This Master’s in Public Health concentration in Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health is designed to inform practice in both public health and clinical care settings. The concentration will consider the context in which mental health problems and addictions emerge and the impact of structural, legislative, and cultural factors on the lives of individuals and groups.

Students in the concentration will be provided with an understanding of the concepts, methods, and evidence base for a range of substance use disorders and mental health issues, including prevention, treatment, and their social and economic impacts. The concentration will also provide a context for the integration of these issues in healthcare practices, social policies, and public health initiatives. The concentration is designed to be interdisciplinary, drawing on expertise in psychology, sociology, and other disciplines, as well as from business, law, and public administration, particularly in the area of drug policy. Courses can be taken in any order and are appropriate for graduate students.

This concentration is part of NextGenU.org’s Master of Public Health program and the community of learners at Public Health U.

It builds on the knowledge students have acquired while completing core courses and provides them with opportunities to develop the technical skills necessary to conduct mental health research and the practical skills needed to implement and evaluate interventions in a variety of contexts.

The audience for the concentration includes graduate students in public health programs that have adopted or approved NextGenU.org materials and includes the students enrolled in Public Health U. Certificates are available for each course while degree diplomas will be awarded by the adoptive institution. 

The courses are open to students in the fields of medicine, nursing, social work, public health, psychology, law, and dentistry. The courses will prepare students as professionals who can plan, develop, and deliver mental health and addiction services in a variety of contexts.

Students will have the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of global mental health by participating in a variety of opportunities, including a mental health field component, a research internship, and a global mental health practicum. In addition, students will have the opportunity to acquire research skills while taking the MPH’s required research methods course and a research practicum. The research practicum will provide students with the opportunity to develop a research project related to mental health in a global context with the support of experienced tutors.