Three-Year Integrated MA/MPH Program
We are pleased to offer a three-year integrated Masters of Arts in Applied Anthropology with a concentration in Medical Anthropology and Masters of Public Health (MA/MPH). This program is ideal for students who are interested in applying anthropological concerns for holism, sociocultural, political and economic context, and inequality to public health contexts, and for students who want a strong foundation in both qualitative and quantitative methods. The integration of a public health degree into anthropological training will provide students with a skill set familiar to employers and the ability to work in range of public health settings, with additional grounding in critical theory and the social sciences.
Please review the Program Requirements for the Masters in Anthropology with a Concentration in Medical Anthropology..
Please review the Program Requirements for the Masters in Public Health.
Prospective students should follow the application requirements for both programs and note your interest in the three-year integrated MA/MPH in each cover letter. Each program will conduct an independent review of applications.
See the application instructions for the Anthropology MA.
See the application instructions for the MPH.
The Department of Anthropology offers a competitive funding package, and we are able to support many of our students. If awarded a Graduate Assistantship, students will work 20 hours a week to assist faculty with research and other duties and will receive a stipend and tuition waiver. Please contact our Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Ted Maclin (emaclin1@memphis.edu), for additional information about potential funding or any other aspect of the application process. We further encourage students to reach out about planning a visit to campus and to the department.
Once accepted, students may count up to nine credit-hours in Public Health towards the MA in Anthropology. These nine hours will normally include substituting three credit-hours of PUBH 7985 Practicum for 3 credit-hours of ANTH 7985 Practicum.
Students will also work with their advisors to develop a practicum project that will serve the learning goals and requirements of both programs.
The following classes in Anthropology may also count toward the MPH degree:
- ANTH 6111 - Evolution and Human Health
- ANTH 6220 – Culture, Environment & Social Justice
- ANTH 6411 - Urban Anthropology
- ANTH 6521 - Culture, Soc & Mental Health
- ANTH 6531 - Alcohol/Drugs/Culture
- ANTH 6541 – Anthropology of Food and Nutrition
- ANTH 6551 - Culture/Sex/Childbirth
- ANTH 6571 - Race and Health Disparities
- ANTH 7075 - Methods in Anthropology
- ANTH 7076 – Anthropological Analysis and Writing
- ANTH 7511 – Critically Applied Medical Anthropology
- ANTH 7521 – Biocultural Epidemiology
Example Degree Trajectories
Below are some example degree trajectories for students with different Public Health concentrations. Each student should determine their course of study in consultation with advisors from both programs based on their interests and goals.
MA in Anthropology with a Concentration in Medical Anthropology; MPH with no concentration
| Type | Course | Semester | Credit Hours |
| Year 1 | |||
| ANTH 7200 | Roots of Anthropological Theory | Fall | 3 |
| ANTH 7255 | Applying Anthropology | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7180 | Foundations of Public Health | Fall | 3 |
| ANTH 7075 | Methods in Anthropology | Spring | 3 |
| ANTH 7985 | Practicum Proseminar | Spring | 1 |
| ANTH | Elective | Spring | 3 |
| HADM 7105 | Health Policy and Organization of Health Services | Spring | 3 |
| HADM 7110 | Leadership and Organizational Change in Healthcare | Summer | 3 |
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 22 | ||
| YEAR 2 | |||
| ANTH 7076 | Anthropological Analysis and Writing | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7170 | Epidemiology in Public Health | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7150 | Biostatistical Methods I | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7985 | Practicum/Thesis Hours | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7160 | Social and Behavioral Sciences Principles | Spring | 3 |
