Public Health Degrees Offered at Boston University
Boston University appears in our ranking of the 10 Best MPH Degrees in the Northeast.
Boston University offers two joint degree programs, which are the Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Health (BA/MPH) and the Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Health (BS/MPH). Both programs take around five years to complete.
The BA/BS degree consists of 128 credits and the MPH consists of 48 credits. If an individual is planning to apply to the BA/MPH or BS/MPH program, they will need to show a commitment to the field of public health by previous coursework, their personal statement, past employment, and other extracurricular activities. The following courses are required for completion of both dual programs: Quantitative Methods of Public Health, Leadership and Management in Public Health, Health Systems and Policy, Individual and Population Health, and more.
The university also offers a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program for individuals who have already earned a bachelor’s degree. This 48-credit degree program teaches students about public health and how it affects people and societies all around the world. Students will learn how to persuade changes and transform people’s lives as well as analyze challenges and come up with successful solutions to any issues. The program will go into depth about how biological, social, economic, political, behavioral, cultural, and environmental components can affect the health of communities. The curriculum of the MPH degree includes the following core courses: Quantitative Methods of Public Health, Leadership and Management in Public Health, Health Systems and Policy, Individual and Population Health, and more. Full-time students may complete the program in as little as 16 months, and part-time students can expect to complete the program within two to three years.
For individuals looking for an online program, there is also an executive Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. This 42-credit program is offered through a distance learning platform, which is fully online and provides flexibility and convenience around a professional’s busy life and career. The program’s objective is to create and develop more leaders in the field of public health. Boston University uses a special evidence-based approach to problem-solving and developing essential skills that may result in graduates of the online MPH program standing out among other candidates, especially when it comes to their leadership abilities. The following are a few of the courses that are necessary to complete the MPH degree: Communication and Collaboration for Public Health Leaders, Financial Management for Health Programs, Intervention Strategies for Health Promotion, Strategic Management of Healthcare Organizations, Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programs, and more. Full-time students can complete the program as quickly as one year, and part-time students can expect to complete the program within two years.
Additionally, Boston University also features a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree. Most individuals who are part of this 48-credit program are already experienced public health practitioners interested in gaining more training and credentials to advance into a leadership position. Students will learn how to create, implement, and analyze the public health programs and policies at the national level and worldwide level. The different aspects of public health that are taught in the DrPH program are data and analysis, leadership, management, governance, policy and programs, education, and workforce development. Upon graduation, students will have completed a dissertation as well as given a presentation on the dissertation proposal and the dissertation itself. The dissertation will represent the individual’s ability to solve difficult, practice-based problems in the public health sector. Full-time students are allowed a maximum of five years to complete the degree, and part-time students are allowed a maximum of seven years.
About Boston University
Boston University is a private university that was established in 1839. This university is located in the city of Boston, Massachusetts and is considered a large university with an undergraduate population of 18,515 and a campus size spanning across 169 acres of land. U.S. News and World Report ranked Boston University as 18th for best schools for veterans, 23rd for best study abroad programs, 40th for best national universities, and 40th for best value colleges. On Niche, the university ranked 8th for best graduate schools of public health, 11th for best big colleges in the United States, 40th for best college professors in America, 49th for best private universities in the country, 60th for best universities in the United States, and 62nd for best academics in America.
Boston University is known to be one of the largest independent, nonprofit colleges within the United States. Individuals can choose between a variety of 300 different subjects to major in. This school also has over 20 athletic teams that participate in the NCAA Division 1. In addition, students have the option to join 500 student clubs and study abroad in more than 90 various international programs. Freshmen are required to live on campus during their first year, and 80 percent of undergraduate students remain living on the campus throughout all four years.
Boston University Accreditation Details
Boston University has received its accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education, which is a regional accrediting agency responsible for providing accreditation to colleges and universities in its specific region. The New England Commission of Higher Education accredits schools that meet the appropriate educational standards to guide students to success.
Boston University Application Requirements
With a 25 percent acceptance rate, Boston University is considered very competitive. First-year applicants must fill out an application, turn in high school transcripts, show proof of all high school senior grades, submit a recommendation and school report form from a school counselor, turn in an evaluation form from a teacher, and submit SAT or ACT scores.
Both MPH dual degree programs (BA/MPH & BS/MPH) are required to fill out an application form and have it signed by the director of the prehealth programs, fill out another application form to the School of Public Health, submit two Boston University undergraduate transcripts, and three letters of recommendation. Two of the letters of recommendation must be written by faculty members. Students are required to apply to this program by April 1st of their sophomore year for the following fall semester and October 15th of their junior year for the following spring semester. Only students with at least a 3.2 GPA are qualified to apply.
Individuals applying to the MPH and the online executive MPH program must fill out an application form, turn in college transcripts, provide three letters of recommendation, write a statement of purpose and objective, and submit a CV or resume. The priority deadline for MPH spring applications is October 15, and the fall deadline is January 17th. For the online executive MPH program, all applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
To apply to the DrPH program, individuals must possess at least three years of experience in the public health industry. The application process consists of filling out an application, submitting all necessary transcripts, turning in three letters of recommendation, writing a statement of purpose and objective, and submitting a CV or resume. The priority deadline to apply is December 1st and the application closes on March 15th.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Annually, tuition for undergraduate students is $54,720 without any fees or expenses. Including room, board, and fees, the total yearly cost for an undergraduate student is estimated to be $72,052.
For students interested in the MPH program or the online executive MPH program, the total cost of the entire program is $82,080. Individuals applying to the DrPH program can expect to pay around $27,360 each semester.
Boston University provides MPH and DrPH students with scholarships to help them pay for their education. Students may also apply to the public health fellowship or for the public health research award. Some individuals may even qualify for an assistantship with the university, which requires them to assist faculty and staff for a certain number of hours each week.
To find out more information about a public health degree, please visit the website of Boston University.