BSPH/MPH

Earn your bachelor's and master's degrees in public health in five years

Grounded in the basic sciences with an emphasis on population health, the Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) program prepares students for positions in fields such as health education, epidemiology, and environmental health across nonprofit, industry, and government sectors. Inspired by Loyola's Jesuit tradition of social justice and freedom of inquiry, the Master of Public Health (MPH) program prepares students to promote health equity.

The dual-degree BSPH/MPH program prepares future public health leaders through a competency-based and flexible community-engaged curriculum. As a public health professional, you can change lives by promoting and protecting the health and well-being of people and their communities locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.

Our Commitment to You

Graduates of Loyola's Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Health programs will possess the following knowledge, skills, and professional values required for a leadership role in the diverse and growing field of public health.

As a multidisciplinary, practiced-oriented major, the BS in Public Health Program is designed to build knowledge across a broad array of domains to prepare students for entry-level public health jobs, graduate work, and lifelong learning. Foundational domains include:

Scientific knowledge in biological, life, social and behavioral sciences
Basic concepts of human health and disease
History, philosophy, values, and functions of public health
Determinants of health and health disparities
Role of data and application of quantitative reasoning
Health systems in the U.S. and abroad
Identifying and addressing population health problems
Project planning, implementation and evaluation
Health policy, law, ethics, economics
Health communications, and professionalism

In the MPH program, you will acquire foundational knowledge in the profession and science of public health and factors related to human health.

Students who complete the BS in Public Health major will be able to:

Discuss the history, characteristics, roles, functions, structures, and core concepts of public health and the U.S. health system
Debate the socioeconomic, behavioral, biological, and environmental factors that influence human health and disease and perpetuate health disparities
Describe the legal, regulatory, ethical, and economic dimensions shaping public health policy and practice
Locate, use, evaluate, and synthesize public health information
Use basic statistics and perform statistical analysis in SAS, a widely-used statistical software program, to identify and describe populations’ health concerns
Communicate public health information, in both oral and written forms, through a variety of media and to diverse audiences
Identify the basic tools for project management as well as population health assessment, planning, and evaluation
Advocate for health equity, especially on behalf of vulnerable and marginalized populations
Take a stand on a controversial public health issue and support it with evidence
Craft evidence-based solutions that take account of the community dynamics and cultural contexts in which public health practitioners work
Engage in sound ethical practice while exhibiting a high degree of professionalism

You will graduate with public health competencies in the areas of quantitative and qualitative data collection, evidence-based approaches, public health and health care systems, planning and management, policy, leadership, communication, inter-professional practice, and systems thinking with an MPH degree.

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health Program seeks to instill and reinforce the public health profession’s core values:

An obligation to promote health and prevent harm
A commitment to social justice
A focus on communities and community-wide outcomes
A belief in evidence-based practice underpinned by scientific reason
An adherence to the highest standards of professionalism
A celebration of diversity and respect for the rights, dignity, and worth of individuals
A preference for cooperation and collaboration
A drive toward solutions

Our MPH program is committed to social justice and prepares professional leaders to improve population health for all through collaborative community-engaged education, ethical practice, research, and service.

Curriculum

The BSPH-MPH Five Year Program Curriculum 2023-2024 requires 71 BSPH credit hours towards the undergraduate 120 credits needed for graduation and 30 MPH credit hours (up to 12 shared credits hours for the dual-degree). In the BSPH program, students complete remaining credits in the University Core, minors, and general electives. Several Knowledge Areas within the University Core are waived for BSPH students as they are already included in the major (Quantitative, Scientific Literacy, etc.).

120 total BSPH (71 required) and 30 MPH (12 shared) credit hours

View the MPH Track Curriculum 2023-2024 showing the three MPH tracks Public Health Policy & Management track, Epidemiology track, and the Global Health Equity track as well as the general MPH Program Curriculum.

Explore the required curriculum and what you’ll learn.

BSPH/MPH Returning Rambler Scholarship

Successful applicants for the BSPH/MPH program may qualify for the Returning Rambler Scholarship which covers 25% of graduate tuition.

For more information on the BSPH/MPH accelerated dual-degree program:

*Keith Kramer, MS, Senior Program Advisor, kkramer4@luc.edu (BSPH/MPH seniors)

*Kathleen Beauchamp, Graduate Programs Coordinator, kbeauchamp@luc.edu (BSPH/MPH students' MPH curriculum plan and other resources)

*Justin Harbison, PhD, BSPH/MPH Faculty Advisor, jharbison@luc.edu (MPH Applied Practical Experience aka Practicum Coordinator)

Julie Darnell, PhD, BSPH/MPH Program Director, jdarnell1@luc.edu

Ruth Kafensztok, DrPH, MPH Program Director, rkafens@luc.edu

Abigail Silva, PhD, MPH Epidemiology Track Director, asilva8@luc.edu

Nalley Mora, MD, MPH Global Health Equity Track Director, namora@luc.edu

Talar Markossian, MPH Public Health Policy & Management Track Director, tmarkossian@luc.edu

Admission

Juniors in good academic standing in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health program may apply to the five-year BSPH/MPH degree program. Applications are accepted January through May 15. Juniors should apply using Graduate & Professional Enrollment Management (GPEM) during the Spring semester of their junior year.

Declared undergraduate major in Public Health
Junior based on credit hours earned
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3 for all course work at Loyola
A minimum 3.5 GPA in at least five completed courses in Public Health
Two letters of recommendation (one from a faculty member who teaches a required course in the major)
A one-page statement of purpose (500 – 1000 words)

Accreditation

On March 13, 2021, our BSPH and MPH programs received news of accreditation renewal by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) for a seven-year term (through June 2028). CEPH accreditation serves multiple purposes. In general, accreditation attests to the quality of an educational program that prepares for entry into a recognized profession. For prospective students, CEPH accreditation provides assurance that the program has been evaluated and met accepted standards established by and with the public health profession. For the public, CEPH accreditation promotes the health, safety and welfare of a society by ensuring competent public health professionals. For a copy of the CEPH letter and the Final Self Study Document, please contact Program Director Dr. Ruth Kafensztok.

Tuition and Fees

The Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health and Loyola's Financial Aid Office are committed to helping students secure the financial resources to make their education at Loyola affordable.