Dual Degree in Anthropology and Public Health

Overview: M.S. in Applied Anthropology/M.P.H. in Community Health

The Department of Anthropology at the University of North Texas and the School of Public Health have developed a cooperative agreement that allows students to pursue the Master’s of Public Health and a Master’s of Science in Applied Anthropology. The dual degree program in Applied Anthropology and Public Health offers an opportunity to strengthen collaboration in public health, anthropology and social science research and practice. Medical anthropology is a field that uses anthropological theories as a framework to understand public health issues. Its emphasis on social and cultural influences on health, illness, and healing are central to the shared goals of improving health and social justice to eliminate local and global disparities. This 2 ½ year program prepares students for careers in research, public health, and public policy planning relating to health and health care in the U.S. or in an international setting.

Curriculum


Total hours for degree: 63

Master’s of Science in Applied Anthropology – 27 hours

Required courses in Applied Anthropology – 21 hours

  • ANTH 5010 Anthropological Thought and Praxis I
  • ANTH 5021 Anthropological Thought and Praxis II
  • ANTH 5031 Ethnographic and Qualitative Methods
  • ANTH 5041 Quantitative Methods
  • ANTH 5050 Pre-Practicum: Problems & Cases in Applied Anthropology
  • ANTH 5201 Medical Anthropology
  • ANTH 5210 Anthropology and Public Health

Practicum in Medical Anthropology and Public Health – 6 hours

  • ANTH 5800 Practicum I (topic to overlap with SPH 5950 Thesis)
  • ANTH 5810 Practicum II (topic to overlap with SPH 5950 Thesis)

Master’s of Public Health/Concentration in Community Health – 36 hours

Required courses in MPH Program – 21 hours

  • BIOS 5300 Biostatistics for Public Health I
  • ENVR 5300 Environmental Health
  • EPID 5300 Principles of Epidemiology
  • HMAP 5300 Introduction to Health Management and Policy
  • SABS 5300 Theoretical Foundations of Individual and Community Health
  • SABS 5310 Community Assessment
  • SABS 5312 Community Program Planning
  • SABS 5316 Public Health Inverventions

Elective courses in MPH Program – 6 hours

  • Any 2 courses offered in the School of Public Health

Culminating experience in Public Health – 6 hours

  • SPH 5950 Thesis (topic to overlap with ANTH 5800 & 5810)
  • SPH 5950 Thesis (topic to overlap with ANTH 5800 & 5810)

