Combined DVM-MPH Program

LSU School of Public Health Mission

The LSU School of Public Health’s mission is to "Advance the public’s health and well-being through education, research and service with a focus on issues affecting Louisiana." We do that by having a vision of a healthier Louisiana with a workforce addressing the core functions of public health, equipped with data and knowledge, and supported by LSU’s faculty, students and staff.

Your education here will give you real-world, practical experience to make the world a healthier place.

Goals of the DVM/MPH Joint Degree Program

DVM/MPH students will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to promote health, prevent disease, and enhance the delivery of evidence-based services in the community. Students will build interdisciplinary skills and transdisciplinary professional identity by developing an understanding of the breadth of each field and their interface. DVM/MPH graduates are uniquely qualified to contribute in ever expanding ways to foster both human and animal health and to contribute to discovery as part of the biomedical workforce.

The DVM/MPH dual-degree program is designed to prepare graduates for work in a variety of interdisciplinary settings.

This program supports the mission of One Health as espoused by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): "Recognizing that human health (including mental health via the human-animal bond phenomenon), animal health, and ecosystem health are inextricably linked, One Health seeks to promote, improve, and defend the health and well-being of all species by enhancing cooperation and collaboration between physicians, veterinarians, public health officers, and other scientific health and environmental professionals by promoting strengths in leadership and management to achieve these goals."

DVM/MPH dual-degree students will satisfy the requirements for 176.5 – 184.5 DVM credit hours and a minimum of 37 MPH credit hours (with 9 hours of transfer credits). It is recommended that you begin your MPH studies the summer immediately before you begin your DVM.