This joint degree program is designed to support students seeking a transdisciplinary education in urban planning and public health, and prepare them for leadership positions at the intersection of these fields.

By enrolling concurrently in both the MUP and the 65-credit MPH in environmental health, global health, health and social behavior, health management, or health policy, students will be introduced to the domestic and international issues entailed in promoting and designing healthier communities, cities, and metropolitan areas, as well as the environmental, social, and health issues that result from specific building and city designs.

The fields of urban planning and public health were tightly intertwined when they were first developed, with common goals of eliminating poverty and decreasing infectious diseases in emerging cities. Recently in the face of increasing urbanization and globalization, the fields have reconnected. There is a renewed recognition of the need for leaders to understand both disciplines to effectively influence planning and policy, and improve and protect the public’s health.

The MUP/MPH joint degree program is an integrated experience that provides the student with a deeper, more cohesive understanding of the two distinct fields. The benefit of the concurrent degree program is that students are able to interweave and integrate coursework in the foundations of public health with the principles of urban planning and receive two degrees in one semester fewer than it would take to complete both degrees separately. This unique program provides students with the opportunity to gain skills in a number of areas including policy, environmental exposures, sustainability, and social determinants of health.

For details, please read the guide to the Joint Degree in Public Health and Urban Planning (PDF).