| PUBH 7120 | Environmental Health I | Spring | 3 |
| ANTH 7511 | Critically Applied Medical Anthropology | Spring | 3 |
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 21 | ||
| YEAR 3 | |||
| ANTH | Elective | Fall | 3 |
| ANTH | Elective | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7992 | Masters Project | Fall | 3 |
| ANTH 7985 | Practicum Hours | Spring | 2 |
| PUBH | Elective | Spring | 3 |
| ANTH 7521 | Biocultural Epidemiology | Spring | 3 |
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 17 | ||
| Anthropology credits | 30 | ||
| Public Health Credits | 30 | ||
MA in Anthropology with a Concentration in Medical Anthropology; MPH with concentration in Socio-Behavioral Sciences
| Type | Course | Semester | Credit Hours |
| Year 1 | |||
| ANTH 7200 | Roots of Anthropological Theory | Fall | 3 |
| ANTH 7255 | Applying Anthropology | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7180 | Foundations of Public Health | Fall | 3 |
| ANTH 7985 | Practicum Proseminar | Spring | 1 |
| ANTH 7075 | Methods in Anthropology | Spring | 3 |
| ANTH 7511 | Critically Applied Medical Anthropology | Spring | 3 |
| HADM 7105 | Health Policy and Organization of Health Services | Spring | 3 |
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 19 | ||
| YEAR 2 | |||
| ANTH 7076 | Anthropological Analysis and Writing | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7170 | Epidemiology in Public Health | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7150 | Biostatistical Methods I | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7160 | Social and Behavioral Sciences Principles | Spring | 3 |
| PUBH 7120 | Environmental Health I | Spring | 3 |
| ANTH | Elective | Spring | 3 |
| PUBH 7985 | Practicum/Thesis Hours | Summer | 3 |
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 21 | ||
| YEAR 3 | |||
| ANTH | Elective | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7014 | Public Health Communication | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7340 | Behavioral Intervention Development | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7992 | Masters Project | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7132 | Health Program Evaluation | Spring | 3 |
| PUBH 7130 | Social Determinants of Health | Spring | 3 |
| ANTH 7521 | Biocultural Epidemiology | Spring | 3 |
| ANTH 7985 | Practicum Hours | Spring | 2 |
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 23 | ||
| Anthropology credits | 27 | ||
| Public Health credits | 36 | ||
MA in Anthropology with a concentration in Medical Anthropology; MPH with an Epidemiology Concentration
| Type | Course | Semester | Credit Hours |
| Year 1 | |||
| ANTH 7200 | Roots of Anthropological Theory | Fall | 3 |
| ANTH 7255 | Applying Anthropology | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7180 | Foundations of Public Health | Fall | 3 |
| ANTH 7075 | Methods in Anthropology | Spring | 3 |
| ANTH 7521 | Biocultural Epidemiology | Spring | 3 |
| ANTH 7985 | Practicum Proseminar | Spring | 1 |
| PUBH 7160 | Social and Behavioral Sciences Principles | Spring | 3 |
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 19 | ||
| YEAR 2 | |||
| ANTH 7076 | Anthropological Analysis and Writing | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7150 | Biostatistical Methods I | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7170 | Epidemiology in Public Health | Fall | 3 |
| ANTH 7511 | Critically Applied Medical Anthropology | Spring | 3 |
| ANTH | Elective | Spring | 3 |
| PUBH 7120 | Environmental Health I | Spring | 3 |
| PUBH 7985 | Practicum/Thesis Hours | Summer | 3 |
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 21 | ||
| YEAR 3 | |||
| PUBH 7140 | Epidemiology of Chronic Disease | Fall | 3 |
| ANTH | Elective | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7141 | Epidemiologic Survey Methods | Fall | 3 |
| PUBH 7992 | Masters Project | Fall | 3 |
| HADM 7105 | Health Policy and Organization of Health Services | Spring | 3 |
| PUBH 7172 | Epidemiology of Public Health II | Spring | 3 |
| PUBH 7152 | Biostatistical Methods II | Spring | 3 |
| ANTH 7985 | Practicum Hours | Spring | 2 |
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 23 | ||
| Anthropology credits | 27 | ||
| Public health credits | 36 | ||