Accelerated Public Health BS/MPH

Major: Public Health
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Public Health (MPH)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 236.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Five years)

 

About the Program

The Dornsife School of Public Health offers an accelerated degree option with its undergraduate BS in Public Health and Master of Public Health degrees. Participants can earn both a BS degree in Public Health and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in five years.

In this accelerated degree program, students participate in the undergraduate program for four full years, including one co-operative experience. After two years of undergraduate study, students begin their graduate studies in the Master of Public Health program. The third and fourth years are a mix of undergraduate and graduate courses. After the successful completion of their fourth year, students receive their BS. When students successfully complete the remainder of their graduate studies (typically one additional year/ three graduate quarters), they will receive the MPH degree.

Students must confirm their intent to continue or participate in the program with their advisor by the end of the spring term of year two. All students must also submit a formal application to apply to the graduate Master of Public Health program during their third year.

Any student who does not meet the entrance requirements of the graduate program will be able to complete the fourth year of the Public Health undergraduate program and receive a BS degree.

Students in the Master of Public Health program complete 56.0 graduate quarter credits to meet the requirements of the master's program.

Additional Information

For more information about this program, please contact:

DSPH Academic Advising Team
Office of Education
dsphadvising@drexel.edu

Additional information can be found on the Dornsife School of Public Health website.

Degree Requirements

General Education Requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COM 230Techniques of Speaking3.0
COM 320Science Writing3.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development *1.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
PSY 101General Psychology I3.0
SOC 101Introduction to Sociology3.0
UNIV PH101The Drexel Experience1.0
Major Requirements
PBHL 101Public Health 1013.0
PBHL 210Biostatistics I4.0
PBHL 301Epidemiology in Public Health3.0
PBHL 302History of Public Health3.0
PBHL 303Overview of Issues in Global Health3.0
PBHL 304Introduction to Health & Human Rights3.0
PBHL 308The U.S. Public Health System3.0
PBHL 314Environmental and Occupational Health3.0
Interdisciplinary Public Health Requirements
Select one PBHL (Public Health) course from each category below:12.0
Community Health & Prevention: PBHL 305, PBHL 306, PBHL 309, PBHL 313, PBHL 316, or PBHL 422
Environmental & Occupational Health: PBHL 307, PBHL 317, PBHL 319, PBHL 330, PBHL 350, PBHL 457, or PBHL 458
Health Management & Policy: PBHL 315, PBHL 318, or PBHL 333
Select four PBHL (Public Health) 100-499 level courses12.0
Math Requirements
Select any MATH (Mathematics) 100-499 level courses6.0
Biology Requirement
Select any BIO (Biology) 100-499 level course3.0
Science Requirements
Select courses in the following subject at the 100-499 level:12.0
Any BIO (Biology) course
Any CHEM (Chemistry) course
Any ENVS (Environmental Science) course
Any GEO (Geoscience) course
Any NFS (Nutrition & Food Science) course
Any PHEV (Physics-Environmental Science) course
Any PHYS (Physics) course
Social Science Electives
Select courses in the following subject at the 200-499 level:36.0
Any AFAS (Africana Studies) course
Any CJS (Criminology and Justice Studies) course
Any ENSS (Environmental Studies & Sustainability) course
Any GST( Global Studies) course
Any HSAD (Health Services Administration) course
Any PBHL (Public Health) course
Any PHIL (Philosophy) course
Any PSCI (Political Science) course
Any PSY (Psychology) course
Any SCTS (Science, Technology and Society) course
Any SOC (Sociology) course
Any WGST (Women's and Gender Studies) course
Public Health Capstone Experience
PBHL 497Capstone Experience I2.0
PBHL 498Capstone Experience II3.0
PBHL 499Capstone Experience III3.0
Free Electives
Select any unrestricted courses within the 100-499 level42.0
MPH Core Requirements
BST 571Introduction to Biostatistics3.0
EPI 570Introduction to Epidemiology3.0
HMP 505Qualitative Data and Mixed Methods Analysis3.0
PBHL 510Public Health Foundations and Systems I4.0
PBHL 511Public Health Foundations and Systems II4.0
Applied Practical Experience
PBHL 500Practical Experience for the Master of Public Health0.0
MPH Major Courses, Integrative Learning Experience, and Electives/Graduate Minor
Students will follow the required curriculum of their chosen MPH major39.0
Total Credits236.0
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

