Bachelor of Science-to-Master of Public Health

The Bachelor of Science-to-Master of Public Health program is offered jointly by the Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences and the School of Public Health.

Requirements

The BS-to-MPH 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. Bachelor’s-to-master’s programs are linked bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in which the two degrees are conferred sequentially. Up to 12 units 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. Students complete all degree requirements for the (128-unit) BS and all requirements for the (48-unit) MPH. Students will take a minimum of 36 units while enrolled as a master’s student. The BS is awarded at the completion of all BS requirements; the MPH is awarded once students have completed all MPH program requirements. 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 & Integrated Core Curriculum

Students must have successfully completed the following core courses for the MPH program (3 of which [12 units] they may count toward the MPH), must meet academic standards outlined in the SPH Academic Standing Policy, and should have selected a functional area certificate to pursue:  

• SPH PH 700 Foundations of Public Health (0 units)
• SPH PH 517 Quantitative Methods for Public Health (4 units) (prerequisite for MPH; does not count toward the degree)
• SPH PH 718 Leadership and Management in Public Health (4 units)
• SPH PH 719 Health Systems, Law, and Policy (4 units)
• SPH PH 720 Individual, Community, and Population Health (4 units)

Course Planning

Once accepted into the BS-to-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-to-DPT professional degree program.

Application

Sophomore students have until June 1 (fall MPH application deadline) to submit their applications, and junior students have until December 15 (spring MPH application deadline) to submit their applications. 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-to-MPH program consists of:

• a completed BS-to-MPH Application Approval Form, signed by the undergraduate BS-to-MPH Director
• an online application, submitted via SOPHAS application to Boston University School of Public Health, including a personal statement and CV or résumé
• 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 BS-to-MPH Students

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

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. They must also complete the MPH requirements of a functional certificate, optional context certificate, practicum, career development program, and integrative learning experience. 

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