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MSN/MPH Public Health Nursing

MSN Public Health Nursing/MPH Joint Degree

Leading Community Health Reform

Make an Impact

This joint degree prepares students to integrate advanced nursing practice with population-based public health perspectives. Offered jointly through the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the MSN/MPH Joint Degree equips students with advanced mastery of nursing theory and practice, while public health training provides a population-based, multidisciplinary team perspective. Students learn to work with and guide teams in the development of innovative, evidence-based, and culturally appropriate health care services for identified high-risk populations locally and globally.

Integrate Skills

The MSN/MPH Joint Degree is designed specifically for nurses seeking to link their clinical expertise and interests with population health in various local and global settings. With the joint degree, students acquire complementary skills, knowledge, and perspective of both disciplines. Topics include: epidemiology, health promotion, illness prevention, biostatistics, clinical care of marginalized populations (e.g. women and girls, LGBTQ, indigenous populations, sex workers), health systems, humanitarian health, environmental health, program development and implementation, management and leadership, and program evaluation, among others.

Certification

A new assessment methodology to achieve ANCC board certification in advanced public health nursing is in place. Although no exam is required, certification is through a portfolio. Information about the portfolio requirements is available at nursecredentialing.org.

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Program Overview

In 2015, the global community adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. Each of the goals has targets to be achieved over the next 15 years. For the SDGs to be achieved, we need a productive, skilled, and professional nursing and public health workforce with global health expertise that includes epidemiology, clinical care of marginalized populations (e.g. women and girls, LGBTQ, indigenous populations, sex workers), health systems, humanitarian health, environmental health, program development and implementation, management and leadership, and program evaluation, among others.

The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s MSN/MPH Joint Degree is designed specifically for nurses seeking to link their clinical expertise and interests with population health in various local to global settings. As leaders in global and public health, the Johns Hopkins schools of Nursing and Public Health are in a unique position to prepare and inspire nurses to effectively deliver care in community settings around the world.

You'll learn to guide teams in the development of innovative, evidence-based, and culturally appropriate health care services for identified high-risk populations, and your management, knowledge, and experience will inform your contributions to global and public health care. In the ever-changing world of global and public health, you need a clear path to smart solutions. Let Johns Hopkins start you on the journey.

Those who earn a Hopkins MSN/MPH Joint Degree:

  • Design, implement, and evaluate behavior change programs for health agencies
  • Find jobs in local, state, and federal agencies, advocacy groups, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and faith-based initiatives
  • Influence local and global strategies for health promotion and disease prevention in vulnerable populations

Graduates of the program receive a single diploma signed by the Deans of the School of Nursing and Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Additional Information

View a recording of the MSN Public Health Nursing/MPH Joint Degree virtual information session.

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The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing is sunsetting the MSN/MPH with a Nurse Practitioner track and is no longer accepting applications. For currently enrolled students, click here for curriculum information for MSN/MPH with NP options. The School of Nursing will continue to offer the MSN/MPH with a Public Health Nursing track only.

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Program Options

The MSN Public Health Nursing/MPH Joint Degree is flexible - requiring only one 8-week term onsite and the remaining courses online.

On-Campus Requirement for MPH

The summer 8-week term of the program requires students to be onsite at the East Baltimore campus for the Bloomberg School of Public Health courses.  The remainder of the program may be taken online in authorized states.

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Priority Application Deadline

Summer Entry
November 1, January 1

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Additional Program Options

Learn about our Master's and Doctoral program offerings.

Degree & Programs

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Jeane Garcia Davis
Jeane Garcia Davis
MSN/MPH '10, BS '08, RN
Whether you want to focus on global health, domestic health, or a specific population, you have someone who can be a potential mentor here.

As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi, Jeane Garcia Davis saw what life is like in a village with too few medical resources. "I remember feeling like I needed more information, skills, and resources to really be able to help people," she says.

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Requirements

Admission Criteria

Students may apply for full- or part-time study.

  • Bachelor of Science degree in nursing
  • GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from an accredited college or university
  • GRE scores within the past five years (school code is 5767)
  • Demonstrated commitment to nursing practice and scholarly pursuit
  • Community service and professional commitment
  • Faculty interview (if moved forward by admissions committee)
  • Goal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation (2 academic and 1 professional preferred)*
  • Official transcripts from all post-secondary schools
  • Current Resume/CV
  • Applicants must submit evidence of current nursing license. Online students must have or obtain RN license from an authorized state.
  • TOEFL or IELTS if English is not your first language

Information for applicants with international education

Admissions Application

*References should be recent, written for the purpose of your application to this program and from professors who know you as a student or employers who know you as a professional in a job setting preferably in a supervisory role. Personal references from colleagues, friends, or family members do not meet the requirement.

 

Prerequisites

  • Undergraduate Statistics  Take at Hopkins Nursing. Course must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university with a letter grade of B or better.
  • College level course in Quantitative Science (ex. Algebra, Calculus, Statistics)
  • General Biology
  • Health Related Science (ex. Nutrition, Anatomy, Physiology) Take at Hopkins Nursing

State-Specific Information for Online Programs

Students currently cannot conduct clinicals in Louisiana and Minnesota.

For more information, please contact an admissions representative.  Students should be aware of additional state-specific information for online programs.

Student Sponsorship

This program does not qualify for F-1 or J-1 student sponsorship. Legal Permanent Residents and non-immigrants who are otherwise physically present in the U.S. and in a status that allows for full or part-time study, may pursue this program

Transfer of Credits

Transfer of credit is granted on an individual basis. Please see the transfer of credit policy and complete the form to make a request.

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Curriculum

MSN/MPH Public Health Nursing

Curriculum includes nursing requirements and electives from each master's program allowing students to pursue specific interests. Program may be completed in 36 credits/60 units and provides 504 clinical hours. Students work closely with faculty academic advisers in the School of Nursing and the School of Public Health to plan individual academic curriculum.

Full Curriculum

  • Core Courses (14 Credits, 168 Clinical Hours)
     
    • Philosophical, Theoretical, and Ethical Basis for Nursing (3)
    • The Research Process and Its Application to Evidence-Based Practice (3)
    • Context of Healthcare for Advanced Practice Nursing (3)
    • Program Development and Evaluation in Health Care (2)
    • Population-Based Public Health Nursing Interventions (2-3, 112-168 cl)
       
  • Joint MSN & MPH Requirement* (12 Credits / 20 Units, 336 Clinical Hours)
     
    • Public Health Nursing Theory & Practice (3/5u)
    • Public Health Nursing Theory & Practice - Practicum (3/5u, 168 cl)
    • Public Health Nursing Leadership & Management (3/5u)
    • Public Health Nursing Leadership, Management, & Evaluation Capstone Practicum (3/5u, 168 cl)

    *These courses count towards the 36 MSN credits and 60 MPH units simultaneously

  • Biostatistics* (4-12 credits & 6-16 units)
     
    • Statistical Reasoning in Public Health I-II (4/6u), or
    • Statistical Methods in Public Health I-III (9/2u), or
    • Methods in Biostatistics in I-IV (12/16u)

    *These courses count towards the 36 MSN credits and 60 MPH units simultaneously.  

  • Public Health Requirements
     
    • Environmental Health (5u)
    • Principles of Epidemiology (5u)
    • Public Health Policy (4u)
    • The Tools of Public Health Practice (1u)
    • Introduction to Bioethics in Public Health Practice and Research (1u)
    • Population Dynamics and Public Health (2u)
    • Introduction to MPH Studies (0u)
    • Academic & Research Ethics at JHSPH (0u)
    • Public Health Biology Requirement – select one course from 20 options (2-6u)
    • Management Sciences Requirement – select one course from 10 options (3-4u)
    • Social and Behavioral Sciences Requirement – select one course from 12 options (3-4u)

       
  • Electives
     
    • 6 MSN credits
    • 0-8 MPH units*

    *Number of MPH elective units will depend upon courses selected to meet required MPH courses, as well as the sequence of biostatistics courses selected; students can take as much additional electives outside of these as desired (these can be used to complete certificates and concentrations with the School of Public Health)

 

* Curriculum, credit hours, and sequencing are subject to change.

