Accelerated M.P.H. degree
A new partnership between Boston College’s Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good (GPHCG) and Tufts University Medical School will allow students to pursue an accelerated Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree at the medical school, starting as soon as their junior year, said Professor of Biology Philip Landrigan, M.D., founding director of the Global Public Health program.
“We are really excited about this collaboration with Tufts Medical School, which will allow Boston College to offer our Global Public Health and the Common Good students and others the opportunity to start a Master of Public Health degree while they are still undergraduates,” said Landrigan. “We look forward to seeing our students take advantage of this incredible educational opportunity and go on to make a difference in the world of public health.”
Global Public Health and the Common Good Program Director Philip Landrigan, M.D.
He said the unique degree program is designed to foster academic excellence and provide BC students with unparalleled opportunities to advance their education and careers in public health. A recent information session drew approximately 40 students. There are nearly 200 GPHCG students, including 45 majors.
Seniors interested in the program must submit an application to Tufts by October 15 this year. Sophomores and juniors can apply by April 1. The program is also open to students who are not pursuing a major or minor in public health at BC.
“An M.P.H. solidifies the knowledge of public health that a student gains as an undergraduate,” Landrigan said. “It can prepare students to go in multiple directions: medical school, advanced nursing education, doctoral studies in public health, or direct entry into the workforce, such as the Massachusetts Department of Public Health or the Boston Public Health Commission.”
Students will be able to earn up to 12 credits toward the 42-credit program during their junior and senior years. The program also allows for accelerated completion, enabling students to earn the master’s degree in as little as one year. The degree requirements include completion of two eligible three-credit GPHCG courses, which count toward both the BC bachelor’s degree and the Tufts M.P.H. At Tufts, students must complete two eligible M.P.H. courses either in-person or online.
BC’s participation in the Boston Higher Education Consortium ensures that tuition for the Tufts courses will not entail added cost to BC undergraduates. Credits from the courses will be counted towards the M.P.H. degree once the student has graduated from BC and matriculated into Tufts.
Initial discussions about such a degree program began nearly 10 years ago, led by BC School of Social Work Professor Summer Hawkins, now associate director of the Global Public Health program. Those discussions were rekindled in recent years and led to the creation of the partnership, Landrigan said.
Find additional details about the Accelerated Master of Public Health program here or email publichealth@bc.edu.