Earn your Bachelor’s degree and Master of Public Health (MPH) in five years.
UT’s Five-Year Accelerated MPH program allows eligible Public Health majors and minors to begin graduate coursework during their senior year—saving time, money and creating a smooth transition into graduate study..
What Is the Five-Year MPH Program?
The Five-Year MPH program is an accelerated pathway for high-performing undergraduate students who plan to pursue UT’s Master of Public Health.
If accepted, you may:
- Take up to 9 graduate credits during senior year
- Pay undergraduate tuition for those graduate courses
- Apply those credits toward both your bachelor’s degree and MPH
- Join a small cohort of Five-Year students who take graduate courses together
This program is structured, selective, and timeline-specific. It is not the right fit for every student.
Who Should Consider This Program?
This program may be a good fit if you:
- Are a Public Health major or minor
- Have a strong academic record
- Plan to graduate with your bachelor’s degree in May
- Are confident you want to pursue an MPH at UT
- Have room in your senior-year schedule for graduate coursework
Please Note:
Students are encouraged to review all materials carefully before emailing or requesting meetings. MPH Information Sessions are held each fall and spring via Zoom. Check our homepage events listing.
If you are unsure about finances, timing, or your ability to commit to graduate courses during senior year, you may prefer to apply to the regular MPH program after graduation.
To apply, students must:
- Be a declared Public Health major or minor
- Have a minimum UT GPA of 3.3
- Earn a B or better in PUBH 201, 202, and 320
- Be on track to graduate in spring
- Apply during junior year only
Eligibility requirements follow your catalog year. Students should review requirements carefully before applying. The program is available starting in the 2023-24 catalog.
Application Window: December 1 – March 1 (junior year)
Decisions Released: By April 1
This timeline allows accepted students to register for senior-year courses on time.
Students who miss the window must apply to the MPH through the regular admissions process instead.
Senior Year (While an Undergraduate)
Accepted students take three specific graduate courses:
- Fall: PUBH 530 – Biostatistics
- Spring:
- PUBH 510 – Environmental Public Health
- PUBH 520 – Health Systems, Policy, & Leadership
These courses:
- Are graduate-level
- Count toward the MPH
- May also count toward undergraduate degree requirements, depending on your major/minor and remaining electives. Check with your academic advisor.
After graduating with your bachelor’s degree in May, students complete the MPH over four additional semesters:
Summer I → Fall → Spring → Summer II
Because of course sequencing, the MPH cannot be completed by spring; the second summer is required.
Students may complete the MPH in either:
- Campus (in-person) format
- Distance Education (DE) format
All summer MPH courses are fully online.
During senior year, students must take graduate courses that match their undergraduate modality (campus or DE). When applying to the MPH, students may choose either format.
A downloadable Degree Map PDF is available on this page to show:
- Required graduate courses by semester
- Differences by MPH concentration
- Differences by campus vs. DE format
This resource is especially helpful for students and academic advisors planning ahead.
Students should understand the following before applying:
- Cost savings: Graduate courses taken senior year are billed at undergraduate tuition
- CPOS rule: At least 12 credits each semester must count toward undergraduate degree requirements for your major to remain eligible for financial aid
- Summer tuition: Financial aid awarded for senior year may not fully cover the first summer of MPH coursework
- Workload: Summer graduate courses are condensed and intensive; working is discouraged during summer MPH coursework
Students with financial concerns should speak with:
- Their academic advisor for their major
- A financial aid advisor
Acceptance into the Five-Year program does not guarantee admission to the MPH.
All Five-Year students must still:
- Apply to the Graduate School during Senior year (requires a nonrefundable processing fee of $60).
- Review the General Application FAQs here.
Accepted students will:
- Attend a Five-Year advising orientation in spring of junior year
- Work with MPH program directors for graduate school planning
- Be assigned a graduate advisor after formal admission to the MPH
Ready to Learn More?
Ready to Apply?
- Application links (open December 1 – March 1):
- Public Health Majors: Accelerated MPH Application Form
- Public Health Minors: Accelerated MPH Application Form