The College of Public Health offers a combined BSPH/MPH program for Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) undergraduate students with outstanding academic records. This allows well-qualified undergraduates to start graduate study before completing their BSPH degree.
Enrolling in a combined BSPH/MPH program can reduce the total time it takes to get both a BSPH degree and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree by overlapping 12-16 credit hours (effective AU2024, the maximum will be reduced to 9 credit hours) taken as an graduate student toward a BSPH degree.
Eligibility
Students applying to the program have to be admitted into the BSPH major.
At least one year prior to applying to the combined degree program, students need to schedule a meeting with a CPH academic advisor to discuss the application process.
Students must meet all requirements of the Graduate School for the combined degree program. Section II of the official Ohio State Graduate School Handbook contains up-to-date information about these requirements. Students are eligible to apply for a combined BSPH/MPH program in Public Health after:
- Completing at least 90 undergraduate credit hours;
- Having a 3.5 Cumulative GPA in all previous work; and
- Prerequisite training enabling pursuit of the selected graduate degree program.
Combined BSPH/MPH Degree Programs
- BSPH in Public Health Sociology and MPH in Epidemiology
- BSPH in Public Health Sociology and MPH in Health Behavior and Health Promotion
- BSPH in Environmental Public Health and MPH in Epidemiology
- BSPH in Environmental Public Health and MPH in Environmental Health Sciences
Application, Admission and Enrollment
Current undergraduate BSPH students in the College of Public Health need to complete a pre-application several months before they start the application process to the combined degree. This should take place at least one year before they enter the combined degree program. Students must apply to the MPH graduate program, following the normal graduate admission process and indicate on the application their desire to enter the combined BSPH/MPH program. If a student is admitted to that graduate program, then they become eligible to enroll in its combined BSPH/MPH program.
Additional Information
When applying to a combined BSPH/MPH program, please note no preferential treatment for graduate admission is provided for being an Ohio State BSPH student. They apply, and are admitted, to graduate study under the normal graduate admission criteria and processes. This means that the time of application and the term of enrollment in the combined BSPH/MPH program (after being admitted) are very important. Students should consult with their academic advisor as soon as they think they might be interested in a combined BSPH/MPH program.
Courses taken while enrolled in a combined BSPH/MPH program (i.e., while officially a graduate student) may count toward an MPH degree. So students must apply for, be admitted to, and enroll in a combined BSPH/MPH program before they can apply the credit.
Once enrolled in a combined BSPH/MPH program, students become a graduate student in addition to remaining an undergraduate student.
Students will have two GPAs – one for undergraduate and one for graduate. Students are subject to academic standards at both levels.
For more information about general program requirements and details about the application process and other issues mentioned above, students should schedule an appointment with a College of Public Health academic advisor.
