The Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health offers a variety of master's level programs including an academic Master of Health Science (MHS) program in Demography and a professional Master of Health Science (MHS) program in five primary focus areas. The curricula for these programs are designed to strengthen existing skills and knowledge for application in demography; population and health; women's health; adolescent health; reproductive health; and maternal and child health. Through coursework and experience with faculty, students acquire a solid foundation in general public health principles and advanced skills in specific areas of population, family and reproductive health. The MHS in Demography degree program is a full-time, one-year course of study designed as a year of specialized training in the statistical study of human populations. The educational objectives of the MHS in Demography are twofold. The first is to give students the opportunity to acquire a tool kit of specific substantive and methodological skills applicable to a diverse range of public health issues in a wide range of work settings. The second is to increase the spectrum of professional opportunities available to graduates by enabling them to market themselves as trained in demography. The two-year professional MHS program in the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health is intended for individuals with a baccalaureate degree who may or may not have prior health-related work experience or whose public health-related work experience is less than two years. Through coursework, experience with faculty, and a 4- to 6-month internship, students acquire a sound orientation to general public health principles and to specific areas of public health relating to population, family and reproductive health.
The one-year professional MHS program in the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health is designed for students who are currently working in their intended field of concentration (population, family, and reproductive health), have a minimum of two years full-time public health work experience, and wish to strengthen their skills and knowledge base, improving their potential for career advancement. This program has a part-time option for working professionals.
The MHS/PCMI program is designed for students who wish to combine rigorous academic coursework with a rewarding volunteer experience through the Peace Corps. Students begin their program with 9 months of coursework in the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health. Coursework is followed by a 2- to 3-month Peace Corps project orientation and the completion of 24 months of volunteer Peace Corps service. | 
