Dual Degree, MBA and MPH launch in partnership with UTHealth and UT Permian Basin

UTHealth School of Public Health is pleased to announce the recent partnership with The University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) College of Business, to offer a dual graduate degree in public health and business administration; an MBA/MPH. This academic collaborative comes at a time where the complexities of the healthcare industry and public health pursuits expand and transform.

To commemorate the occasion the two schools hosted a signing event to officially announce the partnership. Held virtually, Eric Boerwinkle, PhD, dean of UTHealth School of Public Health and Eric Solberg, Senior Vice President, Academic and Research Affairs represented the UTHealth banner, along with leadership representatives from UTPB, Sandra Woodley, UTPB president, and Steven Beach, PhD, the College of Business dean.

“By offering this MBA/MPH graduate level program, we demonstrate our commitment to grow as educators who seek to enrich minds, challenge thinking, and cultivate the advancement of our students,” said Boerwinkle.

The event comes nearly a year in the making as the two schools previously partnered in 2020 to offer UTPB MBA students the opportunity to earn a graduate certificate in public health. That learning track is still available and is offered online.

The certificate offering for UTPB served as a stepping stone to the dual degree program now being offered. “These agreements take a lot of time and collaboration, but it is exciting to continue to expand the educational opportunities for people working in health care professions,” Beach said.

As the medical and health care industry evolve, the work and impact of academia exudes importance. The evolution of healthcare occurs in tandem with the transformation of technology and the learning environment.

By making the program available online, the impact and reach of the work spans far beyond each campus. “By combining core disciplines of public health and healthcare management along with business strategy and leadership, graduates of this dual degree program will have the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in addressing and improving the health of populations served,” said Solberg.

The program is set to launch for the fall 2022 semester at all six UTHealth School of Public Health Campuses.

A recording of the virtual signing event is available here, and a brief video curated by UTPB is available here. We look forward to seeing the program flourish and are grateful for each institution's leadership for making this possible.