Bachelor of Arts/Master of Public Health at Boston University

The Bachelor of Arts/Master of Public Health program offered jointly by the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) and the School of Public Health (SPH) is a blend of the undergraduate experience and graduate professional study leading to increased career opportunities in the field of public health. Students complete all degree requirements for the (128-credit) BA and all requirements for the (48-credit) MPH. Up to 16 credits of graduate-level School of Public Health coursework completed in the final two years of undergraduate study may be applied both as elective credit toward the BA and as credit toward fulfillment of requirements for the MPH. Careful planning and full-time enrollment can result in students’ receiving both the BA and MPH after a total of five years of study, rather than the usual minimum of five-and-a-half years. Students may complete the MPH degree on a part-time basis if desired. The BA is awarded at the completion of all BA requirements; the MPH is awarded once students have completed all MPH program requirements.

Public health is a diverse field that draws on expertise from many disciplines, including math, science, law, ethics, psychological and brain sciences, sociology, political science, and communications. Students applying to the BA/MPH program will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to public health as evidenced by their previous coursework, personal statement in the SOPHAS application, and past employment and extracurricular activities. Students in all CAS undergraduate concentrations are eligible to apply for the BA/MPH program, provided that they are not concurrently enrolled in another dual degree program. Students pursuing an undergraduate minor in Public Health must drop that minor if they are accepted and choose to enroll in the BA/MPH program. Students must apply for the program by April 1 of their sophomore year (for fall admission) or by October 15 of their junior year (for spring admission) and may apply prior to taking any courses at the School of Public Health. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.20, and successful applicants will generally have a GPA above 3.50.

Application to the dual degree program will consist of an Application Approval Form signed by the BA/MPH advisor (e.g., the Director of Prehealth Advising) at the Pre-Professional Advising Office, 100 Bay State Road, 4th Floor; a completed SOPHAS application to the School of Public Health; an official Boston University undergraduate transcript; three letters of reference, including two from faculty members at Boston University specifically addressing the student’s capacity to do graduate-level work.