Program type:

Major
Dual
Joint
Format:

On Campus
Est. time to complete:

3 years
Credit Hours:

63
Learn how applied anthropology can address unique public health issues.
The dual degree program in Applied Anthropology and Public Health offers an opportunity to strengthen collaboration in public health and anthropology research and practice while earning two master's degrees in a fraction of the time.

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Why Earn Combined Applied Anthropology and Public Health Master's Degrees?

The Department of Anthropology at the University of North Texas at Denton and the School of Public Health at the UNT Health Sciences Center in Fort Worth have developed a cooperative agreement that allows students to simultaneously pursue the Master of Public Health and a Master of Arts or Master of Science in Applied Anthropology.

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.

Marketable Skills
  • Oral and written communication
  • Advanced teamwork
  • Application of applied Anthropology theory
  • Qualitative and quantitative research method practices
  • Leadership ability

Combined Applied Anthropology and Public Health Master's Degrees Highlights

Our master’s anthropology program ranked 1st in the nation for best value by CollegeFactual.com.
This program is designed to take three years for students taking four courses per long semester, plus one course each summer.
Students currently enrolled in only the Public Health program or Anthropology program have 18 credit hours to decide if they would like to enter the dual degree program.
The programs share 21 hours and coordinate the culminating experiences that fulfills both degrees so that at the end of this program, students will have two degrees - one in public health and one in applied anthropology.
If you're pursuing the M.A. you’ll need to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language. If you're pursuing the M.S. you’re required to take a course in an additional skill appropriate to your specialty as part of the 36 required credit hours.
Although there is a high level of cooperation between the two programs, you will be enrolled at two universities, which means you will apply to two universities, submit separate degree plans to two universities, apply for graduation to two universities and graduate twice.

What Can You Do With Combined Applied Anthropology and Public Health Master's Degrees?

This three 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.

Combined Applied Anthropology and Public Health Master's Degrees Courses You Could Take

Medical Anthropology (3 hrs)
Perspectives in contemporary medical anthropology, with a focus on the biocultural basis of health and sociocultural variations in illness and healing (ethnomedicine). Study of comparative health systems, political-economic and ethical issues in health and care, health professions and patients’ views of illness.
Anthropology in Public Health (3 hrs)
Introduction to the contributions of anthropology to public health. Highlights the socio-cultural perspective on the fundamentals of public health, including but not limited to international health, domestic health, epidemiology, infectious disease, child survival, women’s and men’s health, and health policy.
Theoretical Foundations of Individual and Community Health (3 hrs)
This course provides an introduction to theoretical approaches used in facilitating behavioral, social and cultural changes needed for improving population health. Students learn the importance of integrating multidisciplinary perspectives to address health disparities and assess impacts of health policy.
Principles of Epidemiology (3 hrs)
The purpose of this course is to introduce public health students to epidemiology so that they understand how epidemiology contributes to (1) identifying factors that cause and prevent diseases, and other undesirable physical, social and emotional conditions(2) assessing the public health consequence of disease, (3) describing the natural history and occurrence of diseases, and (4) developing skills to critically evaluate procedures for preventing diseases.
Introduction to Health Management and Policy (3 hrs)
This course covers a broad range of topics related to healthcare systems, healthcare management, and health policy. The financing and delivery of healthcare services in the United States will be examined in terms of function, costs, quality, outcomes, access and equity, and the United States system will be compared to health systems in other countries.
Anthropological Thought and Praxis I (3 hrs)
Considers the history of anthropological concepts, the major historical debates in anthropological theory and historical tensions between applied and theoretical knowledge.

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