Public Health

Program Overview

Lawrence offers a 4+1 program in public health in conjunction with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). Students spend three years at Lawrence and a year of dual enrollment at Lawrence and in MCW’s online public health program, starting the summer after their junior year. In the dual degree year, while still in residence at Lawrence, students take the equivalent of 27 units at LU in addition to the online MPH courses. Up to 15 credits (27 LU units) of MCW graduate work may count towards both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. After the dual enrollment year, students who have satisfied the Lawrence University general education requirements and their major requirements will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts. Students then continue for a summer semester and a full year in MCW’s online public health program, after which they will earn a Master of Public Health.

Lawrence students apply to the online public health program of the Medical College of Wisconsin by April 10th of their junior year and must meet the entrance requirements established by the public health program. A 3.0 Lawrence grade-point average is a minimum requirement but does not guarantee admission. Although there is no restriction on a student’s choice of major at Lawrence, students must fulfill the following prerequisite course requirements for public health: First Year Studies, a writing intensive course, a statistics course (STAT 107; MATH 255; BIOL 280; PSYC 170; or ANTH 207), and BIOL 130 or BIOL 135 plus and additional upper level BIOL or ANTH course with connections to human health. It is strongly recommended that the additional BIOL or ANTH course be selected in consultation with the program advisor.

Completing Lawrence requirements and the prerequisite requirements will require careful planning, which must begin early in the Lawrence career. Students interested in this program should talk with their faculty advisors not later than the beginning of the sophomore year. Students should coordinate their plans with the MCW’s public health program advisor as well.

More detailed information about the program, requirements for admission, and how to apply can be found at www.mcw.edu/mph

Types of Degrees

A liberal arts education provides excellent preparation for careers in a variety of professions. For this reason, several professional schools have contracted with Lawrence for cooperative programs that enable students to build a foundation in the liberal arts and then acquire specific professional skills. These programs lead, in most cases, to the awarding of two degrees.

The cooperative programs generally provide for students to study at Lawrence for three years and then transfer to a professional school for two more years. To qualify for a Lawrence degree in these programs, students must earn 162 units (164 for pre-law) and fulfill all other degree requirements that cannot be met in the professional school. Students must undertake careful planning with professional advisors and their own faculty advisors to ensure all requirements are completed satisfactorily.

Students who earn the required number of units at Lawrence and successfully complete the first year of study in professional school may participate in the Lawrence Commencement with their matriculation class.