Course Schedules and Descriptions     Academic Catalog       Public Health Course Catalog

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Tuition & Other Costs

BILLED EXPENSES

(SEPTEMBER 2018 - AUGUST 2019)

Tuition: $67,680* (full-time per year)1
Matriculation fee: $500 (one time only fee for first-time enrolled JHU students)
Health Insurance: $3,6162
Health fee: $550
Total Billed Expenses: $72,346

Estimated Other Expenses3

Room and Board: $18,348
Books & Supplies: $1,224
Loan fees: $1,581
Personal Expenses: $2,981
Travel Expenses: $4,444
Total Expenses: $100,924

1Full-time: 16 credit hours per semester; 6 credits hours summer semester. Tuition is billed at $1,692 per credit.
2All students must have health coverage.  Purchase of the School’s plan is optional.
3Amounts for other expenses vary based upon student's selection of books, supplies, and living arrangements.

Billed expenses are subject to change without prior notice. Changes to a student’s program or course load may result in additional tuition charges and fees.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What time of year does this program begin?

    The program begins in July of each year, combining the one-year Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a focus in Public Health Nursing and the 11-month Master of Public Health (MPH) into 18 months of full-time study. Part-time study is also available.

  • Who should apply?

    Nurses seeking to integrate advanced nursing practice with population-based public health perspectives and link their clinical expertise and interests with population health in various local and global settings. Nurses with an interest and/or experience in global and public health, including former Peace Corps Volunteers.

  • What does this program teach me?

    With the joint degree, students acquire complementary skills, knowledge, and perspectives of nursing and public health. Graduate work in nursing equips students with advanced mastery of nursing theory and practice, while public health training equips students with the knowledge and skills to tackle major public health problems locally and globally. Topics include: epidemiology, health promotion, illness prevention, biostatistics, clinical care of marginalized populations (e.g. women and girls, LGBTQ, indigenous populations, sex workers), health systems, humanitarian health, environmental health, program development and implementation, management and leadership, and program evaluation, among others.

  • What does the coursework look like?

    Two-thirds of the program includes core courses from each master's program; the remaining elective courses allow students to pursue curriculums customized to their specific interests, in such areas as: infectious diseases, child and adolescent health, health leadership and management, health systems and policy, humanitarian health, women’s and reproductive health, social and behavioral sciences, global environmental sustainability and health, and food systems and health. Courses include both theory and skills-based work, using a variety of assessments (e.g. quizzes, exams, papers, group work, presentations). Students will also undertake three practicums, with the opportunity of working with organizations locally or globally for extended periods of time in the implementation, assessment, and evaluation of public health interventions and programs. 

  • How many clinicals are in the MSN/MPH program and what are the placements?

    There are 3 Practicums (clinicals) that can be completed in different locations or the student may have a continuity practicum.
    We offer the following options for Practicum placements:

    •    State of residence in authorized states
    •    Baltimore region
    •    Global opportunities

  • What kind of job could I get after completing the program?

    Former students have found jobs in local, state, and federal agencies, and national and international advocacy groups, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and faith-based initiatives. Upon completing the program, students have gone on to design, implement, and evaluate behavior change programs for health agencies, as well as influence local and global strategies for health promotion and disease prevention in vulnerable populations, among other things.

     

     

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Funding Opportunities

Scholarships & Grants

Grants are awards based on financial need that do not have to be repaid. Many students also benefit from scholarships and awards based on merit.

To be given consideration for a Merit Scholarship Award, you must be accepted for admission by March 1.

Scholarships & Grants

Loans

Many students will avail themselves of loans to help finance their School of Nursing Education. If necessary, we encourage you to borrow only what is absolutely essential to cover your educational costs.

Loans

Employment

Many students locate part-time employment to help pay education expenses. Numerous positions are available on campus and within various community-based organizations. These jobs provide students with opportunities to gain practical work experience. Most positions are funded through the Federal Work-Study Program. 

Employment

Other Funding Sources

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