http://www.as.miami.edu/las/graduate/joint-master-of-arts-programs/medicine-and-public-health-/
Overview
Miami is the gateway to Latin America. As such we recognize an urgent need for public health professionals with the training and expertise needed to meet the growing public health challenges both in Latin America and the Caribbean. The MPH/LAS joint degree program is designed to train students for a career in public health with a focus on social policy, health management and health care in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as expatriate communities in the United States.
Average Program Duration: 2.5 years, (5 semesters)
Number of required credits: 54 (+6 for non-native speakers)
Admission Requirements
· Application - Applicants must submit their application online through SOPHAS, the centralized application service of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). All application materials, including transcripts, test scores, statement of purpose/personal statement, resume/CV, and letters of recommendations, must be submitted directly through SOPHAS. Applicants to the MPH/LAS joint degree must apply to both, the Department of Public Health Sciences MPH program and the College of Arts and Sciences Master of Arts in Latin America Studies program separately.
· Transcripts – Applicants must submit official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities. All foreign transcripts must be official and submitted in the original language. If the original language is not English, an official translation must be submitted along with the transcript. We do not accept evaluations from foreign credentialing service organizations. All non-U.S. transcripts must be evaluated by the World Education Service (WES) using ICAP course-by-course evaluation service.
· Standardized Test Scores - Applicants are required to submit GRE general exam scores taken within the last five years. Alternatively, MCAT and LSAT scores are acceptable for the MPHdegree programs only. Applicants to the MPH program who hold advanced degrees (MD, JD, PhD, MBBS, and other doctoral degrees) are encouraged, but not required to submit test scores. Standardized test waivers are available on a case-by-case basis.
· English Proficiency Exam - International students whose native language is not English and/or did not graduate from an English-teaching institution are required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.
· Resume/Curriculum Vitae – Applicants must include a detailed resume including employment, public health experiences, community service, research, and academic or professional honors.
· Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement – Applicants are required to submit a statement of purpose that details their academic interest in the program. The statement should discuss any experiences in public health including field experience, research, training, education or other related qualifications. Applicants should discuss how earning the degree will contribute to their future professional and career goals, as well as to the future of public health. Applicants should also address any academic deficiencies, if applicable.
· Letters of Recommendation– Applicants must provide three letters of recommendation from individuals who are best able to assess their ability to be successful in a graduate degree program. Ideally, recommenders are recent professors, researchers or employers in a related field. Letters must be signed and on letterhead. Applicants will be asked to include the contact information of their recommenders on the SOPHAS application and recommenders will be sent an online form to complete via email.
For more information about our application process, please click here. To obtain detailed curricula on all our program offerings, please visit our website.
For further information, please contact:
Andria L. Williams, MBA
Director of Admissions
Department of Public Health Sciences
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
1120 N.W. 14 Street, Room 905 (R-669)
Miami, Florida 33136
Tel: 305-243-0291
Email: publichealthadmissions@miami.edu
Curriculum Requirements - Latin America Studies
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
MA in Latin American Studies | ||
Core LAS courses | ||
LAS 601 | Interdisciplinary in Latin American and Caribbean | 3 |
LAS 602 | Research Design in Latin American Studies | 3 |
Select 2 other LAS courses in consultation with the Academic Director | 6 | |
Language Requirements 1 | 6 | |
Regional Fundamentals in Latin America Electives 2 | 6 | |
LAS Culminating Experience | ||
LAS 697 | Readings for the Comprehensive Exam | 3 |
or LAS 810 | Pre-candidacy thesis credits | |
Master of Public Health | ||
Core Courses | ||
EPH 600 | Introduction to the Science Practice of Public Health | 3 |
EPH 601 | Medical Biostatistics I | 4 |
EPH 617 | Disease Prevention and Health Promotion | 3 |
or EPH 620 | Health Education and Behavior | |
EPH 621 | Fundamentals of Epidemiology | 3 |
EPH 631 | Public Health Administration | 3 |
or EPH 632 | U.S. Health Systems | |
EPH 641 | Environmental Health | 3 |
Generalist Concentration | ||
EPH 607 | Interdisciplinary Health Communication | 3 |
EPH 602 | Biostatistics II | 3 |
or BST 625 | Survey of Statistical Computing | |
EPH 644 | Fundamentals of Program Evaluation | 3 |
or EPH 656 | Qualitative Research Methods | |
or EPH 647 | Community Based Participatory Research | |
Required Public Health Electives | 2 | |
EPH-600, 700 level courses not already listed | ||
BST-600, 700 level coures | ||
Joint Culminating Experience | ||
Students complete EPH 680 in fulfillment of both degrees. | ||
EPH 680 | Practical Field Experience | 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 60 |
1 Students must demonstrate advanced language competency in Spanish, French, Portuguese, or Haitian Creole. Students may establish proficiency by passing one course taught in the target language at the 600-level or above, or by passing a language competency exam. A major indigenous language of Latin America may be substituted for either Spanish or Portuguese. Students may petition for a waiver of examination if they have gained language competency in another manner (i.e. native speaker, upper division coursework in target language, Peace Corps service, IB credits, or Defense Language Proficiency Test).
2 Six credits worth of Regional Fundamentals in Latin America must be taken. These electives may be chosen from appropriate offerings in LAS, INS, POL, HIS, APY, or GEG, among others. Regional Fundamentals are those courses that have a clear regional or sub-regional focus (e.g. Andean Region; the Caribbean; South America; Central America; Southern Cone; Brazil; South Florida), or a cross-cutting thematic focus (e.g. Caribbean religions, Latin American Social Movements) rather than a specific country focus. The LAS Academic Director may approve courses from other departments.
Sample Plan of Study
The MPH/LAS joint degree program is designed to train students for a career in public health with a focus on social policy, health management and health care in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as expatriate communities in the United States.
Average Program Duration: 2 years, 5 semesters
Number of required credits: 54 (+6 for non-native speakers)
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credit Hours | |
LAS 601 | Interdisciplinary in Latin American and Caribbean | 3 |
EPH 600 | Introduction to the Science Practice of Public Health | 3 |
EPH 617 | Disease Prevention and Health Promotion | 3 |
Regional Fundamentals in Latin America | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 12 | |
Spring | ||
LAS 602 | Research Design in Latin American Studies | 3 |
EPH 632 | U.S. Health Systems | 3 |
EPH 601 | Medical Biostatistics I | 4 |
LAS Language Requirement | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 13 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
EPH 607 | Interdisciplinary Health Communication | 3 |
EPH 621 | Fundamentals of Epidemiology | 3 |
EPH 641 | Environmental Health | 3 |
Regional Latin America course | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 12 | |
Spring | ||
EPH 602 | Biostatistics II | 3 |
EPH 644, 644, or 656 | Fundamentals of Program Evaluation or Fundamentals of Program Evaluation or Qualitative Research Methods | 3 |
EPH 680 | Practical Field Experience | 3 |
Regional Fundamentals in LA | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 12 | |
Year Three | ||
Fall | ||
LAS 697 or 810 | Readings for the Comprehensive Exam or Pre-candidacy thesis credits | 3 |
Electives in LAS | 6 | |
Electives in Public Health | 2 | |
Credit Hours | 11 | |
Total Credit Hours | 60 |