MHS in Mental Health

The Master of Health Science degree is organized around a core set of four terms of graduate courses and a final research paper that demonstrates mastery of what has been learned in the coursework experience. The MHS degree in the Department of Mental Health may be combined with a certificate program offered in the Bloomberg School of Public Health, e.g., Mental Health Policy and Economics, Health Education, Health Finance and Management, Health Policy, Health and Human Rights, Health Communication, Health Disparities, and Health Inequality, Injury Control or Maternal and Child Health. These certificate programs are at no extra cost to full-time students (as long as classes are taken during the regular terms 1-4) and are available to enhance the mental health research educational experience. A dual BA/MHS program has also been established in conjunction with the School of Arts and Sciences program in Public Health Studies.

A minimum of 64 credits (16 credits per term) is required to complete the degree. Students in the MHS program must choose six additional units (credits) of electives in the Department of Mental Health (these courses' numbers start with a 330.XXX).

Program Goals

The Department of Mental Health engages in population-based research on the etiology, occurrence, prevention, and control of mental, alcohol-, and drug-dependence disorders. Its mission is to advance understanding of causes and consequences of these disorders in populations; to study the impact of alternative clinical, organizational or fiscal arrangements; and to study and apply public health methods for preventing alcohol, drug, and mental disorders. Research is particularly active in the areas of psychiatric epidemiology; genetic epidemiology of mental and behavioral disorders; cognitive health and aging; psychoactive drug use; school, family, and community-based preventive interventions; research methodology; youth violence; women's mental health and pregnancy; global mental health; child sexual abuse and pedophilia; autism spectrum disorder, and research on mental health service systems.

The Master of Health Science degree is completed in one academic year. In the first two terms of the program, students take core courses in Mental Health (330.602 or 603), Biostatistics (140.611 and 140.612 or 140.621 and 622), Epidemiology (340.721.60 and 340.722.60), and Research Ethics (550.860). Students who have not taken these courses prior to being admitted to the program will typically earn approximately 36 credits from coursework in the first two terms. In the second two terms, students may choose from a broader range of electives.

All MHS students must complete a final research paper in his/her area of interest. The final paper presents an opportunity for the student to synthesize, integrate, and apply skills and competencies acquired in the MHS program to address a problem in public mental health. The final paper may take several forms (e.g., literature review, secondary data analysis) and should be relevant to the student's academic and professional goals. The specific topic and format for the final MHS paper need to be approved by the MHS advisor and faculty research mentor. Special studies credits with a faculty member may be taken to allocate time and mentoring to working on this research paper. Requirements for the MHS degree will not be fulfilled until the Department receives a copy of the final research paper and a letter confirming completion of the degree requirements is filed in the Registrar’s Office (Room E1002).

First Term

• Statistical Methods in Public Health I
• Statistical Reasoning in Public Health I
• Seminars in Research in Public Mental Health
• Psychopathology for Public Health
• Epidemiologic Inference in Public Health I
• Public Mental Health
• Special Studies and Research Mental Health ((for bi-weekly meetings with the MHS director) with student advisor’s name listed)
• Academic & Research Ethics at BSPH

Second Term

• Statistical Methods in Public Health II
• Statistical Reasoning in Public Health I
• Psychiatric Epidemiology 1
• The Epidemiology of Substance Use and Related Problems
• Seminars in Research in Public Mental Health
• Epidemiologic Inference in Public Health II
• MHS Thesis in Mental Health: from Proposal to Publication I

Third Term

• Social, Psychological, and Developmental Processes in the Etiology of Mental Disorders 2
• Introduction to Behavioral and Psychiatric Genetics
• Prevention of Mental Disorders: Public Health Interventions(offered online 4th term)
• Seminars in Research in Public Mental Health
• MHS Thesis in Mental Health: from Proposal to Publication II

Fourth Term

• Introduction to Behavioral and Psychiatric Genetics 2
• Social, Psychological, and Developmental Processes in the Etiology of Mental Disorders
• Seminars in Research in Public Mental Health

Learning Outcomes

The curriculum for the MHS in the Department of Mental Health includes coursework to build knowledge in public mental health, with a foundation in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. The degree can be tailored to meet the students interests and electives can be taken from different departments throughout the school.

Courses are also included that have been approved to meet the Introductory Public Health Knowledge Learning Objectives required by the Council on Education for Public Health for academic programs.

• Epidemiologist
• Clinical quality improvement associate
• Survey operations manager
• Senior research analyst
• Social science research analyst
• Research administrator
• Program manager
• Project director
• Research assistant
• Research associate
• Program/research coordinator
• Social science analyst
• Healthcare consultant