Biology, B.S. to Public Health, M.P.H. Accelerated Program

The Biology, B.S. to Public Health, M.P.H. Accelerated Program at Saint Louis University will provide students majoring in biology with a pathway to pursue training in population health. 

Biology majors will apply for acceptance into SLU's accelerated program with the M.P.H. in the fall of their fifth semester of collegiate study. Students can choose any of the following concentrations offered by the M.P.H. program, and take up to 15 credits of coursework, a mix of undergraduate and graduate credits, each semester of senior year. A maximum of 15 credit hours of M.P.H. coursework can be taken during senior year. Students will fully matriculate in the M.P.H. program as graduate students after the conferral of their undergraduate degrees. 

For additional information, see the catalog entries for the following programs:

Biology, B.S.

Public Health, M.P.H.

Behavioral Science and Health Equity, M.P.H.

Biostatistics, M.P.H.

Epidemiology, M.P.H.

Health Management and Policy, M.P.H.

Public Health Practice. M.P.H.

To apply, students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.40, be in their fifth semester of collegiate study, have completed 90 credits toward their undergraduate degree by the end of their sixth semester of study, and must be able to complete their senior year with no more than 15 credits (mix of graduate and undergraduate coursework) in each fall and spring semesters. 

Apply here

Students must maintain a 3.4 cumulative GPA each semester of senior year and meet all undergraduate requirements for graduation by the end of their 8th semester of collegiate study. The M.P.H. GPA in year 4 will be monitored by the Undergraduate Public Health Director, and progression toward completion of the undergraduate degree requirements will be monitored by students' Biology Faculty Mentor per normal semester processes.

Upon graduation with the B.A./B.S. in Biology, transcripts will be reviewed by the M.P.H. Program for progression into year 5 of the accelerated program and matriculation as a full graduate student. In year 4, students must earn minimum grades in M.P.H. courses that are consistent with M.P.H. program requirements ("B-" in M.P.H. core courses, "B'' in M.P.H. concentration courses, "C" in M.P.H. electives) in year 4; if a sub-threshold grade is earned, the student will repeat the course per M.P.H. program expectations. If students earn a GPA of less than 3.0 in M.P.H. courses in year 4 (the minimum GPA required to be in good academic standing in the M.P.H. program), then they will be placed on academic probation when they fully matriculate into the M.P.H. program after graduation with the B.S./B.A. in Biology. As with traditional M.P.H. students, these students will be offered support by the M.P.H. program with resources and course planning to help support them in regaining good academic standing.

Note: Per University policies, students remain an undergraduate until the B.A./B.S. in Biology is conferred, and as such, students are not eligible for graduate assistantships or graduate scholarships until they full matriculate as a graduate student in year 5.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
BIOL 1240
BIOL 1245
General Biology: Information Flow and Evolution
and Principles of Biology I Laboratory
4
CHEM 1110
CHEM 1115
General Chemistry 1
and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory
4
CORE 1000 Ignite First Year Seminar 2-3
CORE 1500 Cura Personalis 1: Self in Community 1
CORE 1900 Eloquentia Perfecta 1: Written and Visual Communication 3
General Elective 1
 Credits15-16
Spring
BIOL 1260
BIOL 1265
General Biology: Transformations of Energy and Matter
and Principles of Biology II Laboratory
4
CHEM 1120
CHEM 1125
General Chemistry 2
and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory
4
MATH 1510 Calculus I 4
CORE 1600 Ultimate Questions: Theology 3
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
BIOL 3020 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 3
CHEM, EAS, or PHYS course w/ lab 4
CORE 1700 Ultimate Questions: Philosophy 3
CORE 1200 Eloquentia Perfecta 2: Oral and Visual Communication 3
General Elective 2
 Credits15
Spring
BIOL 3040 Cell Structure & Function 3
CHEM, EAS, or PHYS course w/ lab 4
MATH 1300X
Elementary Statistics with Computers
or Biometry
3
CORE 2800 Eloquentia Perfecta 3: Creative Expression 2-3
CORE 3400 Ways of Thinking: Aesthetics, History, and Culture 3
 Credits15-16
Year Three
Fall
Eligible students formally apply to the Accelerated Program.  
BIOL 3010 Evolutionary Biology 3
BIOL 3030 Principles of Genetics 3
Biology Elective 3
CHEM, EAS, or PHYS course w/ lab 4
General Elective 3
 Credits16
Spring
MPH Program reviews applications, conducts interviews, and notifies students of admission decision.  
Biology Elective 3
Laboratory CMDB Elective 1-2
CHEM, EAS, or PHYS course w/ lab. 4
CORE 3600 Ways of Thinking: Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
CORE 4000 Collaborative Inquiry 2-3
CORE 3500 Cura Personalis 3: Self in the World 1
 Credits15
Year Four
Fall
BIOL 3070 General Ecology 3
Biology Elective 3
Laboratory EEOB Elective 1-3
MPH Courses 6
 Credits15
Spring
Senior Inquiry 1-3
Laboratory EEOB Elective 1-3
MPH Courses 9
General Electives 2-3
 Credits15
Summer
MPH Program reviews students for progression to full MPH year.  
MPH Course 3
 Credits3
Year Five
Fall
MPH Courses 15
 Credits15
Spring
MPH Courses 15
 Credits15
 Total Credits154-156

Biology and laboratory electives can be found on the B.S. in biology curriculum plan.