The year-and-a-half MGP with a Specialization in International Public Health Policy offers students the opportunity to explore the intersection of international affairs and public health. The MGP with Specialization in International Public Health prepares students for careers in the policy and governance aspects of international health programs, through coursework in Boston University’s School of Public Health.
Students complete a set of universal requirements, including core courses on quantitative analysis, international economics, negotiation and diplomacy, and global policy analysis. In their final semester, students take a four credit course as part of a capstone project.
Actual year to year course offerings vary depending on faculty availability. Most classes are taught once per year, but some may be taught less frequently.
Curriculum
The MA in Global Policy requires a total of 48 credits divided among core global policy courses (16 credits), functional specialization coursework (22 credits), a final capstone course (4 credits) and sufficient elective coursework to bring the student’s credit total to at least 48.
Core Courses
GLOBAL POLICY CORE (16 CREDITS)
- GRS IR 602 B* Quantitative Analysis for Global Affairs
- GRS IR 603 B* Economics for Global Policy
- GRS IR 604 Negotiation and Diplomacy
- GRS IR 605 Global Policy Analysis
*MGP students are required to take the B sections of these courses.
International Public Health Policy Specialization Courses
Students in the MGP with Specialization in International Public Health Policy must take two required courses (8 credits):
- SPH GH 745 Monitoring and Evaluation of International Health Programs
- SPH GH 770 Poverty, Health and Development
- GRS SO 890 Global Health: Politics, Institutions, and Ideology
- SPH EP755 Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Students in the MGP with Specialization in International Public Health Policy select at least 14 credits of additional coursework from the list of pre-approved courses below (or other courses with pre-approval from the Associate Dean for Studies:
- GRS IR 626 NGOs and the Practice of Development
- GRS IR 680 Political Economy of Human Development
- GRS SO 890 (4 credits) Global Health: Politics, Institutions, and Ideology
- SPH BS 704 (3 credits) Introduction to Biostatistics
- SPH EP 713 (3 credits) Introduction to Epidemiology
- SPH EP 755 (4 credits) Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- SPH GH 707 (6 credits) Field Practicum in Public Health in East Africa (Summer)
- SPH GH 756 (4 credits) Analytical Methods for Pharmaceutical Systems Assessment
- SPH GH 757 (2 credits) Preventing Corruption in Health Programs
- SPH GH 773 (4 credits) Financial Management for Public Health
- SPH GH 795 (4 credits) Global AIDS Epidemic: Social & Economic Determinants, Impact, & Responses
- SPH GH 800 (2 credits) Clinical Development of a New Medicinal (BS 704, EP 713)
- SPH GH 805 (2 credits) Controversies in Global Control & Eradication of Infectious Diseases (BS 704, EP 713)
- SPH GH 811 (4 credits) Applied Research Methods in International Health (BS 704, EP 713)
- SPH GH 885 (2 credits) Global Trade, Intellectual Property, & Public Health
- SPH GH 888 (2 credits) Seminar on Global Health Policy Issues
- SPH PM 740 (4 credits) Comparative Health Systems and Policy in Industrialized and BRIC Countries
Electives
Students in the MGP with Specialization in Public Health Policy take sufficient elective courses to reach the total of 48 credits required for the degree program based on their specific interests. Students may choose their elective coursework from the specialization listing above or from the graduate level offerings of the Pardee School. Students may also request approval from the Associate Dean for Studies to take other coursework, provided that coursework fits with the intent of the degree program and contributes to the preparation of students for their intended career paths.
Foreign Language
Students are required to demonstrate graduate-level reading proficiency in a foreign language prior to completion of the degree. Graduate-level proficiency is the ability to understand newspaper and professional journal articles in the field of foreign relations accurately, using standard reference materials. Language proficiency must be demonstrated through a language examination. Language exams are offered by the Pardee School Graduate Office several times per year.
In the case of non-native English speakers who were required to submit a TOEFL score report as part of their application for admission, knowledge of English fulfills this requirement.
Capstone
In their final semester, students take a capstone seminar (4-credits) in which research teams design and carry out an interdisciplinary policy analysis comparable to those performed for a government or nonprofit agency, often for a real-world client.