Public Health Combined Degree Program
Bachelor’s degree/ Master of Public Health
WHAT IS A COMBINED DEGREE PROGRAM?
The combined degree program allows undergraduates to begin taking specific
graduate coursework before they finish their undergraduate degree. The graduate
coursework then counts towards both the bachelor’s and the master’s
degree, saving the student time and money.
INTRODUCTION TO THE MPH COMBINED DEGREE PROGRAM:
We are pleased to offer the Master of Public Health combined degree program
in the College of Public Health and Health Professions. Our combined degree
program is available to UF undergraduate students from any college and major.
The MPH program requires 48 credits of graduate level coursework. However,
the combined degree program allows students to get a 15-credit head start
on that coursework while still undergraduates. Students complete both their
bachelor’s degree and the master of public health degree while saving
over a semester of time (i.e. 15 semester hours).
PROGRAM DESIGN:
Students from all UF undergraduate degree programs are eligible to be considered
for the combined degree program. Regardless of the bachelor’s degree
program involved, students complete 15 credit hours of graduate level public
health course work during their undergraduate senior year. Once satisfactorily
completed, these credits count toward both the bachelor’s degree and
the 48-credit master of public health degree. For undergraduates in the
College of Public Health and Health Professions, these credits replace 15
credits of required college and/or general electives, thereby resulting
in no change in the number of credits required for graduation at the bachelor’s
level. It is anticipated that most students from other colleges interested
in the combined degree will be able to use elective hours to complete the
public health coursework required in the senior year.
After receipt of the bachelor’s degree and acceptance to graduate school, students complete the remaining 33 credits required for the master of public health degree. (See MPH program overview on this website, masterspublichealth.htm)
CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS:
Students fulfill the 15 credit hours by completing the five core courses
in public health, which are 3 credits each (shown below). Students must
receive a minimum grade of B in each course for it to count towards the
MPH portion of the combined degree. In order to continue in the program
after completion of the 15 credits, students must successfully complete
their bachelor’s degree and be accepted to graduate school. The remaining
course work for the graduate level program (33 credits) is determined by
the MPH concentration selected by the student. Students have five concentrations
from which to choose: epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences, biostatistics,
environmental health, or health management and policy. Students uncertain
about their public health concentration can use the senior year to explore
the area of public health in which they are most interested. The MPH curriculum
is available at the public health website www.mph.ufl.edu.
Core Public Health Courses - There are five core areas of knowledge considered critical for all public health students. These areas have been delineated by the Council on Education for Public Health and also reflect the core concentrations offered in our MPH program. These areas are: Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health Sciences, Health Services Administration, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. All five courses are completed in fall and spring of the undergraduate senior year.
PHC 6050 Statistical Methods for Health Sciences I (3 credits)
- This course is designed for students to acquire fundamental knowledge
in experimental design, the collection, statistical analysis, and interpretation
of data, and statistical concepts applicable in evaluating public health
concerns. Click
here for a full syllabus.
PHC 6001 Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health (3 credits)
- This course is designed for students to acquire fundamental knowledge
in the pattern of disease distribution, determinants, and characteristics
in specific populations. Click
here for a full syllabus.
PHC 6313 Environmental Health Concepts in Public Health (3 credits)
- This course is designed for students to acquire fundamental knowledge
in environmental factors, such as biological, physical, and chemical agents,
that affect the health of the local, national, and international community.
Click here for
a full syllabus.
PHC 6102 Introduction to Public Health Administrative Systems (3
credits) - This course is designed for students to acquire fundamental
knowledge in organizational systems and policy analysis impacting the health
of the local, national, and international community.
Click here for
a full syllabus.
PHC 6406 Psychological, Behavioral, and Social Issues in Public
Health (3 credits) – This course is designed for students
to acquire fundamental knowledge in identifying psychological, behavioral,
and social factors impacting the health of the community and to learn basic
strategies for addressing public health problems through the implementation
of psychological, behavioral, and social solutions. Click
here for a full syllabus.
Student Eligibility:
Given the breadth of possible public health careers, students with any undergraduate
major can apply to the public health combined degree program. Students are
eligible to apply in their junior year for admission in the senior year.
Only students with a strong overall academic portfolio will be considered.
Students must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.2 and must also submit GRE
test results. While we have not set minimum GRE requirements, students accepted
into the program have typically done well on this exam.
All students must have completed STA 2023, BSC 2007 or
BSC 2010, PSY 2012, CLP 3144 or DEP 3053,
and APK 2105C with a grade of at least a C in each course
to be eligible for admission to the combined degree program. Students have
additional prerequisite coursework for the graduate level portion of the
program depending upon the concentration area of interest. These additional
prerequisites can be completed in the senior year. Students should check
with the dean’s office for current prerequisites. (Currently, Biostatistics
requires two semesters of college level calculus, and Environmental Health
requires two semesters of college biology and two semesters of college chemistry.
Organic chemistry is recommended but not required for Environmental Health.)
How to Apply:
Interested students should submit the following materials to the College
of Public Health and Health Professions (PHHP) Dean’s Office, located
at 4101 HPNP Building:
• Completed University of Florida form for the Combined Degree Program
- you can access this form on ISIS www.isis.ufl.edu;
click on Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree
• GRE scores
• University transcript documenting all college level work
• Statement of interest
You will also need to apply to the Graduate School but do not take
this step until after you are sure that you have been accepted to the combined
degree program.
Application Deadlines: Applications should be submitted
by July 1 for Fall term admission and by October 1 for Spring term admission.
Applications after the relevant deadline will be considered on a case-by-case
and space available basis.
Steps to Take If Accepted: Once the dean’s office
has made acceptance decisions, students will be contacted to pick up the
combined degree form. Students need to return the signed combined degree
form to their college’s academic advising office to ensure appropriate
credit for the coursework. The PHHP dean’s office will register students
for their public health courses.
Tuition: Please remember that the public health combined
degree requires graduate level courses in the senior year. Financial aid
typically only pays for the undergraduate portion of the cost of graduate
courses when you are an undergraduate. However, please check with student
financial services regarding your specific financial aid package or if you
have questions regarding tuition coverage for these courses.
Start Date: Students can initiate the combined degree program
in Fall or Spring once they have reached senior standing (90 hours earned)
and have been accepted to the program. Students can not begin the program
before reaching senior standing.
Student Questions: Students should feel free to contact
Dr. Stephanie Hanson (shanson@phhp.ufl.edu)
if they have questions regarding the public health combined degree (352-273-6377).
