School Launches Dual BA-MPH Degree Program With Columbia College

Columbia College and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health have launched an educational partnership that will enable qualified students to complete in five years both a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. Starting in Fall 2021, this dual-degree, or ‘4+1’ program, presents a unique opportunity for Columbia undergraduates to obtain an MPH, usually a two-year program, at an accelerated pace. 


“We are delighted to announce this innovative collaboration with Columbia College, which is part of our School’s continued commitment to educate leaders who will work to protect and improve the health of people everywhere,” said Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH, dean of the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. “We look forward to welcoming Columbia College’s exemplary students and enabling them to jump start their work in public health, a field more vital than ever as we enter the post-COVID world.”

Columbia College students can apply to the “4+1 program” in their junior year. Upon acceptance, they will spend the fall semester of their senior year enrolled at Columbia Mailman, where they will participate in the challenging, multidisciplinary MPH core curriculum. Students will then return to the College for the spring semester of their senior year to complete their BA degree. After students graduate from the College, they will matriculate at Columbia Mailman full-time to complete a practicum and a year of course and thesis work to earn their MPH degree.

“Over the past several years, we've seen an increase in interest among our students in matters related to public health,” said James J. Valentini, dean of Columbia College. “This partnership between the College and Columbia Mailman creates a remarkable opportunity for students to combine an exceptional liberal arts undergraduate foundation with a world-class professional education in public health in five years. We're delighted to be able to offer this special preparation for the future leaders in the fields that support the health and well-being of populations around the world.”


Columbia Mailman is well-known for its world-class educational programs, with top-ranked departments of biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, health policy and management, population and family health, and sociomedical sciences. In addition to the new collaboration with Columbia College, Columbia Mailman also offers BA/MPH degree programs with Columbia School of General Studies, Barnard College, the Jewish Theological Seminary, Dickson College, and Vassar College.

Columbia College, founded in 1754 as King’s College, is the largest undergraduate school at Columbia University and the fifth oldest college in the nation. In addition to offering over 100 majors, the College is defined by a uniquely designed Core Curriculum of philosophy, history, politics, literature, art, music, science and writing that provides every student with a comprehensive and truly transformational understanding of modern civilization. The distinctively personal and highly interactive seminar format of the Core develops essential skills to engage in an increasingly diverse and rapidly changing world, while also forming the foundation for a lifetime of continued learning.

For more information on the dual BA-MPH program, please visit: Columbia Public Health Undergraduate 4+1 Programs