Doctor of Physical Therapy-Master of Public Health Degree Track

These programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), respectively.

Mission:

The mission of the DPT-MPH track is to prepare students as transformative leaders, capable of working alongside diverse communities to  build healthy communities and advance health equity.

Program Overview:

Dual Degree Track Summary

• DPT
  • 116 Credit Hours
  • 2.5 Years
• MPH
  • 42 Credit Hours (9 of which may be applied from approved DPT courses)
  • 1 Year (Note – some concentrations will take longer than 1 year to complete)
• Clinical Education/Practicum
• Capstone Project

Eligibility:

Application to the MPH program will occur during Year 2 of the DPT program. Applicants for the MPH program must be current DPT students on track to successfully complete their second professional year of the DPT curriculum (DPT 2). At the time of matriculation to the MPH program, the student must:

• Have a bachelor's degree
• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in the DPT program at the end of their first professional year (DPT 1)
• Be in good academic and professional standing in the DPT program

Application Process:

DPT Program:

Applicants will apply online using the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) system. The DPT program application process includes a holistic review that looks closely at all components of an application. Reviewers attend closely to strengths identified through the application’s required documents and reflective essays. Additional details can be found here.

MPH Program:

Applicants will apply online using SOPHAS Express. Applicants to the MPH program will be required to meet with the DPT Student Promotions Committee to ensure there are no professional or academic issues that would prevent them from being strong candidates for the dual degree program. Applications for the MPH program will be reviewed by the Director of the MPH program/Associate Dean and referred to the admissions committee for the concentration to which the applicant is applying. Admission to the DPT program does NOT guarantee admission to the DPT/MPH track.

The deadline for submission to the SOPHAS Express application site will be April 1st for summer matriculation into the MPH program.

Learning Outcomes:

• Apply equity-based population health frameworks to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health programs
• Prioritize community engagement principles in all clinic- and community-based activities
• Work alongside community partners to co-develop injury/disease prevention and health promotion programs
• Evaluate programs and policies for their impact on health equity
• Meet all concentration-specific expectations

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I consider a dual degree program?

With exceptionally strong roots in tertiary and secondary prevention, PTs are increasingly called upon to identify individuals at risk for poor health outcomes (primary prevention) and address the social and structural determinants of health (primordial prevention). Realizing APTA’s mission to build a community that improves the health of society will require transformative leaders capable of working alongside diverse communities to  build healthy communities and advance health equity. The more tangible benefits of completing a dual degree program versus individual degree programs are summarized in Table 1.

The combined DPT-MPH degree will strengthen PTs ability to become transformative leaders, capable of improving the human experience and the health of society. Promising areas of expansion include population health, disease prevention, and health promotion. The Colorado School of Public Health offers several concentrations, including but not limited to: Community and Behavioral Health; Environmental and Occupational Health; Health Systems, Management, and Policy; Population Health and Well-Being; Applied Biostatistics; and Epidemiology.

*Separate: DPT Tuition (2021-2022) = $548/Credit Hour x 116 Credits = $63,568. MPH Tuition = $833/Credit Hour x 42 Credits = $34,986. Total = $98,554

*Dual Degree: DPT Tuition = $548/Credit Hour x 116 Credits = $63,568. MPH Tuition = $833/Credit Hour x 33 Credits = $26,656. Total = $90,224

Contact: