Program Overview
The PhD/MPH degree is offered jointly by the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology and the MPH program in the College of Public Health and Health Professions. Psychologists with MPH degrees are uniquely qualified not only to treat patients with behavioral and mental health conditions, but also to promote health and prevent these conditions before they become problematic. Graduates of this combination degree program have a broad perspective and specialized population-based problem-solving, program development, evaluation and research skills that are applicable in many settings. Clinical and Health Psychology 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. However, it is recommended that students devote one continuous year, usually the third, to MPH coursework.
Graduation Requirements
All students in combination MPH programs must meet graduation requirements of the MPH. All students must also satisfy the curriculum requirements for each degree before either degree is awarded. 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 supervisory committee.
Students must meet graduation requirements for both programs.
- View the graduation requirements for the MPH program
- View the graduation requirements for the Clinical and Health Psychology PhD program
Admission Criteria and Process
Candidates for the program must:
- Meet the entrance requirements and procedures for admission to the Master of Public Health
- Meet the entrance requirements and procedures for admission to the Clinical and Health Psychology PhD program
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, students usually begin their PhD studies and confer with CHP 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. The nontraditional degree program is not open to students who have already earned one of the two degrees.
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) if they have questions regarding the MPH/Clinical and Health Psychology PhD program.