Program Statistics
Visit Master's Program Statistics and PhD Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.
Medical Anthropology
Degree Types: PhD/MPH
The combined PhD/MPH Program in Medical Anthropology prepares graduates for leadership in academic and government institutions requiring expertise in biocultural approaches to the study of human health and disease. Drawing on the broader strengths of our department in political-economic analysis, global health, and human biology, Medical Anthropology at Northwestern focuses on the intersection of health with various forms of social and political inequality. The program provides rigorous interdisciplinary training linking the fields of medical anthropology and public health in both domestic and international settings.
Students pursing the combined PhD/MPH degree fulfill all requirements for both the Doctorate in Anthropology and the Master of Public Health through a selected interdisciplinary curriculum. A full three years of credit-bearing courses (18 units) is required in addition to the PhD dissertation. In the MPH curriculum, students complete the coursework requirements for the "Generalist Concentration". In addition to the MPH coursework, students also complete an Applied Practice Experience (APEx) and a Culminating Experience paper.
Applicants apply to the combined PhD/MPH degree program at the time they apply for admission to the graduate program in Anthropology.
Additional resources:
Program Contact
Contact Tracy Tohtz
Graduate Program Administrator
847-491-4817
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
MPH/PhD
MPH Course Requirements
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| PUB_HLTH 301-0 | Behavior, Society & Health |
| PUB_HLTH 302-0 | Introduction to Biostatistics |
| PUB_HLTH 304-0 | Introduction to Epidemiology |
| PUB_HLTH 306-0 | Health Literacy, Communication, & Systems Change |
| PUB_HLTH 418-0 | Applied Practice Experience I |
| PUB_HLTH 419-0 | Applied Practice Experience II |
| PUB_HLTH 560-0 | Culminating Experience (Core Courses) |
Public Health Methods Course
Choose 1 from:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| PUB_HLTH 421-0 | Intermediate Biostatistics |
| PUB_HLTH 422-0 | Intermediate Epidemiology |
Anthropology Methods Course
Choose 1 from:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ANTHRO 386-0 | Methods in Human Biology Research |
| ANTHRO 389-0 | Ethnographic Methods and Analysis |
Anthropology Curriculum Shared Public Health Content
Choose 2 from:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ANTHRO 332-0 | The Anthropology of Reproduction |
| ANTHRO 390-0 | Topics In Anthropology ((Methods in Global Health & Anthro)) |
| ANTHRO 485-0 | Seminar in Mind, Body, & Health |
| ANTHRO 490-0 | Topics in Anthropology ((Society, Biology & Health or Human Pop Bio)) |
Equity selective
Choose 1 from:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| PUB_HLTH 323-0 | Health Equity |
| PUB_HLTH 446-0 | LGBTQ Health |
| PUB_HLTH 447-0 | Structural Racism in Public Health |
Students are required to complete PhD course requirements based on the chosen subfield.
Required Papers and Proposals
Students are required to write 3 field statements, an Applied Public Health Experience (APEx), Culminating Experience Paper, a Dissertation Proposal, and a PhD Dissertation.