Academics

Students enrolled in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree program wishing also to complete a Masters of Public Health degree may do so if successfully admitted to the Graduate School and the College of Public Health and Human Sciences (CPHHS). Using pre-approved and cross-listed courses as electives, veterinary students may complete the MPH degree with an additional (5th) year of study.

The CPHHS offers an MPH degree with seven on-campus options: biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental and occupational health; global health; health management and policy; health promotion and health behavior; and physical activity. We also offer the MPH online with an interdisciplinary option in public health practice. The DVM and MPH dual degree currently applies only to the MPH in epidemiology.

In order to maximize use of elective courses in the dual degree program, it is important that veterinary students enter the dual degree option as early in their studies as possible.

In consultation with the student’s MPH advisor, internships, culminating activities and senior papers should be coordinated as well. The student’s MPH advisor must approve all veterinary courses counted toward the graduate (MPH) degree.

Policy for dual use of professional course work for credit toward graduate degrees

• Students may co-enroll in professional and graduate programs. This will be referred to as enrollment in a 'dual degree' program. Enrollment in each program will require a separate admissions decision. Only students who have completed a Bachelor's degree may enroll in a graduate program.
• For students enrolled in a dual degree program, enrollment in either professional courses or graduate courses will satisfy the continuous enrollment requirement of the Graduate School for a specific term.
• Students may use 'graduate approved' courses in professional programs (specific graduate approved 7XX courses) as also satisfying the requirements of their graduate program if taken while co-enrolled as a professional and graduate student. Responsibility for defining a student's graduate program, including selection and approval of the student's curriculum, lies with the student's graduate committee. In this and all other aspects, the progression of students will follow normal processes and policies for a graduate program established by the Graduate Council and implemented by the Graduate School will be followed.
• Completion of graduate programs will be confirmed and degrees granted using established Graduate School procedures. Completion of professional programs will be confirmed and degrees granted using established procedures for the respective colleges.

Pre-approved Veterinary Course Credits applying toward MPH degree

Professional Veterinary Medicine courses counting toward Graduate MPH degree with advisor’s approval and enrollment in dual degree program:

1. VMB 666   Veterinary Medicine and Public Health (3)
2. VMB 667   Epidemiology (3)
3. VMC 680   Veterinary Medical Preceptorship  (4)

[Satisfies H510 (6 ), public health internship when combined with senior veterinary paper]

VMC 680 – Veterinary Medical Preceptorship

A minimum of 4 weeks (200 Hours.) This work qualifies for 4 credits in the DVM program. For veterinary preceptorship to satisfy the MPH internship requirement, the student’s written and verbally-presented senior paper (2 additional graduate credits) must relate to the preceptorship in the MPH track (epidemiology, biostatistics, etc.)

H510 – Public Health Internship

A minimum of 5 weeks (200 hours) of internship for 6 graduate credits.  The internship requires/includes a final report/paper about the internship to describe what the student did, learning objectives they met and program objectives they have met.  Internships may be more than 200 hours and may earn up to 9 credits. This course is cross-listed as a Veterinary Medicine course to facilitate credit tracking.

Procedures for pursuing an MPH with a Professional (DVM or Pharm.D.) Program:

Admission

• Students must apply separately to graduate (level 02) and professional (level 05) programs.
• Upon admission to both programs the graduate program is entered manually as secondary curriculum under level 05.
• The student is responsible for informing the Graduate School that they are pursuing their MPH in concurrence with a professional program in order to facilitate the manual entry that is required.

Curriculum

• Courses completed toward the MPH will be posted at the graduate level.
• The MPH curriculum (degree, college, & major) will be posted to the student’s record under the graduate level.  

Student Accounts

• Students are billed according to the tuition and fee rates of their professional program.

Financial Aid

• Financial aid is based on the courses that apply to the students program (i.e. PHAR credits count towards hours needed for professional program aid and graduate level course hours are counted separately).

Student Record

• Courses and degrees awarded appear on graduate level (02) transcript and professional level (05) transcript.
• Courses and degrees will appear on the level of transcript to which they belong: 700-numbered courses and the DVM degree will be on a professional level (05) transcript; 500/600-numbered courses and the MPH degree will be on a graduate level (02) transcript.

Student Responsibility

• Information that explains the process, their responsibilities, and the financial implications will be provided, by the department, to students pursuing this concurrent program.
• The student is responsible for informing the Graduate School that they are pursuing their MPH in concurrence with a professional program in order to facilitate the manual entry that is required.
• The student is responsible for educating themselves regarding the administration of financial aid under this program and for abiding by all applicable regulations.
• Students accept responsibility for paying tuition at the professional program level while participating in this concurrent program.

Contact

For more information about this program, please contact: David Cortez, MEd, Director of Student Recruitment and Admissions.