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Concurrent MCP/MPH

Master of City Planning / Master of Public Health with the College of Environmental Design

This concurrent degree program is designed to examine research, practice, and policy at the intersection of urban planning, policy and design with population health. Special attention is given to understanding the forces that are shaping urbanization in the US and globally, what methods are necessary to analyze the relationships between urban policy and planning and human health, and to design and analyze interventions, frequently in partnership with community members and organizations, that can enhance urban health equity. The program prepares students for interdisciplinary careers in such fields as urban development, community health, housing, transportation, policy making, and others. Graduates secure jobs working in government, international organizations, non-profits, academia/research and the private sector.

Candidates for this program are recruited and admitted through both the School of Public Health and the Department of City and Regional Planning. Students complete the core curriculum of each area for a specific MPH program and an area of concentration in MCP.

Curriculum

Students must complete the required core courses for both the MCP and MPH programs. Students need to complete 36 units in MCP and 42 units in MPH. See sample 3-year course schedules to understand how students can complete required core courses, concentration requirements, and achieve minimum units.

Students can select any concentration area in city planning and any program in public health; however, we strongly recommend that students consult with core faculty before selecting concentration areas. It is important to note that students are admitted directly into their specific MPH program by the corresponding division within the School of Public Health, while concentrations in the MCP are declared during the first semester after beginning the program.

MCP/MPH students are required to take the following courses:

  1. CYPLAN C256/PBHLTH C233: Healthy Cities (By the end of their second year)
    Healthy Cities explores the multiple forces that influence urban population health, how to analyze these determinants, and what roles city planning and public health agencies, as well as other political institutions such as local governments, civil society, the private sector and international organizations, can play in research and action aimed at improving urban health. The course is taught in the Fall semester.
  2. CYPLAN 299/PBHLTH 299: Urban Health Equity Seminar (Every semester)
    The Urban Health Equity Seminar provides an opportunity for students, faculty and practitioners whose work lies at the nexus of public health and city planning to exchange ideas and develop innovations in this growing field. This seminar series runs the entire academic year and aims to build an interdisciplinary community of research and action focused on issues of urban health equity and environmental justice through a variety of formats including sharing existing research, lectures, group workshops, film screenings and critical debates on current issues.

For more details on curriculum, please refer to the MCP/MPH Student Handbook.

Capstone

Students must complete one capstone that satisfies the requirements for both degree programs. Students should work with program co-directors to develop one project, capstone, professional report or thesis. Students should use the summer between their second and third year to gather data and start the capstone project. Students must have a literature review and methodology section complete and submitted to their advisor by the end of their fifth semester. Students must enroll in the appropriate capstone course in the Fall semester of their final year (see your specific MPH program handbook for more information regarding your program-specific capstone requirements and required capstone courses). Students should also present their work to the Urban Health Equity Seminar.

Sample Coursework Plans

See the attached sample course 3-year course plans for MCP/MPH degree students. Actual course schedules may differ based on your specific MPH program and MCP concentration, please check in with your advisors in each program to develop a plan that best suits your needs and program requirements

Faculty Advising

Students must select an affiliated faculty member from either the School of Public Health or the Department of City & Regional Planning as their primary advisor.

Application

Prospective students interested in applying only need to complete 1 application for the MCP/MPH dual degree program through the UC Berkeley Graduate Division Website.

For more information on application requirements, please refer to the Graduate Division website, College of Environmental Design website, and the School of Public Health website.

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