Admission to Program
Students typically apply to the pathway in the spring of their second year but should already have discussed their plans with their undergraduate advisor in their first year. MPH coursework may begin prior to year three but students must first complete all pathway application and advising prior to enrolling in any MPH coursework. Applicants to the Double Dawgs program are expected to have an excellent academic record and an overall GPA of 3.5. Applications are evaluated each semester, and once accepted, new Double Dawgs students may enroll in MPH courses the following semester. More information on the pathway application can be found on the College of Public Health Double Dawgs website: https://publichealth.uga.edu/apply-now/double-dawgs/
Curriculum
Graduate-level courses that may be used to satisfy undergraduate and graduate program requirements.
1. EPID 7010 will count as a general elective in the undergraduate curriculum.
2. BIOS 7010 will replace BIOS 2010 in the undergraduate curriculum.
3. EHSC 7010 will count as a major elective in the undergraduate curriculum.
4. EPID 7410 will count as a general elective in the undergraduate curriculum.
Additional requirements that are unique to this Double Dawgs program:
The MPH is a 44-credit hour, non-thesis degree program. The typical pathway student must express interest in the pathway their freshman year and be willing to take summer courses in order to successfully complete the undergraduate credit hour requirements as well as the MPH credit hour requirements within the allowable 4+1 pathway model. Students are encouraged to first speak with their undergraduate coordinators and advisors and establish a preliminary program of study prior to reaching out to the MPH program to formalize the program of study and successfully complete the application process.
Admission to Graduate Program
After completion of 12 graduate hours of coursework, students must then apply for official acceptance into the MPH program. This process occurs no later than April 1st of year four, for a summer year four official start term. Most students will enroll in 6 credits of MPH coursework the summer after graduating from the undergraduate program. The MPH admissions process should ideally be completed prior to the commencement of summer session courses. Applications should be made to the BS/MPH program (Area of Emphasis in Epidemiology) through SOPHAS (Schools of Public Health Application Service). The application process requires the following and is detailed at https://publichealth.uga.edu/apply-now/master-of-public-health-program/
• A current CV or resume,
• A statement of interest (max. 1500 words),
• Academic transcript verification,
• Three letters of recommendation (two academic and one professional recommended)
Double Dawgs pathway students are not guaranteed admission to the MPH program and are required to apply to the MPH during the semester of their enrollment in the12th graduate credit hour. Admission to the graduate program requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a completed application packet that is reviewed by the department’s faculty to determine whether the student's academic records align with the program requirements. Once accepted, students are subsequently enrolled in the MPH program in the summer of year four. Students who are eligible to enter the MPH program in the summer of year four must ensure that timely graduation of the undergraduate degree occurs in year four. Students who fail to follow the established pathway in any way may be subject to loss of credit hours towards either degree program completion, extended time in the MPH program, or expulsion from the BS Biomedical Physiology/MPH pathway.