Saint Louis University's accelerated Bachelor of Science in Public Health/Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) is designed for students who demonstrate academic success in the public health major and related coursework. The B.S. in Public Health and the M.P.H. degrees are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.
This accelerated program enables public health majors to obtain their undergraduate and master's degrees in five years; they then enter the workforce up to a year earlier than with traditional two-year M.P.H. programs.
Students apply to the accelerated program during their junior year, and accepted students begin graduate coursework during their senior year. Students retain undergraduate status, financial aid and tuition rates until their undergraduate degree is conferred after year four. At that time, students attain official graduate student status, pay graduate tuition and become eligible for graduate assistantships.
Students in SLU's accelerated B.S./M.P.H. program choose one of five concentrations:
- Behavioral Science and Health Equity
- Biostatistics
- Epidemiology
- Health Management and Policy
- Public Health Practice
For additional information, see the catalog entries for the following SLU programs:
Saint Louis University students in the public health major who meet the eligibility requirements may apply in the fall semester of their junior year.
Eligibility requirements include:
- Students must be in their fifth semester of collegiate study.
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.40.
- Students must demonstrate a plan to complete 90 credits of the 120 credits required for their public health major by the beginning of their fourth year of studies.
- Students must be eligible to complete the accelerated curriculum with no more than 15 credits during each semester in year four of the program.
- Students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing with Saint Louis University and the College for Public Health and Social Justice.
- Students must demonstrate the potential for leadership in public health; this can be done through engagement in volunteer activities or work experience.
Application procedures and program details are outlined in the College for Public Health and Social Justice Undergraduate Public Health Student Handbook.
Interested undergraduate students must apply to the accelerated program during their 5th semester (fall semester of year 3) and have at least one semester with an established GPA at SLU. Students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing with SLU and the College of Public Health and Social Justice. Students should also demonstrate leadership in their field, e.g. through volunteer or work experience. Students should earn a minimum of C in all B.S. Public Health major courses.
During their senior/final year as an undergraduate, students may not register for more than 15 credits each semester. Accelerated students can take a maximum of 15 credits of MPH coursework at the 5000- or 6000- level over their senior year that will count for both the BSPH and MPH degrees.
Students should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.40 in order to progress into the graduate program and must earn a minimum grade of B- in all graduate-level courses.
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
Undergraduate to Graduate Program Roadmap
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CORE 1000 | Ignite First Year Seminar | 2-3 |
| CORE 1500 | Cura Personalis 1: Self in Community | 1 |
| CORE 1900 | Eloquentia Perfecta 1: Written and Visual Communication | 3 |
| PUBH 2100 | Introduction to Global Health | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| CORE 1600 | Ultimate Questions: Theology | 3 |
| HMP 1300 | Contemporary Challenges in Health Care | 3 |
| MATH 1400 | Pre-Calculus (Ways of Thinking: Quantitative Reasoning) | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| CORE 1200 | Eloquentia Perfecta 2: Oral and Visual Communication | 3 |
| CORE 1700 | Ultimate Questions: Philosophy | 3 |
| PUBH 2300 | Contemporary Issues in Global Health | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CORE 2500 | Cura Personalis 2: Self in Contemplation | 0 |
| PUBH 3200 | Evidence Based Public Health | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| Critical course: Eligible students formally apply to the Accelerated Program. | ||
| CORE 2800 | Eloquentia Perfecta 3: Creative Expression | 2-3 |
| CORE 3400 | Ways of Thinking: Aesthetics, History, and Culture | 3 |
| PUBH 3100 | Public Health & Social Justice | 3 |
| General Elective: Global Interdependence Attribute | 3 | |
| General Elective: Identities in Context | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 17-18 | |
| Spring | ||
| Department reviews applications, conducts interviews, and qualified students are notified of acceptance. | ||
| CORE 3500 | Cura Personalis 3: Self in the World | 1 |
| CORE 3600 | Ways of Thinking: Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| CORE 4000 | Collaborative Inquiry | 2-3 |
| PUBH 4100 | Biological Basis of Public Health (Ways of Thinking: Natural Sciences) | 3 |
| General Elective: Reflection in Action Attribute | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| PUBH 4000 | Politics and Public Health Advocacy | 3 |
| PUBH 5030 | Methodological Approaches to Understanding Population Health | 3 |
| PUBH 5040 | Generating Evidence from Public Health Data | 3 |
| Public Health Elective: Accelerated Students substitute a graduate level class dependent on concentration. | 3 | |
| Undergraduate General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PUBH 4960 | Capstone in Public Health 3 | 3 |
| Public Health Elective: Accelerated Students substitute an MPH class, according to their concentration. | 3 | |
| General Elective: Accelerated Students substitute an MPH class according to their concentration. | 3 | |
| Undergraduate General Elective | 3 | |
| Undergraduate General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
| PUBH 5910 | Practice Experience in Public Health | 1 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Year Five | ||
| Fall | ||
| Masters Level Course | 3 | |
| Masters Level Course | 3 | |
| Masters Level Course | 3 | |
| Masters Level Course | 3 | |
| Masters Level Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Masters Level Course | 3 | |
| Masters Level Course | 3 | |
| Masters Level Course | 3 | |
| Masters Level Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 150-153 | |
For additional questions about undergraduate admission, please contact:
Katie Linnenbrink
Administrative assistant
Tegeler Hall 300 West
314-977-3934
katie.linnenbrink@slu.edu