Queens College is partnering with the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (SPH) to facilitate access to master’s level training in public health. QC students can apply here to take graduate-level courses at SPH during their junior and senior years at Queens, with such courses counting towards both their undergraduate and graduate degrees. This arrangement secures early admission to SPH’s master’s programs and enables the completion of both the undergraduate and master’s degrees in five years rather than six.  Application in the spring semester to begin in the summer session of the same year maximizes the possibility of completing the degree in 1 year following undergraduate graduation  

CUNY SPH faculty research advances the science of public health, builds evidence for social justice policy, and introduces new methodological tools useful to the field. SPH faculty and students are engaged in research and programs in every borough of NYC, as well as across the globe in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. CUNY SPH offers the most cost-effective way to advance student’s public health career, with a range of financial assistance opportunities available for graduate students. 

In order to apply, QC students must:  

• have completed 75 undergraduate credits or more
• have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher 
• submit a 600-word personal statement to the Queens 4+1 Admissions Committee, explaining their personal and academic rationale for joining the program 
• demonstrate a commitment to pursuing a master’s degree in public health, the health sciences, or industrial hygiene and/or a career in the field of health based upon their current program of study or work experience

Select graduate courses in the following specializations leading to a master of public health degree or master of science degree will be offered as part of the program:

• Community health 
• Environmental and occupational health sciences (also master of science) 
• Epidemiology and biostatistics 
• Health policy and management 
• Public health nutrition
• Population health informatics
• Global and migrant health policy 
• Health communication for social change 

The School of Public Health will waive student application fee that they would pay if they applied to SPH after graduating. Students will be responsible for paying their SPH tuition after graduating from Queens College although SPH does offer various financial aid opportunities. All SPH courses taken while the students are undergraduates will be e-permit courses, with the credits that may be applied to their undergraduate degrees. The anticipated maximum enrollment in the first year is approximately five (5) students.   

Click here to watch a recording of the October 8, 2021 information session on the Queens College SPH 4+1 program.  

Students with questions about the program can reach out to Professor Claudia Calhoon at claudia.calhoon@qc.cuny.edu.