Master's Dual Degree Program
2007-2009 Student Handbook
Program Description and Goals
Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Health Informatics
The MS/MPH dual degree program combines the M.P.H. from The University of Texas School
of Public Health at Houston with the M.S. degree from The University of Texas School of Health
Information Sciences at Houston. The training and curriculum in the dual degree program will provide
students and future leaders in public health the necessary skills to be leaders in the field of
Public Health Informatics. The dual degree program provides an integrated curriculum that includes
a number of shared courses as well as a practicum experience and/or the thesis topic in the area of
public health informatics. The selection of specific academic programs, and scheduling of specific courses, fieldwork, and practica for individual students is guided by an Advisory Committee satisfy
admission requirements of and that includes faculty from both institutions.
Students in the dual degree program must be admitted separately to each institution. Students must
meet the requirements of each institution for its respective degree. Admission to one program does
not assure admission to the other. Students in the dual degree program will receive a diploma from
each degree program after meeting the individual requirements of each program.
| For Public Health Information, contact: |
Keith Burau, Ph.D.
1200 Herman Pressler Dr.,
RAS-W1042
Houston, TX 77030
(713) 500-9472
Keith.E.Burau@uth.tmc.edu |
Ed Hsu, Ph.D.
7000 Fannin, Ste 840
UCT 600
Houston, TX 77030
(713) 500-3969
Chiehwen.E.Hsu@uth.tmc.edu |
Public Health Informatics Competencies:
The curriculum is designed to deliver training and improve skills in the following informatics competency
domains.
- The ability to determine and operationalize the existence, structure, and utility
of the public health and health data standards, databases and networks within
a specific domain area.
- The ability to determine, translate and operationalize the functions and operations
of information technologies that have significant application to public
health practice (such as graphical information systems and the web-based
information dissemination) in daily public health practice.
- The ability to specify the requirements for the development and adaptation of
information systems to address informational needs and requirements of a real
world public health setting.
- The ability to plan, analyze, evaluate and manage implementation of public health information system projects in their organization within a specific domain area, within the core competency areas of public health practice and in accordance with national, academic, and industrial frameworks and standards governing the design, implementation and evaluation of public health information systems and health data definitions and standards
- The ability and skill in information technology planning and procurement related to public health information systems.
Sample Curriculum: Full-Time MPH/MS Student
Basic courses
- Foundations of Health Information Science I
- Principles of Public Health Informatics
- Social and Behavioral Aspects of Community Health
Research courses
- Introduction to Biostatistics
- Cognitive Engineering I
Advanced courses
- Health Data Display
- Outcomes, Evaluation and Quality in Healthcare
- Technology Assessment in Healthcare
- Clinical Datamining
- Health Services Delivery and Performance
Support courses
- Introduction to Epidemiology
- Introduction to Population and Environment Assessment
- Practicum in Public Health
- Practicum in Health Informatics
Total 42 hours to meet the MS degree including 18 hours from the School of Public Health
Requirements for MPH/MS
- 6 hours must be in basic HI courses
- 3 hours must be in research HI courses
- 9 hours must be in advanced HI courses
- Practicum must produce a paper to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.
- 15 hours must satisfy the core courses in the Discipline. Core courses must be a letter grade.
- Specified HI courses may be substituted with other HI courses with the approval of their advising
committee.
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