Bachelor of Science/Master of Public Health

The Bachelor of Science/Master of Public Health (BS/MPH) program is offered jointly by the Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences and the School of Public Health.

Requirements

This dual degree program requires five years of full-time study to acquire a Bachelor of Science degree at Sargent College and the Master of Public Health degree at the School of Public Health.

Sixteen credits of graduate-level School of Public Health coursework will be completed in the last two years of undergraduate study and applied to both the BS and MPH degrees. At the completion of the BS degree requirements (128+ credits) at Sargent College, the Bachelor of Science degree will be awarded. At the end of the fifth year or a minimum of 32+ additional credits of SPH coursework, the Master of Public Health degree will be awarded. By the time of graduation from the bachelor’s degree program, and as a condition of entry into the SPH, students must have successfully completed the following:

Foundations of Public Health

Effective public health requires expertise from many disciplines, and students need to have a broad foundation of knowledge across these diverse disciplines in order to collaborate effectively with other health professionals.

SPH PH 700 Foundations of Public Health (0 credits) is an online course designed to provide students with foundational knowledge in the profession and science of public health and factors related to public health. PH 700 meets the foundational knowledge criteria (as outlined by CEPH) for all SPH students.

Integrated Core Curriculum

Students must have successfully completed the following core courses for the MPH program, according to the SPH Grading Policy, and will have selected a functional area certificate to pursue:

  • SPH PH 717 A1 Quantitative Methods for Public Health
  • SPH PH 718 A1 Leadership and Management in Public Health
  • SPH PH 719 A1 Health Systems, Law, and Policy
  • SPH PH 720 A1 Individual, Community, and Population Health

Course Planning

Once accepted into the BS/MPH program, students are required to meet with the Director of Undergraduate Education or a staff member in the School of Public Health Registrar’s office to plan their public health courses. Proactive planning is essential for timely completion of all MPH requirements. The tentative schedule of courses should then be reviewed with the student’s undergraduate faculty advisor and SPH staff at the School of Public Health.

Application & Admission

Eligibility

The program is available to Sargent students who are majoring in any of the undergraduate concentrations except for the BS/DPT professional degree program.

Application

Students may apply for admission to the MPH program in the second semester of their sophomore year (April 1 deadline) or the first semester of their junior year (October 15 deadline).

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.20, and successful applicants will generally have a GPA above 3.50.

The student does not have to complete SPH graduate courses prior to applying to the MPH program.

The application to the BS/MPH program consists of:

  • a completed BS/MPH Application Approval Form, signed by the undergraduate BS/MPH Director
  • an online application, submitted via SOPHAS application to Boston University School of Public Health, including a personal statement and CV or resume
  • an official Boston University undergraduate transcript
  • three letters of reference, including at least one from a faculty member specifically addressing the student’s capacity to do graduate-level work

Checklist for Dual Degree Students

  • Meet with undergraduate BS/MPH Director to discuss application to the BS/MPH program.
  • Complete required 4+1 BS/MPH Application Approval Form and have the form signed by undergraduate BS/MPH Director.
  • Submit completed application through SOPHAS by April 1 of sophomore year or October 15 of junior year.
  • Request an official BU transcript be sent to SOPHAS. Students applying during Spring Semester of sophomore year should have their transcript sent at the end of the Spring Semester. Students applying during Fall Semester of junior year should have their transcript sent by October 15.
  • If accepted, “un-declare” public health minor (if applicable).
  • If accepted, schedule a meeting with the SPH Director of Undergraduate Education or the Assistant Director of Advising.

Matriculation

Accepted students will be conditionally admitted to the MPH program. Students in the program must maintain the GPA and other degree requirements for their BS concentration at Sargent College. Students are expected to achieve a minimum grade of B– in all four SPH core courses before continuing in the MPH program after graduation with the baccalaureate degree.

For more information regarding application and admissions requirements, please visit the BS/MPH admissions requirements page on the SPH website.