirements: (14 hours) | ||
| PUH 601 | This is Public Health | 1 |
| PUH 602 | Community Assessment | 3 |
| PUH 603 | Quantitative Methods in Public Health | 3 |
| PUH 604 | Programs and Policies | 3 |
| PUH 605 | Public Health Management and Evaluation | 3 |
| PUH 606 | Leadership for Evidence-Based Public Health | 1 |
| MPH Degree Requirement: (1 hour) | ||
| ENH 690 | Environmental Health Perspectives | 1 |
| Population Health Degree Requirement: (3 hours) | ||
| PUH 610 | Population Health | 3 |
| Approved Electives: (7 hours) | ||
| Select 7 credit hours of Public Health 600-699 level courses | 7 | |
| Applied Practice Experience: (3 hours) | ||
| PUH 688 | Public Health Internship | 3 |
| Integrative Learning Experience: (2 hours) | ||
| HB 689 | Health Behavior Integrative Learning Experience | 2 |
| or ENH 689 | Environmental Health Sciences Integrative Learning Experience | |
| or EPI 689 | Epidemiology Integrative Learning Experience | |
| or HPO 689 | HPO Integrative Learning Experience | |
| Total SOPH Hours: | 30 | |
| Shared Hours from MSPAS Curriculum: (12 hours) | ||
| PA 617 | Applied Behavioral Medicine | 3 |
| PA 618 | Risk Management | 1 |
| PA 619 | Fundamentals of Clinical Research | 2 |
| PA 620 | Analysis of Professional Literature | 2 |
| PA 633 | Navigating Healthcare Delivery and Reimbursement Systems for Physician Assistants | 2 |
| PA 635 | Special Populations in Medicine | 2 |
| Total Hours Earned for MPH Degree: | 42 | |