About
The Department of Health, Behavior and Society (HBS) is dedicated to solving pressing public health challenges in Baltimore, the United States, and around the globe by engaging in impactful public health research, training, and practice focused on the influences of social context, structures, systems, and behaviors. HBS tackles these issues from every angle - from developing and evaluating individually targeted interventions to working with entire communities to address the social factors that affect health, to improving and advocating for public policy and other structural interventions to improve the health of millions at a time. We believe that human behaviors are key determinants of health and well-being and are driven by social context, political and policy structures, systems, and constructed environments.
Our research, practice, teaching, and mentorship reflect this multilevel orientation, centering on factors that occur within and across each level, including:
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The individual level: people’s own attitudes, beliefs, and emotions.
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The interpersonal level: people’s social networks at home, the workplace, their communities, and elsewhere.
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The policy level: policies that promote or hinder access to healthy living, such as policies that promote access to health care, housing, transportation, nutritious food, and education, as well as those that reduce access to unhealthy products and engagement in negative health behaviors.
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The structural level: structures of racism, inequity, and injustice.
Some of HBS’s areas of expertise include addiction, social justice, health equity, LGBTQ health, chronic disease prevention and management, health communication, social determinants of health, opioid use, tobacco control, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, and aging. We are particularly known for our mixed methods (including qualitative) approaches.
We house several centers and institutes, including those dedicated to social and behavioral change, global tobacco control, gender equity, substance abuse and harm reduction, workplace health and well-being, and more. Since our founding in 2005, our department has grown to include 115+ students and over 40 full-time faculty members. We are also proud to have a dedicated core of highly skilled staff members who support and strengthen all aspects of our work in HBS.
Programs
Summer Institute
Our HBS Summer Institute offers short, intensive courses that provide students with an understanding of behavioral and societal impacts on public health—and specific strategies to address the challenges they present.
Overview - Explore how social context and behavior shape population health through our HBS Summer Institute courses. Institute courses offer the same rigor and quality as our full-term HBS courses, condensed into days instead of weeks. Our HBS faculty experts lead each of our courses, ranging in focus from risk communication to program planning to qualitative studies and more. HBS Summer Institute courses:
- Offer the same rigor and quality of full-term courses, condensed into days instead of weeks.
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Are taught by our HBS faculty experts.
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May be taken on a for-credit or non-credit basis (with reduced tuition available for non-credit courses).
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Are eligible for tuition remission under the terms of the Hopkins Tuition Remission Plan.
- Courses taken for credit may be applied towards the completion of many full-time and part-time degree programs at HBS and BSPH.
HBS Policies and Student Resources
HBS Policy on Advising
All students are assigned a faculty adviser at the time of admission to their program. Adviser assignments are based, in part, on the compatibility of the student and faculty research or practice interests. Advisers play an important role in the student's academic life. The adviser is expected to keep abreast of School and Departmental degree requirements, so they can counsel students on courses and the proper progression toward the degree. Students should consult with their advisers prior to registering for courses each term. In addition, any special requests or petitions that a student submits to any of the administrative offices of the School will require the endorsement of the student's adviser as well as that of the Department chair.
As students move through their degree programs, they may elect to choose a different adviser, depending on their chosen area of concentration and the dissertation topic selected or for other reasons. In that event, the student should contact the preferred faculty member to determine if that person is able to assume responsibility as the student's adviser. If so, the student should notify the Department in writing of an adviser change, obtain the signatures of the prior adviser and the new adviser, and submit the signed notification to their respective program director for approval. Once approved, notify the HBS Academic Program Office so the change may be processed.
Each student is required to meet with their adviser at least once per academic term to discuss academic progress, to plan for fulfillment of degree requirements, and to review and modify course selection plans for the next term. These meetings are formally scheduled before each major registration period. HBS students are responsible for scheduling these meetings with their advisers. See Milestones tables in each degree program description. The HBS Academic Program Office works closely with the faculty advisers and also provides guidance to students regarding the School and Departmental academic policies and procedures.
- Students are expected to engage in pre-planning for these meetings.
- Both advisers and students should be aware of and understand curriculum policies and procedures.
- Students and advisers should identify future professional career goals and interests.
- The adviser and student should review the student’s tentative curriculum and course schedule and alternatives should be identified.
- Any major issues or questions about academic programs and non-academic problems should be identified and discussed.
HBS Program Directors for each respective program and the HBS Academic Program Office are also available as resources within the Department for students who have questions or concerns related to their own academic advisers. These individuals may be able to assist with mediation, coaching, facilitating co-mentoring, or switching advisers as needed. The Vice Chair for Academic Affairs is also available to serve in this role.
HBS Teaching Assistant (TA) and Research Assistant (RA) Opportunities
Students have opportunities for work experiences while at the Bloomberg School of Public Health that could help offset costs while gaining valuable public health experiences. We have a dedicated resource for student employment called SMILE.
Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant opportunities are also sent to students via the Dept. of Health, Behavior and Society listserv. These opportunities may be available at both the BSPH and the Johns Hopkins University campus.
Master's Tuition Scholarship (MTS)
The Dept. Health, Behavior and Society offers a Master's Tuition Scholarship (MTS) to students in good academic standing. Students must enroll for a minimum of 12 credits per term to receive the scholarship. The MTS is a 75% reduction in tuition for the second year of an eight-term program.
Need-Based MSPH Scholarship
Johns Hopkins University offers need-based scholarships for students enrolled for at least 12 credits per term in a full-time Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) program.
These need-based scholarships cover up to 50% of tuition costs in the first year of study to enable the best and brightest students with an interest in public health to obtain the highest-quality professional public health available. First-generation graduate students with exceptional undergraduate academic records will be priorities for this need-based scholarship.
To be considered for the need-based MSPH scholarship, applicants should submit their SOPHAS application and supporting documentation no later than March 1, along with the CSS profile to the BSPH Financial Aid Office using code 5315. Applicants should indicate their interest in the scholarship by answering "yes" to the school-specific question in their SOPHAS application for the MSPH program of their choice.
Career Services Support
The BSPH Career Services Office is here to help students with employment after graduation. From prospective students curious about where a degree in public health might take them to employers looking to hire a recent Bloomberg School graduate, the Career Service specialists are available to offer assistance.
We welcome prospective students to engage with our staff, students, alumni, and resources to understand the full scope of experiential opportunities available at the School and pathways after graduation.