Degree Requirements
Students in the Master of Science in Health and the Public Interest program must complete 30 credits with a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be eligible to satisfy the degree requirement. Core and elective courses are designed to provide students with an interdisciplinary education that emphasizes critical thinking, analytical, and research skills. The program is designed to provide flexibility while ensuring students graduate within their chosen timeline.
In completing 30 credits, students must:
- Complete 21 credits of required core courses
- Complete two 3-credit elective courses from a select, limited list. Electives outside the list require the approval of the Program Director in accordance with the degree requirements.
- Complete a 3-credit capstone or internship final project.
Students who have completed undergraduate coursework in Biology may be eligible to waive the Biology course requirement, making up these credits with an additional elective instead. Please contact the program for more details.
You can explore program course descriptions on our website and view full- and part-time plans of study below.
Sample Full-time Course Schedule by Semester
| Category | Fall Pre-Session (virtual*) | Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | Health, Disease, and Society (3 credits) | Theory and Methods of Inquiry I (3 credits) Biology of Health and Disease (3 credits) Health Advocacy (3 credits) Seminar (1 credit) | Theory and Methods of Inquiry II (3 credits) Health Economics (2 credits) Health Communication (3 credits) Seminar (0-1 credit) | Capstone or Internship Project (3 credits) |
| Elective Courses | Elective (2-3 credits)** | Elective (2-3 credits)** | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | 12 | 12 | 3 |
Sample Part-Time Course Schedule by Semester
Students on a part-time track will work with the Program Coordinator and Program Directors to establish a plan of study based on the student’s desired enrollment level and intended graduation timeline. Two 3-credit electives are chosen by the student and approved by the Program Directors.
| Category | Fall Pre-Session (virtual) | Fall I | Spring I | Fall II | Spring II | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | Health, Disease, and Society (3 credits) | Theory and Methods of Inquiry I (3 credits) Biology of Health and Disease (3 credits) Seminar (1 credit) | Theory and Methods of Inquiry II (3 credits) Health Communication (3 credits) Seminar (0 credit) | Health Advocacy (3 credits) Seminar* | Health Economics (2 credits) Seminar* | Capstone or Internship Project (3 credits) |
| Elective Courses | Elective (2-3 credits) | Elective (2-3 credits) | ||||
| Total Credits | 3 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
For a more detailed course listing, please refer to the Georgetown Schedule of Classes webpage.