4+1, 1 co-op (Accelerated program completed in 5 years)

Students complete undergraduate requirements in four years, then convert to graduate status in the fifth and final year.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
ENGL 101
Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research
or English Composition I
3.0
PBHL 101 Public Health 101 3.0
UNIV PH101 The Drexel Experience 1.0
(UG) BIO Requirement 3.0
(UG) MATH Requirement 3.0
 Credits13
Winter
CIVC 101 Introduction to Civic Engagement 1.0
ENGL 102
Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing
or English Composition II
3.0
PSY 101 General Psychology I 3.0
(UG) MATH Requirement 3.0
(UG) Science Requirement 3.0
(UG) Free Electives 3.0
 Credits16
Spring
ENGL 103
Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres
or English Composition III
3.0
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology 3.0
(UG) Interdisciplinary Public Health Requirement 3.0
(UG) Free Electives 6.0
 Credits15
Summer
VACATION  
 Credits0
Second Year
Fall
PBHL 210 Biostatistics I 4.0
PBHL 303 Overview of Issues in Global Health 3.0
(UG) Science Requirement 3.0
(UG) Social Science Electives 6.0
 Credits16
Winter
PBHL 301 Epidemiology in Public Health 3.0
PBHL 302 History of Public Health 3.0
(UG) Interdisciplinary Public Health requirements 6.0
(UG) Science Requirement 3.0
 Credits15
Spring
COM 230 Techniques of Speaking 3.0
PBHL 304 Introduction to Health & Human Rights 3.0
PBHL 314 Environmental and Occupational Health 3.0
(UG) Interdisciplinary Public Health Requirement 3.0
(UG) Free Electives 6.0
 Credits18
Summer
COOP 101 Career Management and Professional Development * 1.0
(UG) Interdisciplinary Public Health Requirement 3.0
(UG) Social Science Electives 6.0
(UG) Free Electives 6.0
 Credits16
Third Year
Fall
COM 320 Science Writing 3.0
PBHL 308 The U.S. Public Health System 3.0
(UG) Interdisciplinary Public Health Requirement 3.0
(UG) Social Science Electives 6.0
BST 571 Introduction to Biostatistics 3.0
 Credits18
Winter
(UG) Interdisciplinary Public Health requirement 6.0
(UG) Science Requirement 3.0
(UG) Social Science electives 6.0
EPI 570 Introduction to Epidemiology 3.0
 Credits18
Spring
COOP EXPERIENCE  
HMP 505 Qualitative Data and Mixed Methods Analysis 3.0
 Credits3
Summer
COOP EXPERIENCE  
 Credits0
Fourth Year
Fall
PBHL 497 Capstone Experience I 2.0
(UG) Social Science Electives 6.0
(UG) Free Electives 6.0
PBHL 510 Public Health Foundations and Systems I 4.0
 Credits18
Winter
PBHL 498 Capstone Experience II 3.0
(UG) Social Science Electives 6.0
(UG) Free Electives 6.0
PBHL 511 Public Health Foundations and Systems II 4.0
 Credits19
Spring
PBHL 499 Capstone Experience III 3.0
(UG) Free Electives 9.0
(GR) MPH Major Courses, Electives / Graduate Minor 6.0
 Credits18
Summer
BS Degree Awarded  
Student classified as Graduate Student  
PBHL 500 Practical Experience for the Master of Public Health 0.0
 Credits0
Fifth Year
Fall
(GR) MPH Major Courses, Integrative Learning Experience, and Electives / Graduate Minor 12.0
 Credits12
Winter
(GR) MPH Major Courses, Integrative Learning Experience, and Electives / Graduate Minor 12.0
 Credits12
Spring
(GR) MPH Major Courses, Integrative Learning Experience, and Electives / Graduate Minor 9.0
 Credits9
 Total Credits236
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.