M.S. Master of Science in Climate and Health

MSCH Conceptual Frame

Program Overview

The University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (RSMAS) launched a new Master of Science in Climate and Health (U-MSCH) graduate program in Fall 2020. The program trains future generations of professionals, research analysts, planners, decision-makers and leaders to address the intricate relationship between human health and climate, climate change and weather patterns and weather anomalies (C2W2). To quantify the relationship between the climate and its effects on health, the program will also analyze how gene-expression, individual’s susceptibility, community response, and region-wide morbidity and mortality burden are affected.  

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Competencies

Upon completion of the M.S. in Climate and Health degree, graduates will be able to:

  • Competencies:
    Explain physical processes that control global and regional climate, and global and regional weather patterns and extreme weather patterns
    Explain interplay between health and C2W2, the burden of disease/disability in different communities and populations associated with weather and climate, and weather and climate-mediated changes in the environment
    Examine bio-physiological responses with respect to short- and long-term climate changes and weather patterns
    Develop skills in collecting, managing and analyzing health, climate and associated data sets to quantify the health effects of climate incorporating hierarchical (including individual, community and region-specific) socio-physical environmental characteristics
    Explain the structure and administration of public health organizations and the policies that impact health programs and health services for different communities
    Identify direct and indirect roles of different stakeholders in the surveillance and management of the health effects of climate
    Assess disparities in the health effects of climate and extreme weather
  • Average Program Duration: 2 years
  • Total required credits: 36 credits

The Curriculum

The degree consists of 36 credits that includes core courses on weather and climate, the intricate relationship between health and the climate, climate and weather toxicology, climate and health data, including its sources, types, and integration, as well as modelling the health effects of climate and weather, and the policies and management of the health effects of climate and weather.

The degree offers four MS CH tracks, including public health sciences, marine and atmospheric, climate and health - analytical, or toxicology. Students can select a track after their first semester in the program.

Additionally, students must also complete a thesis and will have the opportunity to pursue research with interdisciplinary faculty members from five colleges. Research fellowships are available.

  • Electives (9 credits):
    Students complete 9 credits of graduate elective coursework, focusing in public health science, marine and atmospheric science, climate and health analytics or toxicology.
  • Thesis (6 credits):

    Note:

    Effective Summer 2022 the course number for the Master’s Thesis courses (EPH 698 and 699) have been changed to EPH 810. The requirements to complete the MS Thesis remain the same. The “section” of the EPH 810 course determines which stage of the thesis the student is engaged in: proposal or defense.

    Old Course Number  New Course Number
    EPH 698 - Master Thesis Proposal (3 Credits) EPH 810-Section PRP - Master's Thesis - Proposal (3 Credits)
    EPH 699 - Master's Thesis (3 Credits) EPH 810-Section DEF - Master's Thesis - Defense (3 Credits)

Curriculum information and course descriptions can be found here.
For the program application, click below.