Accelerated Master's Degree in Public Health
This accelerated program lets undergraduate students begin taking graduate-level courses during their final years of undergrad, saving time and money while deepening expertise and advancing careers sooner.
Accelerate Master’s Degree in Public Health
Undergraduate students at UM that are interested in graduate study in Public Health can get a head start through the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program.
Undergraduate students that would like to qualify for the Accelerated Master's Degree Program must meet the following requirements:
- Public Health Major
- 3.0 minimum GPA overall
- 90 completed credit hours as an undergraduate
Number of credit hours a student can earn towards the graduate degree while completing their undergraduate studies:
15 credit hours
Courses* undergraduate students in the Accelerated Master's Degree Program can take to earn credit towards the graduate degree:
- PBHL 5550: Health Program Planning (Students must take this class instead of PBHL 300 level)
- PBHL 5780: Public Health Policy
- PBHL 5560: Health Equity
- SJNM 5850: Health Communication
- One of the following
- GEOL 5500: Intro to GIS*
- EXSC 5610: Applied Statistics*
- PBHL 5650: Motivational Interviewing*
- PBHL 6300 Emerging Issues in Public Health*
- EXSC 5650: Stress and the Brain*
- NAHM 5720: Nutrition Policy*
- SJNM 6410: Consumer Behavior/Target Behavior*
- SJNM 5530: Strategic Communication Planning*
- SJNM 5640: Crisis Communication*
- SJNM 5715: Internet and Mobile Media*
*indicates an elective option (students take two electives in fulfilling the degree requirements for the MPH; taking additional electives will not count towards degree requirements)
To participate in the Accelerated Master's Degree Program, students must take PH 5550 instead of the 300 level course once admitted; without taking this course, completion of the MPH in one additional year may not be possible
- Admitted students must take one 5000-level elective in either fall or spring of the 4th year of undergraduate study and should check course availability; without taking the electives, completion of the MPH in one additional year may not be possible.
Note, to be formally admitted by the Graduate School upon completion of the bachelor’s degree, AMDP participants will need to complete an application for graduate study in their senior year.
Remember: For students who participated in the accelerated program prior to fall of 2026, 500-level courses for graduate credit required the student to reserve the course for graduate credit. A student who did not do so will be unable to use the 500-level course for the graduate degree and it will be considered the same as a course between 5000 and 5499 in the new course-numbering system.
Students enrolled for the graduate credit in a 5500- to 5999-level course must complete the graduate work. Should they decide they do not wish to do so, they need to work with the instructor, their dean's office, and the Registrar to change their enrollment to the appropriate undergraduate course number. Otherwise, they will be graded based on the criteria for the graduate course number.
Meet the Graduate Program Coordinator
If you have any questions about the Accelerated Master's Degree in Public Health, don't hesitate to get in touch! I'm always happy to help in any way I can!
Clyde King
Public Health Program Coordinator