I’m not advising anyone to do this, merely stating that I know people who have done this: Apply for the PhD program, which should be fully funded, then leave after getting your MA/MS (which is usually an intermediate step about 2 years in). That gets your MA/MS funded and it is not terribly unusual for students to leave at that juncture (some because they planned it that way to get the funding, some because they just changed their minds). I do not personally consider this ethical, but it is apparently an option if you really want a funded masters. I do not know if it is a possibiity specifically with public health degrees.
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