Admission to the MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree Program
All candidates seeking admission to the MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree Program apply by submitting a single concurrent degree program application through the online UC Berkeley Graduate and Professional Application for Admission.
- Prospective graduate students interested in the MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree must apply directly to the “Social Welfare & Public Health MSW/MPH” Concurrent Degree Program at the time of application for admission to graduate study at Berkeley. Note that the Public Health SOPHAS application is not required in order to apply to the concurrent degree program option.
- Current Berkeley MSW or MPH students seeking to be admitted into the MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree Program may apply during their first fall semester of graduate study by submitting a single “Social Welfare & Public Health MSW/MPH” Concurrent Degree Program application through the online UC Berkeley Graduate and Professional Application for Admission
For more information and specific instructions, please see MSW Admissions Application Instructions.
Applications to the MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree Program are reviewed and evaluated by faculty admissions committees from both Berkeley Social Welfare and the School of Public Health, applying the same admissions requirements for concurrent degree students as for all other applicants. To be accepted into the Concurrent Degree Program, applicants must be recommended for admission by both schools.
Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid
Students in the MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree Program are assessed UC Berkeley Graduate Professional Fees, which include Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition (PDST) and student health insurance fees. Concurrent degree program students are assessed the higher of the PDST in effect for each program. For current rates please visit the Registrar’s Current Fee Schedule.
For information about financial aid opportunities in both schools, please see:
- Berkeley Social Welfare Guide to Financing Your Graduate Degree
- School of Public Health Fees and Financial Aid
Curriculum and Degree Requirements
MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree students must complete a minimum total of 90 units Social Welfare and Public Health in order to earn both degrees. Individually, the MSW requires 54 units of course work; the MPH requires 48 units of course work.
The MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree Program is a full-time program, and students are required to enroll in a minimum of 12 units each academic semester. In order to meet all degree requirements, MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree students typically must complete 14-20 units each semester.
Concurrent Degree students complete the rigorous course of study in three years (six semesters), plus at least one intervening summer, instead of the four years (eight semesters) it would typically take to earn the two degrees separately. This three-year program option allows students to enter both degree programs simultaneously, and is designed to permit students the maximum amount of flexibility while fulfilling the requirements for both degrees. Students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to promote health, prevent disease, reduce disparities in health outcomes and enhance the delivery of health social services in the community.
Specialization Areas
Students in the MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree Program pursue coursework and field education in any of the three MSW specialization areas:
- Advancing Health and Wellbeing across the Adult Lifespan (A-WELL)
- Strengthening Children, Youth and Families (SCYF)
- Strengthening Organizations and Communities (SOC)
AND one of two areas of study within the School of Public Health:
The specialization choices guide the curriculum of each individual student on a path unique to the combination of the two curricula. Each specialization has a set of required courses and electives. Additionally, the specializations shape the field education placements in both programs. Applicants must choose their specialization areas at the time of application to the concurrent degree program.
For current course descriptions, class schedules, and more details on degree requirements for the MSW and the MPH, please see: