BS/Master’s in Public Health

Program Overview

Undergraduate Health Science majors in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences who are enrolled in the joint BS/MPH Program have the opportunity to take graduate courses in the MPH program during their final undergraduate year. These courses count toward both their BS and their MPH, allowing these students to earn two degrees in a shorter amount of time than it would to earn them separately.

Earn two degrees at once

Hone your public health interests

Begin your career sooner

Curriculum

Students enrolled in the joint program take classes that meet the curriculum requirements for both a BS and MPH. BS/MPH students work with undergraduate and graduate advisors to design a flexible program of study that enables them to use their undergraduate electives strategically to begin graduate coursework. All BS/MPH graduates will fulfill the same competencies that guide the MPH program.

Final Undergraduate Year*

Fall Semester	Take 2 MPH core courses
Spring Semester	Take 3 MPH core courses
May	Graduate with BS
Summer Semester	Officially matriculate into MPH Program Go full time (earn MPH in one year) Go part time (earn MPH in two years)

*A maximum of 5 MPH core courses can be taken during this year. Please see the MPH Program page for curriculum details.

Admissions

Interested students should plan to apply during the Spring semester of their Junior year.

Eligible:	Bouvé Health Science majors only*
Deadline to apply:	3/10	Decision notification:	7/15

Please note that BS/MPH applicants should apply via Northeastern’s Apply Yourself system, not the SOPHAS application portal.

Apply Here

* Students that were conditionally accepted into the BS/MPH Program upon freshman matriculation do not need to formally apply via the process outlined here, but instead, they must fill out a Letter of Intent form (see button below) by December 1 of their Junior year to confirm their interest in pursuing the dual degree. Provided they earn a minimum overall 3.5 GPA in that semester and have completed a health-related co-op, they will be issued a formal letter of acceptance by the MPH Program, which must be signed and returned to the Bouvé Graduate Office.**

Admissions Checklist

Click each required application item for more information.

Letter of Intent Form

Name*
First Last
Other Name Used

if applicable
NU ID*
Date of Birth*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Preferred Mailing Address*
Street Address City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country
Husky Email*
Phone*
Gender*
- Male
- Female
- Prefer not to answer
Student Status*
- Domestic (US Citizen, Permanent Resident, Dual Citizen)
- International
I consent to my submitted data being collected and stored*
- Yes

Student Experiences

Click on each student’s photo to read about their experiences in the BS/MPH program.

Ama Donkor
BS/MPH class of 2018

Lindsay Fisher
BS/MPH class of 2018

Felicia Simmons
BS/MPH class of 2018

Aaron Yagoda
BS/MPH class of 2018

Frequently Asked Questions

How much time will I save by doing both degrees at once?

It typically takes two years of full-time coursework to earn the stand alone MPH. If you matriculate into the program having already begun your MPH coursework as an undergraduate, you have the ability to earn your MPH within a year if you continue as a full-time student.

How much money will I save by doing both degrees at once?

If you take the five maximum allowed graduate courses as an undergraduate, you save 15 credits worth of graduate tuition. You only have to pay for 27 credits of graduate tuition to earn your MPH (non dual degree students have to pay for 42 credits). For up-to-date information regarding Northeastern University tuition per credit, please refer to the University’s tuition page.

Can I still do coop?

Yes, you would just need to do your coop(s) prior to your final undergraduate year, which is when you begin taking graduate MPH coursework.

At what point in the program am I considered a graduate student?

You are automatically converted to a graduate student in the semester following your undergraduate graduation. Typically, you will be awarded your BS in May and be considered a graduate student after that point in time.

Am I eligible for the merit-based scholarships the MPH Program awards its students?

No, because you are saving 15 credits worth of graduate tuition as a dual degree student, you are not eligible to receive any merit-based scholarships from the MPH Program, including the Double Husky Scholarship.

Do I have to complete the MPH portion of my program within a year?

No, you can take up to five years to complete the MPH portion of your dual degree program.

Once I am a graduate student in the MPH Program, do I have to go full-time?

No, you can change your status to a part-time student (taking one or two classes a semester). It would typically take you two years to complete the program.

Can I take more than 5 MPH graduate courses if I have room in my undergraduate schedule?

You can take more than 5 MPH graduate courses while still an undergraduate. However, these credits would not count toward your MPH degree, only your BS.

Will my MPH be any different than the MPH non dual-degree students get?

No, your MPH will be exactly the same as the one awarded to non dual-degree students.

I was offered conditional acceptance to the BS/MPH Program as a freshman, but I do not meet the requirements for automatic entry. What are my options?

If you were offered conditional acceptance into the BS/MPH Program as a freshman, but as a junior you either do not have a 3.5 GPA or did not take a health-related co-op, you can still apply to the dual degree program via the admissions process outlined above for all health sciences majors.

Contact Information

We welcome any questions you might have about the BS/MPH program. Please feel free to send general program inquiries and admissions-related questions to [email protected].

Neil Maniar, PhD, MPH
MPH Program Director

Accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health

The MPH Program in Urban Health CEPH Accreditation Self Study Document and CEPH Accreditation Final Report are available upon request from the Program Manager, Alison Gillis, at [email protected].

Learning Outcomes