Requirements for Master of Social Work and Masters of Public Health (MSW/MPH) Program

Mission/Description

Students earning a MSW/MPH in environmental health sciences will be prepared to prevent, detect and mitigate environmental health problems; conduct environmental health investigations; and identify and monitor environmental health hazards.  Additionally, the program prepares students for the following:

1. Utilize their niche of training in social work to apply public health science, policy, and practice principles to address the health threats resulting from natural and intentional disasters.
2. Integrate environmental public health strategies in the development, execution, and evaluation of the core components of disaster management.
3. Implement pop ulation-based interventions to protect vulnerable populations against disasters.
4. Evaluate the capacity of public health systems to effectively respond to disasters.

Admission Requirements

A separate application must be submitted to each of the schools and applicants must meet the requirements for admissions to MPH program at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and the requirements for admissions to the School of Social Work.

The point of entry into the dual degree program is the School of Social Work in the first (Fall) semester. Students already enrolled in the social work program may apply to enter the dual degree program provided the application is received by the School of Public Health by the Spring semester of the first academic year.  Full-time students receive their MSW in the fourth (Fall) semester, then move to the School of Public Health for full-time coursework in the fifth (Spring) semester. Students may opt to continue public health classes into the sixth (Summer) semester to take certain courses, if said courses are only offered at that time.

Graduation Requirements

In addition to meeting the School of Social Work graduation requirements, students must meet the SPHTM academic requirements for graduations.  The department of Environmental Health Sciences also requires the following:

• Successful completion of 45 credit hours of coursework, consisting of three course categories: required school core courses; required departmental core coursework; elective course work in either environmental health policy or disaster management
• A 200 hour field practicum
• A practicum report
• A culminating experience resulting in a public health analysis of an environmental health problem or intervention.
• Presentation of the key findings of the public health analysis during the departmental seminar in the last semester of the student’s MPH program

Program Competencies

At the completion of the MPH program in Environmental Health Sciences, the student will be able to:

• Apply scientific principles to prevent, detect and mitigate environmental public health problems and threats locally and globally (ENHS 603, ENHS 660, ENHS 762)
  
• Conduct public health analyses and investigations for innovative solutions to environmental health issues (ENHS 603, EPID 603, BIOS 603,ENHS 700)
  
• Investigate and monitor environmental hazards resulting from exposures to hazardous substances in the environment (ENHS 762, ENHS 651, ENHS 659)
  

     Specific competencies for students focusing on elective coursework in Environmental Policy:

• Apply international, federal, and state regulatory programs, guidelines and authorities to address public health issues (ENHS 775, ENHS 655, ENHS 647, ENHS 696)
  
• Conduct Analysis of existing policies and regulations integrating public health science, policy, and practice (ENHS 775, ENHS 676, ENHS 655, ENHS 696)
  
• Evaluate the direct and indirect human, ecological and safety effects of major environmental resource agents on human health (ENHS 655, ENHS 647)
  
• Examine the role of policy in public health decision-making (ENHS 647, ENHS 611, ENHS 696)
  
• Develop a policy framework to address contemporary environmental health issues (ENHS 775, ENHS 611, ENHS 655, ENHS 696)
  

     Specific competencies for students focusing on elective coursework in Disaster Management

• Apply public health science, policy, and practice principles to address the health threats resulting from natural and intentional disasters (ENHS 775, ENHS 691, ENHS 791, ENHS 692)
  
• Integrate environmental public health strategies in the development, execution, and evaluation of each core component of disaster management: preparedness, detection, response, containment, and recovery (ENHS 691, ENHS 694, ENHS 791)
  
• Implement population-based interventions to protect communities, particularly vulnerable populations, from natural and intentional disasters (ENHS 693, ENHS 643, ENHS 695, ENHS 795)
  
• Evaluate the capacity of public health systems to effectively and efficaciously respond to natural and intentional disasters (ENHS 693, ENHS 643, ENHS 695, ENHS 795)

Elective Coursework

Students pursuing an MPH in Environmental Health Sciences can choose to take elective coursework in either Disaster Management, also available through distance learning, or Environmental Policy. For more information about these areas of interest, please contact Erica Geary at 504.988.7374.

Program Requirements

Course and Credit Requirements (total of 42 credits required)

Download a model curriculum plan for MSW/MPH in Environmental Health Sciences here.

Download courses to be transferred from SOW to MPH  here.

Practicum Requirements

The practicum is designed to provide students with practice experience related to their field of study. The practicum is a minimum of 200 hours in an agency or other practice setting under the direction of a preceptor. A practicum report summarizes the field experiences.  Click here to download practicum handbook.

Past examples of practicum opportunities in Environmental Health Sciences Include:

• Chesterfield County Water Utilities in Richmond, VA; Diversity Internship Program for the Utilities
• Asian Institute of Technology, Padhumthani, Thailand
• Louisiana Office of Public Health, Section of Environmental Epidemiology and Toxicology, New Orleans, Louisiana
• New Orleans Health Department, Asthma Program
• Tulane Environmental Health Sciences (CBRP)
• Saku Central Hospital, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Japan
• Ferrate Treatment Technologies, LLC, Orlando, Florida
• Sewerage and Water Board, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Tulane Institute for Water Resources and Policy
• US Forest Service, Boise national Incident Management Organization
• Department of Health and Hospitals, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Vail Salvation Army, Edwards, CO
• National Environmental Education Foundation, Washington, DC
• Waldemar S. Nelson & Co., New Orleans, LA
• Department of Health and Hospitals, Environmental Epidemiology and Toxicology Section, New Orleans, Louisiana

Culminating Experience Requirements

MPH students in Environmental Health Sciences are required to conduct a publich health analysis of in fulfillment of the culminating experience.  The analysis can involve investigating a public health problem or proposing ways to conduct an intervention.  upon completion, the student must present the findings during the departmental seminar in the last semester of studies. Download culminating experience handbook.

Contact

For more information about the MPH in Environmental Health Sciences, please contact Erica Geary at 504.988.5374.

Contact program coordinator Eileen Ihrig 504-862-3472 for more information about the MSW/MPH joint degree.