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UI, Coe College partner on accelerated degree program

Published on June 10, 2015

Students gathered in a science lab. Photo courtesy of Coe College.
Coe College students can earn their Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees in five years.

A new partnership with the University of Iowa College of Public Health will allow students at Coe College in Cedar Rapids to earn their Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees in five years. Beginning this fall, the cooperative program will allow qualified undergraduates from Coe admission to the UI’s MPH program.

Under the innovative program, Coe students can earn both degrees faster than the normal six years, thereby saving a year of tuition and associated costs. As an additional benefit, program graduates will have a one-year head start on their careers. The creation of this undergraduate to graduate (U2G) program will enhance career opportunities for Coe students by allowing them to enter the burgeoning field of public health.

Coe students who are interested in the MPH program will take an online class offered by the UI during their sophomore year. They will later apply for admission to the MPH program during their junior year. While seniors, participating students will finish bachelor’s degrees at Coe and take three classes at the UI. At the end of their fourth year of study, they will receive bachelor’s degrees from Coe and go on to complete the MPH at the UI during a fifth year of study.

“We are excited and proud to have Coe College as a partner institution for our MPH program,” says Mary Lober Aquilino, Iowa associate dean for the MPH and undergraduate programs. “The University of Iowa College of Public Health will benefit from the availability to draw from Coe’s highly qualified students.”

Coe Assistant Professor of Psychology Benjamin Tallman helped to develop the cooperative degree program. He will serve as the dual degree program coordinator for Coe students who pursue study toward their MPH at the University of Iowa.

“Many Coe alumni have gone on to earn their graduate and professional degrees at the University of Iowa, and this new program enhances that relationship by helping students acquire a first-class education for less time and expense,” says Tallman. “The strong liberal arts preparation that Coe students receive coupled with the opportunity to enroll in the UI MPH program will provide them with exceptional opportunities to pursue careers in public health.”

Coe graduates have a record of successful completion of MPH degrees from national and international institutions of higher education, such as the UI, Yale University, Georgia State University, UCLA, Tulane University, and the University of Glasgow. Additionally, Coe students who earned MPH degrees have secured employment in a variety of private and public sector positions including neurosurgery residents, policy analysts, health education specialists, economic research specialists, and research associates. Others have pursued medical degrees.

More information about the Coe College cooperative degree program is available on the College of Public Health web site. Information about other University of Iowa U2G programs is available on the Graduate College web site.

Photos courtesy of Coe College.