Public Health, M.P.H. and Latin American Studies, M.A.

(Major Code: 49062) (SIMS Code: 997310)

Concentrations:

• Public Health, Epidemiology Concentration  
• Public Health, Health Promotion and Behavioral Science Concentration  
• Public Health, Environmental Health Concentration  

General Information

The School of Public Health (SPH) and the Center for Latin American Studies offer a concurrent graduate program leading to a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology, Environmental Health, or Health Promotion and Behavioral Science and a Master of Arts (MA) in Latin American Studies. This concurrent program offers preparation in the fields of public health and Latin American studies for the purpose of promoting health, preventing disease, and enhancing the delivery of social and health services in Latino communities.

Admission to the Degree Curriculum

To request information about the concurrent graduate program in Public Health and Latin American Studies, applicants should contact either the School of Public Health Director of the MPH/MA program, or the Latin American Studies Director of the M.A. program, San Diego State University. Students must meet the general requirements to graduate study at the university as detailed in Admission and Registration . Application materials are also available from the SPH website at http://publichealth.sdsu.edu or the Center for Latin American Studies website at http://latinamericanstudies.sdsu.edu.

Advancement to Candidacy

All students must: (1) meet the general requirements for advancement to candidacy as described in Requirements for Master’s Degrees ; (2) pass an evaluation of progress towards the concurrent degree by both SPH and Latin American Studies advisers; (3) complete all core courses in Public Health and Latin American Studies; (4) have earned at least 24 units of graduate study within the concurrent program with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and no grade less than a B- in each core course; (5) complete with a grade of B (3.0) or better, SPAN 302  or Portuguese 401, or three units of 500-level or graduate coursework in Spanish, or pass the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) oral proficiency examination in either Spanish or Portuguese with a score of 2.0 or above; (6) have been recommended for advancement by the combined faculty advisory committee; (7) have an approved concurrent program of study; and (8) have a thesis proposal approved by the combined faculty advisory committee, which must include at least one faculty member from Latin American Studies and one faculty member from Public Health.

Upon advancement to candidacy, the student will enroll in P H 797  or LATAM 797  (Research) and P H 799A  or LATAM 799A  (Thesis). All students in the concurrent degree program are required to complete a thesis. This thesis will incorporate theory, method, and analytic techniques from both Public Health and Latin American Studies. The thesis topic and chair will be determined by the student and the faculty advisory committee.

Specific Requirements

In addition to meeting the requirements for classified graduate standing and the basic requirements for the master’s degree as described in Requirements for Master’s Degrees , the student must complete an officially approved course of study of not less than 63 units as listed below.