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 taken as an undergraduate by completing
the five core courses in public health (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 demonstrate appropriate professional behavior
during the undergraduate portion of the combined degree program, 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
http://www.mph.ufl.edu/programs/masterspublichealth.htm.
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. There are two options for meetng the Biostatistics
core course requirement. Students who anticipate enrolling in the epidemiology
or biostatistics concentration should take STA6166. All five courses are
completed in fall and spring of the undergraduate senior year.
PHC 6050 Statistical Methods for Health Sciences I (3 credits) - Appropriate use of data summarization and presentation of basic statistical methods, including ANOVA, nonparametric methods, inference on discrete data, inference on survival data, and regression methods for continuous, binary, and survival data.Click here for a full syllabus.
STA 6166 Statistical Methods in Research I (3 credits) -
Statistical inference based on t, F, and X2 tests. Analysis of variance
for basic experimental designs. Factorial experiments, regression analysis
and analysis of covariance. Click
here for a full syllabus
PHC 6001 Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health (3 credits)
- Overview of epidemiology methods used in research studies that address
disease patterns in community and clinic-based populations. Includes distribution
and determinants of health-related states or events in specific populations
and application to control of health problems. Click
here for a full syllabus.
PHC 6313 Environmental Health Concepts in Public Health (3 credits)
- Survey of major topics of enviornmental health. Sources, routes, media,
and health outcomes associated with biological, chemical, and physical agents
in environment. Effects of agents on disease, water quality, air quality,
food safety, and land resources. Current legal framework, policies, and
practices associated with environmental health and intended to improve public
health. Click here
for a full syllabus.
PHC 6102 Introduction to Public Health Administrative Systems (3
credits) - Overview of the public health system, including public
health concepts and practice and health care delivery and financing. Focus
on understanding of organization and administration of health services,
structure and functions of U.S. public health system, and health insurance
programs..
Click here for
a full syllabus.
PHC 6410 Psychological, Behavioral, and Social Issues in Public
Health (3 credits) - Health behavior from an ecological perspective;
includes primary, secondary and tertiary prevention across a variety of
settings; incorporates behavioral science theory and methods. 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 MAC 2313 Analytic Geometry and 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
- One letter of recommendation from a faculty member
- 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 cannot 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).
