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Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate (IUG) Program

B.S. in Integrative Science and M.P.H. in Public Health


The Penn State Eberly College of Science, in partnership with the College of Medicine, offers an integrated B.S./M.P.H. program for students enrolled in the Integrative Science major. 


Program Overview

This integrated undergraduate-graduate (IUG) degree program enables qualified undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor of science (B.S.) degree in integrative science to also earn a master of public health (M.P.H.) degree. A student in this integrated B.S./M.P.H. program will earn both degrees in five years. 

The IUG program requirements are the same as that of the standalone B.S. and M.P.H. degrees. The advantage of enrolling in the IUG program is that up to 15 credits of M.P.H. courses may double count towards the B.S. in integrative science. This double counting of credits helps students save time and money, enabling them to complete the requirements for both degree
programs faster. 

This IUG program is available to students in all options of the Integrative Science major:

  • General Science option—offered at Abington, Berks, Harrisburg, Scranton, University Park, and York campuses
  • Biological Sciences and Health Professions option—offered at University Park campus
  • Legal Studies, Government Service, Public Policy option—offered at University Park campus
  • Life Science option—offered at Abington, Berks, Harrisburg, Scranton, and York campuses
  • Mathematical Science option—offered at Abington campus
  • Secondary Education option—offered at Harrisburg campus

Students apply for the IUG program at the beginning of spring semester during their third year. Those who are admitted to the IUG program complete 15 credits of graduate coursework during their fourth year, an internship for the M.P.H. during the summer between the fourth and fifth years, and the remaining graduate coursework during the fifth year.
 

Diagram illustrating academic pathway from B.S. degree to M.P.H. degree and internship, showing year 1 to year 3 (B.S. degree) at home Penn State campus, year 4 (B.S. and M.P.H. degree) with 15 credits of online M.P.H. courses, followed by a summer internship, and finally year 5 at the College of Medicine (Hershey) or World Campus.


Students can specialize in one of the following M.P.H. tracks:

  • Community and Behavioral Health—offered at the College of Medicine (Hershey)
  • Epidemiology and Biostatistics—offered at the College of Medicine (Hershey)
  • Global Health—offered remotely through World Campus

Students interested in the IUG program should consult their undergraduate adviser to learn more.

The master of public health (M.P.H.) in Public Health is a professional degree program that builds skills and knowledge in the areas of systems thinking, evidence-based public health, leadership, program planning and management, public health and health systems, communication, and interprofessional practice. In addition, the M.P.H. in Public Health program advances expertise in community and behavioral health, epidemiology and biostatistics, and global health.

The M.P.H. degree leads to careers in a wide variety of fields and settings, including the following:

  • Local, state, and federal government agencies
  • Health care settings
  • Health insurance
  • Health services networks
  • Nonprofits
  • Pharmaceutical industry

View the M.P.H. degree requirements on the Penn State Graduate Bulletin.

To be eligible to apply for the IUG program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

  1. GPA
    • Cumulative GPA: 3.25 or greater
    • Integrative Science major GPA: 3.0 or greater in BIOL 110 or (BIOL 114 and BIOL 115), CHEM 110, CHEM 111, CHEM 112, CHEM 113, MATH 140
  2. Education
    • Enrollment in the B.S. in Integrative Science degree program
    • Completion of the following courses: BIOL 110 or (BIOL 114 and BIOL 115), CHEM 110, and STAT 200 or STAT 250

Students may use grade forgiveness to meet IUG eligibility requirements.

Typically, students will begin to consider the IUG program during their second or early third year of undergraduate study. Students who meet the IUG eligibility requirements should discuss their interest with their undergraduate academic adviser as early as possible to facilitate planning.

Students should apply to the IUG program no later than February 15 of their third year. Students will receive notice of their IUG admissions decision by the end of spring semester of their third year. Students admitted to the IUG program will begin their graduate coursework during the fall of their fourth year.

Required application components for the B.S./M.P.H. IUG program include the following:

  1. Completed online Fox Graduate School application with nonrefundable application fee
    • Note: Do not apply through the SOPHAS centralized application service for public health programs.
  2. Resume or curriculum vitae
    • Note: Applicants are encouraged to include all work experiences including ones that are not clinical or related to public health. You may also include volunteering and shadowing experiences.
  3. Statement of purpose
    • Note: The admissions committee highly values your statement of purpose. This is your opportunity to explain why you desire to earn a graduate degree in public health and showcase strong writing skills.
  4. Two letters of recommendation
    • Note: One letter must be from the student's undergraduate academic adviser and contain a draft IUG plan of study.
  5. Preliminary draft IUG plan of study
    • Note: Students must select which M.P.H. track they desire to pursue at time of application: Community and Behavioral Health (College of Medicine, Hershey), Epidemiology and Biostatistics (College of Medicine, Hershey), or Global Health (World Campus). They should include a draft IUG plan of study that covers the entire duration of the integrated program. This plan should be reviewed periodically with an adviser as the student advances through the program.
  6. Official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended
    • Note: This includes any college credit earned through dual-enrollment courses taken during high school, summer courses taken at other institutions, etc.

Up to 15 credits may be double counted towards both the B.S. in integrative science and the M.P.H. in public health degree requirements. Of these 15 credits, at least 9 credits must be 500- and 800-level graduate courses. The remaining 6 credits may be 400-level undergraduate courses, if desired.

Students should work with their undergraduate academic adviser to identify 15 credits of M.P.H. coursework that will appropriately double count towards specific B.S. degree requirements.

The following courses are eligible to double count for both the B.S. in integrative science and M.P.H. in public health degrees:

Semester, Mode, and Location Course Number Course Name and Credit Load Course Type for M.P.H. Community and Behavioral Health Track Course Type for M.P.H. Epidemiology and Biostatistics Track Course Type for M.P.H. Global Health Track
Fall, online, College of Medicine (Hershey) or World Campus PHS 504 Behavioral Health Intervention Strategies 
(3 credits)		 Required Required Required
Fall, online, College of Medicine (Hershey) or World Campus PHS 520 Principles of Biostatistics
(3 credits)		 Required Required Required
Fall, online, College of Medicine (Hershey) or World Campus PHS 804 Integrating Systems Thinking in Global Health 
(3 credits)		 Elective Elective Required
Fall, online, College of Medicine (Hershey) or World Campus PHS 809 Principles of Public Health
(3 credits)		 Required Required Required
Spring, online, College of Medicine (Hershey) or World Campus PHS 550 Principles of Epidemiology
(3 credits)		 Required Required Required
Spring, online, College of Medicine (Hershey) or World Campus PHS 571 Health Services Organization and Delivery
(3 credits)		 Required Required Required
Spring, online, College of Medicine (Hershey) or World Campus PHS 803 Principles of Global Health 
(3 credits)		 Elective Elective Required
Varies PHIL/BIOET 432 Medical and Health Care Ethics 
(3 credits)		 Elective Elective Elective
Varies TBD Other 400-level courses related to public health Elective Elective Elective

 

Restrictions on courses that may be used for both degrees:

  • Courses taken prior to the IUG year (e.g., year 4 B.S./year 1 M.P.H.) cannot be used for the graduate degree.
  • Undergraduate thesis/capstone courses cannot be used for the graduate degree.

Download the Integrative Science and Master of Public Health IUG Handbook to review full details about this program.