MHS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health

The Master of Health Science (MHS) degree program is designed for students interested in graduate-level preparation for careers in medicine, biomedical research, public health, and related health sciences. Our MHS students pursue advanced graduate work, a career in medicine, or positions in industry or public health.

The MHS program is completed in one academic year (late August through mid-May). The program’s flexible curriculum allows the opportunity to take courses throughout the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Because of the School's unique academic calendar with four eight-week terms, students have ample opportunity to take a rich variety of courses.

The MHS in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology includes courses within a core curriculum focused around biochemistry, molecular biology, reproductive biology, and the biology of disease and public health. The remainder of the courses are electives - that can be chosen based on interests and career goals. Coursework is based on a core set of basic science course requirements and electives that are highly individualized depending on a student’s background and career aspirations. Students have extensive opportunities to have one-on-one interactions with faculty and staff, for advising, career guidance, and thesis preparation. The department also has a part-time pre-health advisor who leads workshops throughout the academic year to prepare students for applying to medical school or other professional schools in healthcare. Other valuable resources include the JHSPH Career Services Office and the Student Outreach Resource Center (SOURCE).

Coursework

MHS students take these core courses:

• Concepts of Molecular Biology, 1st term (120.602)
• Fundamentals of Reproductive Biology, 1st term (120.620)
• Cancer Biology, 4th term (120.624)

MHS students take at least five of these upper-level courses:

• Molecular Biology of Pandemic Influenza, 2nd term (120.603)
• Genome Integrity, 4th term (120.605)
• Cellular Stress in Physiology and Disease, 4th term (120.606)
• Gene Editing, Therapy, & Manipulation, 3rd term (120.608)
• Nucleic Acid Chemistry, 3rd term (120.613)
• Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Reproduction, 4th term (120.622)
• Principles of Cell Biology, 3rd term (120.626)
• Stem Cells and the Biology of Aging and Disease, 3rd term (120.627)
• Supplemental biochemistry courses - Our core biochemistry courses are optional, but many MHS students opt to take these, depending on their background and career goals.
• Introduction to Biochemistry: Protein Structure and Enzyme Catalysis, 1st term (120.601)
• Biochemistry II, 3rd term (120.602)

Supplemental biostatistics and epidemiology courses – While neither biostatistics and epidemiology are required, both are core tenets of public health, and many students in the MHS program take these courses to develop their public health credentials, particularly if they are interested in public health, medical practice, and/or clinical research.

The Bloomberg School of Public Health is accredited through the Council on Education for Public Health, and thus requires courses to satisfy the accreditation standards defined by the Council. The following 0.5 credit courses are required throughout the program.

• Foundational Principles of Public Health, 1st term (552.601.81)
• The Role of Quantitative Methods in Public Health, 2nd term (552.602.81)
• The Role of Qualitative Methods and Science in Describing and Assessing a Population’s Health, 3rd term (552.603.81)
• Causes and Trends in Morbidity and Mortality, 2nd term (552.604.81)
• The Science of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention in Population Health, 2nd term (552.605.81)
• The Critical Importance of Evidence in Advancing Public Health Knowledge, 2nd term (552.606.81)
• Essentials of Environmental Health, 1st term (552.607.81)
• Psychological and Behavioral Factors that Affect a Population’s Health, 3rd term (552.609.81)
• The Social Determinants of Health, 4th term (552.610.81)
• The Impact of Globalization on Global Burdens of Disease, 4th term (552.611.81)
• Essentials of One Health, 1st term (552.612.81)