Frequently Asked Questions About the Master of Public Health Cooperative Degree Program
What is the cooperative degree program?
乐播传媒入口 and the University of Iowa have established an innovative cooperative degree program in public health leading to a BA from 乐播传媒入口 and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Iowa (UI) College of Public Health in one additional year. The cooperative degree program offers early admission to the College of Public Health for select 乐播传媒入口 students to enter the MPH degree program prior to completing their undergraduate degree, saving time and money by earning both a bachelor鈥檚 and a master鈥檚 degree in five years.
How does the program work?
乐播传媒入口 students apply for the MPH program by February 1 of their third year at 乐播传媒入口. Following admission to the cooperative degree program, students will complete UI graduate courses online as part of their fourth year that will count toward completing both BA and MPH degree requirements. At the time of entry into graduate standing, students must have a 3.0 grade-point average.
How long does the program take?
The program allows 乐播传媒入口 students to earn both a BA degree and an MPH degree in five years, rather than the customary six. 乐播传媒入口 students in the cooperative degree program can move more quickly toward the master鈥檚 degree because some courses in the program satisfy requirements at both 乐播传媒入口 and the University of Iowa. In addition, most of the graduate coursework can be done online, allowing 乐播传媒入口 students to work towards their MPH without commuting. The cooperative degree program allows graduates to enter the workforce earlier with a practical degree in the growing healthcare sector.
Is the program only for science majors?
No, any qualified 乐播传媒入口 student may apply to the program, regardless of major. Students who enter the Master of Public Health Cooperative Program come from a wide range of undergraduate majors. Many students from diverse academic backgrounds are interested in the field of public health. Students are encouraged to research specific tracks available within the cooperative degree program to create a plan of study at 乐播传媒入口 that supports their intended program of study at the College of Public Health.
What can students do with a graduate degree in public health?
The MPH degree program provides training in the core disciplines of public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, community and behavioral health, occupational and environmental health, and health policy. Program graduates work in a variety of health-related sectors including governmental, non-governmental, and nonprofit organizations. They are epidemiologists, biostatisticians, policymakers, administrators, program planners, evaluators, and environmental specialists, to name a few.
Why did 乐播传媒入口 pursue the cooperative program in public health?
A liberal arts education is a good background for a career in public health. The program reflects 乐播传媒入口鈥檚 strong commitment to providing a broad liberal arts education that prepares students 鈥渇or the honorable discharge of the duties of life鈥 and the institution鈥檚 long-standing commitment to access and social justice. This cooperative program builds on the strengths of 乐播传媒入口鈥檚 national reputation in the liberal arts and the University of Iowa鈥檚 outstanding public health program.
What are the application requirements?
乐播传媒入口 students apply to the MPH program by February 1 of the third undergraduate year. The application requirements are:
- Completion of 80 semester hours of undergraduate work (transfer coursework is acceptable)
- At least a 3.25 GPA (3.5 for Epidemiology applicants)
- A letter of application including a statement of purpose
- Three letters of recommendation
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores (if international)
The MPH program admissions committee and 乐播传媒入口 will review applications. The MPH program director will forward recommendations for admission to the UI Graduate College for final approval. Support will be given by each student鈥檚 academic adviser at 乐播传媒入口 and the graduate adviser in the College of Public Health until the student has completed the requirements for the undergraduate degree. Students must have a GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of transition to graduate-only status.
How many public health courses do cooperative degree students take while at 乐播传媒入口?
The program enables 乐播传媒入口 students to take a total of four (4) UI courses and earn 9-12 semester hours toward an MPH degree while completing their undergraduate degree. In consultation with the 乐播传媒入口 Registrar and the UI College of Public Health, students may select one of the following options:
- Take the online undergraduate Fundamentals of Public Health course (3 semester hours) in the spring of the second year and take three online graduate level courses (9 semester hours) in the final year at 乐播传媒入口.
- Take four online graduate level courses (12 semester hours) in the final year at 乐播传媒入口.
Who should take the Fundamentals of Public Health course?
Exposure to public health through coursework or experiences increases interest and motivation to pursue advanced training in the field. Therefore, students with no prior public health experience through research, internships, or community service may elect to enroll in the Fundamentals of Public Health course (CPH 1400, 3 semester hours) at UI during the spring semester of the second year. This web-based course offers an overview of the field and offers students with no previous public health exposure the opportunity to gain a stronger background prior to application consideration.
Students are encouraged to consult with the associate director of admissions at the College of Public Health to determine whether it is advisable to enroll in CPH 1400. The course will count toward total credits for the 乐播传媒入口 BA degree, but will reduce the number of graduate courses admitted students are able to complete in the fourth year as students may only apply 12 semester hours total from UI towards the BA.
How can 乐播传媒入口 students fit this program into already full schedules?
Faculty and staff at 乐播传媒入口 and the UI College of Public Health will work together to ensure students are able to schedule web-based and on-campus courses in the appropriate semesters. Eighteen semester hours of the 21 required MPH core course semester hours have web-based options, facilitating scheduling. The remaining three-semester-hour required core course is the MPH Practicum Experience that can be completed at any site. We expect students will reside at 乐播传媒入口 for the first year of the cooperative degree program (year 4) and at the University of Iowa for the final year (year 5).
Since 乐播传媒入口 has very few general education requirements, there is great flexibility in developing plans of study. An individualized and detailed plan of study will be prepared for each student upon admission to the program and will be configured to ensure that the BA degree will be completed two semesters after admission to the cooperative degree program and that the MPH will be completed by the spring or summer of year 5.
How are tuition and fees handled?
As with other off-campus studies, students pay 乐播传媒入口 tuition and receive financial aid while enrolled at 乐播传媒入口, and 乐播传媒入口 pays the program expenses. Subsequent to graduating from 乐播传媒入口, student fees and aid will be administered by UI.
- During the first year of cooperative study or until completion of the undergraduate degree requirements, students will pay 乐播传媒入口 tuition, and 乐播传媒入口 will reimburse the University of Iowa at the UI rate for all enrolled students.
- During the final year of study, 乐播传媒入口 graduates will pay tuition directly to the University of Iowa. 乐播传媒入口 will provide no financial aid during the final, post-乐播传媒入口 year.
- Students may hold a graduate assistantship at the University of Iowa beginning with the second year of the cooperative program enrollment.
What is the expected outcome of this program?
乐播传媒入口 students who complete all program requirements will earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from 乐播传媒入口 and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the University of Iowa College of Public Health.
Is this the only public health program to which 乐播传媒入口 students may apply?
The Master of Public Health Cooperative Degree Program is the only program that offers combined 乐播传媒入口 and UI degrees. 乐播传媒入口 students may apply to any public health graduate program for which they meet qualifications. Students should consult each program for application requirements.
Where can I learn more about this program?
Details of the cooperative degree program and typical plan of study for the 乐播传媒入口 BA/UI College of Public Health MPH degree can be found on the program site.