The health-care industry accounts for a significant chunk of the national economy, contributing to demand for professionals able to navigate the complex economics and politics of health-care reform and innovation. The MPH/MBA program equips students with interdisciplinary, critical-thinking skills required for leadership within a rapidly changing industry. 

Students in this program earn an MPH from WashU Public Health and an MBA from WashU Olin Business.

Recommended course sequence

Our MPH curriculum is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, and Olin Business’ MBA curriculum is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The list includes sample courses to build a course of study. Students spend three semesters prime to each school.

95 credit hours — 43 credit hours at WashU Public Health and 52 hours at Olin Business

52 credits across summer, fall and spring semesters. Classes may include:

  • Values-Based/Data-Driven Decision Making (3 credits)
  • Foundations for Impactful Teamwork (3 credits)
  • Marketing Management (3 credits)
  • Intro to Management and Strategy (3 credits)

32 credits across fall, spring and summer semesters. Classes may include:

  • Foundations of Public Health courses (21 credits)
  • MPH Research Methods (3 credits)
  • Planning, Implementing and Evaluating Evidence-Based Programs (3 credits)
  • MPH practicum (3 credits)
  • Transdisciplinary Problem Solving in Public Health (3 credits)

11 credits in the fall semester. Classes may include:

  • Transdisciplinary Problem Solving in Public Health (3 credits)
  • Applied Linear Modeling (3 credits)
  • MPH Skill Labs (3 credits)
  • MPH Capstone (2 credits)

Fieldwork and internship opportunities

MPH students are required to complete 360 hours of fieldwork, called the practicum. Students select their own practicum sites. MPH/MBA students have completed their MPH practica at locations including:

  • BJC Center for Clinical Excellence
  • Health Capital Consultants
  • National Council on Aging

MBA students are encouraged to seek summer internship opportunities at organizations that align with their professional interests. Recent internship sites for MPH/MBA students include:

  • Aetna
  • Eli Lilly and Co.
  • Humana

Tuition structure

In the fall and spring semesters, tuition and fee charges are based on the division of the student’s primary, full-time enrollment, which varies by semester and is referred to as the student’s prime division. 

For three semesters, students are prime to WashU Olin Business, assessed tuition according to the Olin tuition structure, and can receive Olin scholarships. For the remaining semesters, students are prime to WashU Public Health, are assessed tuition according to Public Health’s tuition structure, and can receive WashU Public Health scholarships.

Apply

New students applying to this dual-degree program must apply to the MPH program through SOPHAS, the centralized application service for public health, and also submit a separate application for the MBA program through WashU Olin Business. 

WashU students currently enrolled in the MBA program who wish to add the MPH should apply through SOPHAS and are eligible for a discounted fee waiver code when they submit their applications.

Apply