Rehabilitation Science PhD/Master of Public Health (PhD/MPH)

Program Overview

The College of Public Health and Health Professions has a long-standing commitment to treatment and rehabilitation of individuals with chronic diseases and disabilities. Adding a public health, population-based set of skills to the research training in this PhD program produces a uniquely-qualified researcher. Individuals who complete this program are in exceptional positions to conduct research that will contribute to cutting-edge paradigm shifts and to inform health policy decisions that affect chronic diseases and disabilities. The PhD/MPH program involves collaboration among four departments and the MPH program in the College of Public Health and Health Professions.

Graduation Requirements

All students in combination MPH programs must meet graduation requirements of the MPH. A student must satisfy the curriculum requirements for each degree before either degree is awarded. Rehabilitation Science PhD/MPH plans of study are developed for each student individually, taking into account the public health competencies to be achieved and the manner in which MPH courses will be integrated into the four years of course and laboratory work normally required for the PhD. Students in the PhD program may take MPH courses concurrent with their PhD courses.

Nine credits of appropriate PhD coursework may be applied to requirements in the 48-credit MPH program. The nine credits selected from the PhD curriculum must be approved by the MPH program upon the recommendation of the student’s faculty advisors. Conversely, the PhD program may accept up to 30 credits of approved master’s-level coursework towards the requirements of the PhD.

Click here to view the graduation requirements for the MPH program.

Admission Criteria and Process

Candidates for the program must:

The nontraditional degree program is not open to students who have already earned one of the two degrees.

Timing of Application/Admission

Students may apply to both programs simultaneously, or they may enter one degree program and apply to the other after beginning the first program. However, the sequencing of applications and acceptances is important. Since the PhD program is much smaller than the MPH, the recommended method is for students to begin their PhD studies and confer with Rehabilitation Science faculty mentors and MPH faculty before applying to the MPH program. After acceptance into the MPH, Combination Degree Program forms are completed and submitted to the Graduate School for classification as a combination program student. Appropriate forms (1 and 2) for nontraditional doctoral/master’s degree programs may be found at http://graduateschool.ufl.edu/media/graduate-school/pdf-files/nontraditional-degree-form.pdf

Students should feel free to contact Telisha Martin (martints@phhp.ufl.edu; 352-273-6444) or Laura Quintana (lauraq@phhp.ufl.edu; 352-273-6106) if they have questions regarding the MPH/PhD degree program.