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Advanced study in pharmacy and public health is available through a dual degree program co-sponsored by the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science in the School of Pharmacy and the Division of Epidemiology, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, in the School of Medicine.  

The dual degree Pharm.D. and M.P.H. program allows students to earn two degrees with a minimum of 191 credits rather than the 200 credits necessary if the two degrees were pursued separately. This efficiency lowers the overall cost of tuition while also reducing time to earning both degrees.

Program goals

The objectives of this dual degree program are to train students to be well-grounded in the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes of public and population health, while they achieve a Doctor of Pharmacy. Students completing the program will be able to:

  • Collect, analyze, and evaluate public health data
  • Plan, implement and evaluate public health interventions
  • Apply results of evaluations and data analyses to policy development
  • Promote community health through educational campaigns
  • Synthesize and apply evidence-based information to the identification of key areas of practice and research

Among the many benefits offered by participation in the dual degree program are the following:

  • Understanding of health issues on a population level
  • Mastery of health behavior theory necessary for effective for health promotion activities such as community vaccination campaigns and wellness programs
  • Ability to plan and evaluate health programs
  • Training in epidemiological methodology and data analysis techniques
  • Competitiveness in applying for pharmacy residencies

The diplomas for this dual degree program may be awarded simultaneously. Students receive both degrees after five years of study to complete the requirements of both degree programs.

Student learning outcomes

The student learning outcomes described on the individual M.P.H. concentration pages also apply to Pharm.D.-M.P.H. students.

The educational outcomes of the Pharm.D. program can be viewed on the School of Pharmacy website.

Other information

Advising

The student is assigned an adviser from each program to develop a plan of study. The M.P.H. program administrator provides guidance on course registration issues to ensure successful completion of the student’s year in the M.P.H. curriculum. An M.P.H. faculty member provides guidance on the student capstone project; a Pharm.D. faculty member may collaborate in this mentoring process.