Additional Information

  1. New students are encouraged to apply simultaneously to both programs. Application deadlines for the Department of Anthropology are Feb. 1 and May 1. You can find more information about the Anthropology application process here. The application deadline for the M.P.H. is April 1. You can find more information about the M.P.H. application process here.
  2. Students who have already started in the anthropology program may also apply to the dual degree program, so long as they have not yet completed 18 credit hours. In these cases, it is most likely that a student will make this decision during their first semester of the anthropology program and will then apply to the M.P.H. program in the spring of their first year (if full-time). Students are not given dual degree status until they have been successfully admitted to both the M.P.H. and M.S. in Applied Anthropology programs.
  3. Students currently enrolled in only the M.P.H. program or Anthropology have 18 credit hours to decide if they would like to enter the dual degree program. Before they have completed 18 credit hours, they may apply to the program in which they are not currently enrolled. If a current M.P.H. student, they must apply to the anthropology program for the following fall semester. If a current anthropology student, they can apply to the School of Public Health for any semester (fall, spring, or summer). If they are accepted, they must submit new degree plans to both of their programs to ensure that their academic record reflects the dual degree program.
  4. The primary program will be in anthropology. Dr. Lisa Henry is the Director of the Dual Degree in Applied Anthropology and Public Health.
  5. At the end of this program, students will have two degrees – one in applied anthropology and one in public health. The programs share 21 hours and coordinate a practicum/thesis that fulfills both degrees.
  6. Students will have a 4 person committee – 2 members from anthropology and 2 members from public health. One member from each program will be identified as a major advisor. These two advisors will cooperate on all matters pertinent to the student’s degree.
  7. Practicum Portfolio - although students will not enroll in SPH 5855 (Public Health Practice Experience), they must complete a Practicum Portfolio for the SPH practicum, which will include a poster presentation, notebook, and reflection paper. These assignments will be coordinated between the student’s anthropology advisor, public health advisor, and the UNT Health Sciences Center Practicum Coordinator.
  8. The Practicum in Applied Anthropology and the Thesis in Public Health – Dual degree students must complete a major independent project.  This project is completed through Practicums I & II (in applied anthropology) and 6 hours of Thesis (in public health).  This project will be decided by the student and the student’s committee, and must be broad enough to incorporate the knowledge and tools acquired in both programs.
  9. Although UNT Denton and the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth are part of the UNT System, they are considered two separate universities. They have separate admissions, separate financial aid offices and different academic calendars. It is important that students let administrative offices know that they are a dual degree student, particularly the financial aid office. Although there is a high level of cooperation between the two programs, students will be working with two universities. They will apply to two universities, submit separate degree plans to two universities, apply for graduation to two universities, and graduate twice.
  10. Your advisors will help you with your degree plan, but an easy way to think about the shared hours is this – UNT Denton is accepting 9 hours of public health towards an applied anthropology degree. Likewise, UNT HSC is accepting 12 hours of applied anthropology towards a master’s in public health. Because UNT Denton considers the public health courses as transfer credit, and because you cannot take transfer hours during your last semester at UNT Denton, it is important to complete the 9 hours of transfer credit in public health early in your degree. Again, your advisors will help you with this.

Suggested Timelines

This program is designed to take 2 ½ years for students taking 4 courses per long semester, plus 1 course each summer. Students are allowed to take fewer classes per semester but should be aware that some classes are only offered once a year or once every two years.

Note: Timelines are specific for each cohort because some classes at the Health Sciences Center are only offered every two years.

For full-time students starting in 2009-2010:

Fall 2009

  • ANTH 5010 Thought and Praxis I (Fall only)
  • ANTH 5031 Ethnographic and Qualitative Methods (Fall only)
  • ANTH 5201 Medical Anthropology (Fall only)
  • SABS 5300 Theoretical Foundations of Individual and Community Health (Fall or Summer)

Spring 2010

  • ANTH 5021 Thought and Praxis II (Spring only)
  • ANTH 5041 Quantitative Methods (Spring only)
  • ANTH 5050 PrePracticum (Spring only)
  • ANTH 5210 Anthropology in Public Health (Spring 2010 only)

Summer 2010

  • EPID 5300 Principles of Epidemiology (Summer 2010 or Fall 2010)
  • SCBS 5115 Behavioral Foundations of Public Health (Fall 2009 or Summer 2010)

Fall 2010

  • HMAP 5210 Introduction to Health Management and Policy (Summer 2010, Fall 2010, Summer 2011)
  • BIOS 5300 Biostatistics (Summer 2010, Fall 2010, Summer 2011)
  • ENVR 5300 Environmental Health (Summer 2010, Fall 2010, Summer 2011)
  • SABS 5316 Public Health Interventions (Fall only)

Spring 2011

  • SABS 5310 Community Assessment (Spring only)
  • SABS 5312 Community Program Planning (Spring only)
  • PH elective
  • PH elective

Summer 2011

  • ANTH 5800 Practicum I

Fall 2011

  • ANTH 5810 Practicum II
  • SPH 5950 Thesis
  • SPH 5950 Thesis

Extra requirements for Fall 2011

Practicum Portfolio for SPH 5850 – dual degree students are required to participate in this aspect of SPH 5850 even though they are not taking the class. This includes: a poster presentation, notebook, and reflection paper.

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