PharmD/MPH

Program Overview

Pharmacy majors enrolled in the joint Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)/Master of Public Health (MPH) Program have the opportunity to take graduate courses in the MPH Program while earning their PharmD. Up to 15 credit hours of these courses count toward both their PharmD and MPH, allowing these students to earn their MPH in a shorter amount of time than it would take to earn it separately from their PharmD.

Complete coursework to earn two degrees

Broaden your academic training to include a public health perspective

Expand your professional tool kit

Curriculum

Students enrolled in the joint program take classes that meet the curriculum requirements for both a PharmD and MPH. All PharmD/MPH graduates will fulfill the same competencies that guide the MPH program.

PharmD/MPH students work with advisors from both the School of Pharmacy and the MPH Program to design a flexible program of study that enables them to use their electives strategically to begin graduate MPH coursework. Depending on your matriculation year into the PharmD program, the number of elective slots and the semesters in which they are available will vary. Generally, your program of study will include:

MPH core courses taken during most available PharmD elective slots

Please see the MPH Program Page for curriculum details. A maximum of 5 MPH core courses can be taken by undergraduate Pharmacy majors (Pharmacy majors are considered “undergraduates” until the summer of their P3 year).

A public health-oriented Advanced Pharmacy Practical Experience (APPE) rotation

PharmD students are required to complete 6 six-week APPE rotations in their final PharmD year. One of those rotations can be a public health-orientated placement.

MPH REQUIREMENTS POST-PHARMD

Once the PharmD is conferred, students remain enrolled in the MPH degree program, focusing exclusively on remaining MPH requirements. Students have the option of completing the remaining MPH coursework as full-time students or as part-time students, where length of program is dependent upon the student’s chosen course load.

Admissions

Interested PharmD students must apply during the Spring of their P2 year.

Eligible:	Undergraduate PharmD majors only
Deadline to apply:	3/1
Decision notification:	4/1

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

Apply Here

Admissions Checklist

Click each required application item for more information.

Perspectives on Pharmacy and Public Health

The Importance of Public Health in Pharmacy Education and Practice

Achieving Pharmacy-Based Public Health: A Call for Public Health Engagement

Pharmacy and public health

How Pharmacists Can Improve Our Nation’s Health

Public Health in Community Pharmacy

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

Susannah Franco
PharmD/MPH class of 2019

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 the year after you earn your PharmD.

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.

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

No, because you are saving up to 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.

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.

Contact Information

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

Neil Maniar, PhD, MPH
MPH Program Director

Learning Outcomes