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Life Sciences and Public Health - Combined PhD/MPH Program
The Integrated Graduate Program in the Life Sciences and the Program in Public Health in the Department of Preventive Medicine offer a unique program leading to both the Ph.D. and Masters in Public Health degrees. The Life Sciences and Public Health - Combined PhD/MPH Program was established to train students in both laboratory research and interdisciplinary public health fields. Graduates of this program will be uniquely positioned to take leadership roles in academic, industrial, and government institutions by providing expertise in molecular, cellular, and biochemical approaches to population-based health questions.
Most students in this program should plan to concentrate their IGP research in either microbial pathogenesis or cancer biology. Not only are these fields in which the emerging specialization of molecular epidemiology will play an increasingly important role, but they are also areas in which both the IGP and the PPH have noted faculty strength. Students may concentrate in other areas of PhD research which lend themselves to investigations in population-based problems, but only with program approval.
Students entering the combined degree program are provided a full stipend and tuition coverage for both the PhD and MPH classes. Students should, however, complete all IGP and MPH course work within the first 9 quarters.
Application information The IGP will admit 2 to 3 students each year to the dual degree program. The IGP Admissions Committee will make an initial determination of an applicant's competitiveness based on the application materials. Successful applicants must demonstrate exceptional academic potential, indicative of an ability to master the additional course load required of the combined degree. Applicants must also convey, both in writing and through personal interview, a clear commitment and motivation for obtaining and using the combined degree.
Approximately 10 dual degraee applicants will be selected for interviews with both IGP and MPH faculty on one of our regular interview weekends.
Please note that applicants for the dual degree program who are not selected by the committee for an interview for the combined degree, or who are not offered admission to the PhD/MPH program after an interview, will nevertheless be considered fully for admission to the IGP alone.
Applications for admission to the dual degree program by first year IGP students will be considered on an ad-hoc basis.
For further information on the MPH program, faculty, and course offerings, please visit the MPH website.
Application procedures
Click here to read the general instructions for application to the IGP. Combined degree applicants should follow those instructions, but with the following 3 exceptions:
1) In the Personal Information section of the Online Application, choose "Life Sciences and Public Health: PhD (L21PH)" as your academic program. As stated above, applying to L21PH will guarantee that your application is considered for admission to the IGP alone (L20PH), whether or not you are selected as a candidate for admission to the dual degree program.
2) As described in the IGP instructions, applicants must also submit a two part Personal Statement detailing their goals and motivation as well as their research experience. Combined degree applicants should be sure to include a description of their desire and motivation for both obtaining and using the the combined degree.
3) Three letters of recommendation are required, but at least one of those should speak to the applicant’s suitability for a career in public health.
Course Work and Other Program Requirements
Required IGP courses:
The IGP requires a total of nine graduate level courses. To fulfill this requirement, PhD/MPH students will take a minimum of six IGP courses. These will include the IGP core curriculum courses (IGP 401 Biochemistry, IGP 405 Cell Biology, IGP 410 Molecular Biology), as well as the required courses of the student’s chosen curriculum and appropriate electives to a total of at least six.
It is anticipated that most students in the combined degree program will choose either Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis (IMP) or Cancer Biology as their curriculum of specialization. The IMP curriculum requires three courses (IGP 440 Immunology, IGP 442 Microbiology, and IGP 475 Virology), while the Cancer Biology curriculum requires two courses (IGP 450 Tumor Cell Biology and IGP 480 Molecular Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis).
Required MPH courses:
The MPH requires nine core courses and five electives. To fulfill this requirement, PhD/MPH students will be required to take all nine core MPH courses, including:
Pub Hlth 301 Behavior, Society and Health
Pub Hlth 302 Introduction to Biostatistics
Pub Hlth 303 Environmental Health Science
Pub Hlth 304 Introduction to Epidemiology
Pub Hlth 310 - 315 Topics in Public Health (6 quarters total for 2 credits)
Pub Hlth 410 Field Experiences in Public Health
Pub Hlth 550 Seminar in Public Health Research
Pub Hlth 560 Culminating Experience in Public Health
HIMT 440 Introduction to Health Science Management
Elective courses:
After completing the IGP core and curricular requirements, electives (to a total of nine courses) can be taken from either the MPH or IGP curriculum.
Of the five elective courses required by the MPH, up to two IGP courses from the following five will be accepted: IGP 440 Immunology, IGP 442 Microbiology, IGP 475 Virology, IGP 450 Tumor Cell Biology, and IGP 480 Molecular Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis. The remaining electives will be taken from the MPH elective list.
Time of courses:
Students will typically take two IGP courses in each of their first three quarters, and may take electives in year two to complete the IGP requirements. Students will begin to take MPH courses in the Winter of their first year. The MPH program offers the needed flexibility for the combined degree in that there is no strict order for the classes to be completed, there is no strict starting or ending point, and one or more required courses are offered in every quarter, including summer. MPH classes are taught during the evenings. Below is a suggested timetable for completing IGP and MPH classes.
Classes by Year and Quarter
Includes Credit and Non Credit
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Year 1
|
IGP |
MPH |
| Fall |
3 |
1 |
| Winter |
2 - 3 |
2 |
| Spring |
2 - 3 |
2 |
| Summer |
0 |
2 |
Year 2
|
IGP |
MPH |
| Fall |
1 - 2 |
2 |
| Winter |
0 - 1 |
2 |
| Spring |
0 - 1 |
0 |
| Summer |
Quals - Thesis Proposal |
1 |
Year 3
|
IGP |
MPH |
| Fall |
0 |
1* |
* Students will register for Pub Hlth 410 Field Experiences in Public Health and Pub Hlth 560 Culminating Experience in Public Health before the end of 9 quarters. The work for these two classes, however, will be completed in subsequent quarters.
Other IGP and MPH requirements
PhD/MPH students will be subject to all other IGP requirements. These will include passage of the Qualifying exam and generation of a suitable thesis. Following Candidacy, student progress is monitored by thesis committee meetings held at least once each year.
As partial completion of MPH requirements, PhD/MPH students will be given field experiences (Pub Hlth 410 Field Experiences in Public Health) that are appropriate for their background and interest and will further the goals inherent in the dual degree. It is anticipated that research questions related to the student’s PhD research project will be used to complete the requirements of Pub Hlth 560 Culminating Experience in Public Health.
Students in the combined program should expect to graduate on time with their IGP classmates in approximately five and one half years.
For further information on the PhD/MPH dual degree program, please contact Steve Anderson, Associate Director of the IGP at 312-503-1140 or by email at sja314@northwestern.edu
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