Combine the study of human behavior with the science of population health in Jefferson’s accelerated 4+1 BS in Psychology / Master of Public Health (MPH) program. In just five years, you can earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, preparing you to address complex health challenges at both the individual and community level.

This dual-degree pathway integrates Jefferson’s flexible, research-driven Psychology curriculum with the interdisciplinary, practice-focused MPH program—giving you the skills to improve health outcomes, shape policy, and advance health equity.

Program Highlights

  • Earn two degrees in five years
  • Blend behavioral science with public health practice
  • Gain research, analytical, and real-world experience
  • Learn from expert faculty across two colleges, the College of Humanities & Sciences and the College of Population Health
  • Prepare for careers or doctoral study in health-related fields

Curriculum

Year 1 (Fall)

  • FYS 100: Pathways Seminar (1 credit)
  • WRIT 101: Writing Seminar I: Written Communication (3 credits)
  • AVIS 101: American Visions (3 credits)
  • Scientific Understanding I (3-4 credits)
  • MATH 101: Quantitative Reasoning I (3 credits)
  • PSYCH 101: Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)

Year 1 (Spring)

  • MATH 102: Quantitative Reasoning I (3 credits)
  • PSYC 103: Physiological Psychology (3 credits)
  • PSYC 213: Developmental Psychology (3 credits)
  • Designated Science elective (3-4 credits)
  • Free Electives (3-4 credits)

Year 2 (Fall)

  • ETHC 2XX: Ethics (3 credits)
  • GDIV 2XX: Global Diversity (3 credits)
  • PSYC 201: Abnormal Psychology (3 credits)
  • Free Elective (3-4 credits)

Year 2 (Spring)

  • ADIV 2XX: American Diversity (3 credits)
  • WRIT 201: Writing Seminar II: Multimedia Communication (3 credits)
  • Psychology Distribution Elective (3 credits)
  • Free Elective (3-4 credits)
  • Free Elective (3-4 credits)

Year 3 (Fall)

  • GCIT 2xx: Global Citizenship (3 credits)
  • ISEM 3xx: Integrative Seminar (3 credits)
  • MPH Graduate Course (PBH 500, 501, 502, 506, or 509) (3 credits)
  • Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3 credits)
  • Psychology Distribution Elective (3 credits)

Year 3 (Spring)

  • Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences (3 credits)
  • Psychology Distribution Elective (3 credits)
  • Psychology Distribution Elective (3 credits)
  • CGIS 300: Contemporary Global Issues (3 credits)
  • MPH Graduate Course (PBH 500, 501, 502, 506, or 509) (3 credits)

Year 4 (Fall)

  • PHIL 499: Philosophies of the Good Life (3 credits)
  • Advanced Research in Psychology (3 credits)
  • MPH Graduate Course (PBH 500, 501, 502, 506, or 509) (3 credits)
  • Psychology Distribution Elective (3 credits)
  • Free Elective (3-4 credits)

Year 4 (Spring)

  • Senior Colloquium in Psychology
  • MPH Graduate Course (PBH 500, 501, 502, 506, or 509) (3 credits)
  • Psychology Distribution Elective (3 credits)
  • Free Elective (3-4 credits)
  • Free Elective (3-4 credits)
  • PBH 500: Foundations of the US Healthcare Systems (3 credits) 
  • PBH 501: Foundations of Public Health (3 credits) 
  • PBH 502: Society, Behavior, and the Environment (3 credits) 
  • PBH 506: Fundamentals to Epidemiology (3 credits)
  • PBH 509: Policy as a Tool for Population Health (3 credits)
  • PBH 504: Fundamentals of Statistics for Research (3 credits) or
  • PBH 505: Fundamentals of Statistics for Practice (3 credits)
  • PBH 510: Health Research Methods (3 credits)
  • PBH 513: Public Health Law & Ethics (3 credits)
  • PBH 520: Program Planning and Evaluation (3 credits)
  • PBH 651: Clerkship-Applied Practice Experience (C-APE) (0 credit)
  • PBH 611: Accelerated Capstone-Integrative Learning Experience (C-ILE), Part I and
  • PBH 612: Accelerated Capstone-Integrative Learning Experience (C-ILE), II or
  • PBH 613: Capstone-ILE 1 and
  • PBH 614: Capstone-ILE 2 (3 credit)

Generalist Concentration

  • Free Choice Electives (18 credits)

Public Health Analytics Concentration

  • PBH 512: Qualitative Research methods (3 credits)
  • PBH 605: Advanced Statistics (3 credits)
  • PBH 606: Advanced Epidemiology (3 credits)
  • PBH 609: Geo-Based Information Systems (GIS) Mapping (3 credits)
  • Free Choice Electives (6 credits)

Healthcare Quality & Safety Concentration

  • HQS 500: Introduction to Healthcare Quality & Safety (3 credits)
  • HQS 509: Applied Principles of Healthcare Quality (3 credits)
  • HQS 515: Applied Principles of Patient Safety (3 credits)
  • OPX 532: Project Management Essentials (3 credits)
  • Free Choice Electives (6 credits)

Public Health Policy & Advocacy Concentration

  • PBH 507: Fundamentals of Environmental Health (3 credits)
  • PBH 509: Policy as a Tool for Population Health (3 credits)
  • PBH 511: Health Communication (3 credits)
  • PBH 518: Advocacy for Population Health Researchers and Practitioners (3 credits)
  • Free Choice Electives (6 credits)

Students will select four of the five MPH courses in bold while in the Psychology program. Courses in the Public Health program can be completed online or on campus.

Get in Touch

John D. Pierce, Jr., PhD
Program Director, Psychology & Biopsychology
Rosemary Frasso, PhD, MSc, CPH
Program Director, Public Health
Admissions
BS in Psychology Curriculum
Master of Public Health Curriculum