Vassar/Columbia BA/MPH

Entrance to a building with a sign that reads: Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health.

The BA/MPH is a dual degree program in which a student earns a BA from Vassar then goes on to an accelerated Masters program in Public Health at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

Accepted students spend the fall semester of their senior year at Mailman and take the multidisciplinary Core Curriculum. Students then return to Vassar for the spring semester.

Once the student graduates from Vassar, they enter the Mailman program which includes a practicum and a year of coursework and thesis work. The practicum may be taken the summer after graduating from Vassar, during the spring of the year at Columbia, or in the summer following the Columbia year.

Watch the Fall 2022 Information Session Recording

All students are expected to have at least one semester of calculus or other appropriate quantitative course.

A minimum GPA of 3.5 is required.

Study abroad

Students that take one semester abroad junior year can apply to the dual degree, as long as the student can complete all college and major requirements. It is important to know, however, that Vassar only allows one study away experience, so the student must be able to make the case that the study abroad semester and the semester at Columbia constitute a “single experience.” A study abroad semester focused on public health, for example, combined with the core program at Columbia, could be considered a single experience. A student that studies abroad for both semesters junior year can not apply to the dual degree program (this would amount to 3 semesters away from campus, which violates the college’s residency requirements).

Students are very strongly encouraged to meet with Casey Trocino ctrocino@vassar.edu in the Dean of Studies office for information and/or a public health advisor prior to applying.

Please fill out this form if you are interested in receiving emails about the Vassar/Columbia 4+1 BA/MPH program. This includes on-campus events and informational sessions at Vassar College.

The application deadline is October 11, 2024. Students will need to submit:

Applicants will need to select their discipline at the time of application: Epidemiology, Health Management and Policy, Population and Family Health, or Sociomedical Sciences.

Acceptance

A committee at Vassar will review applications, then submit recommendations to admissions at Mailman, which will make the final decision. The Committee on Leaves and Privileges will confirm eligibility for study away.

The Core Curriculum taken at Mailman will be transferred to the student’s transcript as interdepartmental (INTD) courses for a total of 4.5 units. Students should consult with their advisors to ensure that they can complete major and college requirements for graduation. Particular attention should be given in majors that have senior-year requirements such as a year-long thesis.

Students who receive Vassar financial aid would be allowed to apply this aid toward the tuition and fees of the Dual-Degree Program for the junior year only. Students not receiving Vassar aid but receiving federal loans may also have them applied toward the junior year at Columbia. However, to have either the Vassar aid or federal aid applied, a student must complete the Financial Aid Budget Worksheet for Study Away. The Vassar Financial Aid Office will contact students who have been accepted to the program to complete this form prior to beginning the year at Columbia. Students who return for the fifth year at Columbia to complete the B.E. degree must apply to Columbia for financial aid for that year.

Vassar students accepted for the dual degree program are eligible for housing at Columbia during their senior semester. On the application form you must indicate if you will need housing. During your summer and full year at Columbia following graduation from Vassar, you will also be eligible for housing per Columbia’s housing policy.