Earn two degrees (BS+MPH) in less time
The BS+MPH Accelerated Program allows current SPH students in one of our bachelor's degree programs to earn an MPH degree for less time and money than a traditional graduate student. You’ll take 12 credits of our MPH core course curriculum at undergraduate-level tuition rates in the last year of your BS program and enter one of our nine MPH concentrations.
Perfect for...
- Students interested in an MPH without a GRE requirement
- Students looking for a small MPH cohort
- Students looking to save money
- Students looking to save time
Career Paths
- Science and Policy Fellow
- Capacity Building Research Analyst
- Assistant Director, Health Promotion & Wellness Services
- Health Communication Fellow
- Program Consultant
- Communications Specialist
Program Overview
Accepted students will have the opportunity to complete undergraduate requirements as determined by their program and begin graduate coursework during their fourth year. Entry into the BS+MPH program is not guaranteed, even for qualified students, as the number of seats available is limited.
Participating in the program offers the following benefits:
- Saves time (you will start your graduate work early)
- Saves money (you take graduate courses at an undergraduate cost)
- Small cohort of students (creates camaraderie among peers and close relationships with faculty)
- GRE is not required
- Jump starts your career in public health
master's degree typically earn
$10K or more than those with only
a bachelor's degree.
The accelerated program allows select students from our SPH BS degree programs—Family Science, Global Health, Kinesiology, Public Health Practice and Public Health Science—to double-count 12 credits of our MPH core course curriculum at the undergraduate level and enter one of our nine MPH concentrations.
- Behavioral and Community Health (online option available)
- Biostatistics
- Epidemiology
- Environmental Health Sciences
- Health Care Management
- Health Equity
- Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation
- Physical Activity (Online)
- Public Health Practice and Policy (Online)
- Must be a junior currently enrolled in an SPH undergraduate program: Family Science, Global Health, Kinesiology, Public Health Practice and Public Health Science
- Must complete the majority of your undergraduate degree requirements by the end of the Junior year
- Must have (and maintain) a 3.5* minimum GPA
- Be able to fit 12-credits (4-5** Core MPH courses) into your senior year schedule
- Complete (C- or higher) a University-approved professional writing course before the start of your senior year
- Must be able to demonstrate a record of strong academic progress and experience in your undergraduate degree program
- Must graduate from your undergraduate program in the Spring of your Senior year
*The MPH concentrations in Behavioral and Community and Physical Activity will consider applicants with a 3.4 minimum GPA
**Check MPH program plans. Students' first step to understanding eligibility is to schedule an appointment with their undergraduate advising office.
Deadlines:
Students may apply for the program in the spring semester of their junior year. Applications are due in February.
Applications Period Begins: The second week of December
Application Period Ends: Second Friday in February
New Cohort is Notified: Estimated on the Second Friday in March
Applying for the accelerated program is a two-part process once the application period has opened:
Step 1: Students will complete an Initial Interest Application and attend at least one BS+MPH Accelerated Program Info Session.
Step 2: Students will then be "enrolled" in a Canvas Course designed for all applicants to retrieve forms and links and upload their application. Access to this Canvas course is provided at the beginning of the application period.
Application Review
Completed BS+MPH Accelerated Program applications are reviewed by a faculty admissions committee in the respective graduate program. Decisions are based on a holistic review of the applicant’s materials, including but not limited to previous academic records, personal statements, previous experience, letters of recommendation, and other elements. Submitting a complete, qualifying application does not guarantee admission. The number of applications received from individuals qualified for graduate study in SPH programs regularly exceeds the number of applicants who can be accommodated. Spaces available in the various programs are limited according to the availability of faculty, class and program size, and other program priorities. In such cases, only the most highly qualified students are admitted.
- Electronic Application form where you will submit:
- A Statement of Purpose essay
- Responses to the Personal Experience Prompts
- At least two letters of recommendation (at least one from a UMD SPH faculty member)
- An approved program plan from your Undergraduate Advisor
- Resume
- The most recent unofficial copy of your UMD transcript
- The transcript must show at least one semester of your UMD GPA
- If you attended other undergraduate institution(s) prior to arriving at UMD, also include the corresponding transcripts
- Acknowledgement of your MPH concentration's course sequence/schedule
The BS+MPH Accelerated Program is available for all of our MPH program concentrations. Students should review the description of each program carefully to determine which program best fits their career and professional goals. For further details about each program, please visit our website. If you still have questions after reviewing the website please reach out to the program director (check the program plans linked below).
As you review the different concentrations, make sure you review the individual program course sequences in the document below. The course sequence of the MPH programs cannot be altered. Some programs will take longer to complete due to core course sequencing, so ensure you know the course sequencing for the program you are applying to.
Take a moment to hear from some current and former students in the program!
What Advice do You Have for Students?
What is Your Favorite Part of the BS/MHP Program?
What are the Challenges of the BS/MPH Program?
Who is in the Program?
Why have you liked having accelerated students in your program?
- Accelerated students are highly engaged, enthusiastic and dedicated.
- Accelerated students are ready to be challenged, implement critical thinking techniques and learn practical techniques that are based in the real world.
- Accelerated students have had opportunities to participate in various research projects in the department.
- Accelerated students are admirable, they balance so much, yet they remain so passionate about the profession and becoming leaders in the field.
How will being a student in the accelerated program equip them to make a difference in society when they graduate?
- They will be given the opportunity to gain the skills and practical experiences needed to enhance public health and wellness through physical activity-related initiatives that are of greatest interest to you.
- They will be provided with practical skills to help them remain competitive in the job market. They will learn how to identify major problems and create solutions to solve them while improving efficiency.
- They will learn strategies to develop health education programs/interventions which address these issues while also aiming to improve the public's health through the adoption (and/or maintenance) of health behaviors.
- We are committed to student success. Each MPH student is paired with an academic advisor who meets with the student regularly throughout the program in order to provide guidance on their program of study, research activities and career goals.