Immunology and Medical Microbiology

Accelerated Bachelor's to MPH Program

The Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's (ABM) provides a pathway for well-qualified WVU Immunology and Medical Microbiology (IMMB) students to enter the Master of Public Health (MPH) program early and complete both their undergraduate and graduate degrees within five years.

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Early Admission (Entering First-Time Freshmen)

To be eligible for early admission to the ABM, you must: 

  • Be admitted to WVU as an Immunology and Medical Microbiology major.
  • Have a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher.
  • Place directly into CHEM 115 (Fundamentals of Chemistry), with an ACT Math score of 26 or SAT Math score of 610.
  • Submit a declaration of intent to enroll in the ABM and be verified as meeting all admission criteria.

First-time freshmen admitted via the early admission pathway must maintain the standards described under regular admission in order to continue into the ABM program after completing a minimum of 60 credits. 

Regular Admission (Currently Enrolled WVU Students)

Students seeking to enter the accelerated program must have been admitted to the BS IMMB program as a first-time freshman or transfer/change of major student pursuant to the program admission requirements in effect at the time of matriculation into the major. They must then apply to the IMMB-MPH ABM following the guidelines below. 

  1. Applicants must have completed at least 60 credits but no more than 75 credits of BS IMMB coursework.
  2. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in the BS IMMB program. 
  3. Applicants may have no documented infractions with the WVU Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities or any external law enforcement agencies.
  4. Students must meet with their undergraduate advisor routinely to ensure eligibility for the ABM program.
  5. Transfer students must complete at least 30 credit hours as degree-seeking students at WVU before applying to the ABM.

Applications to the ABM must include a resume, two letters of recommendation, and a personal statement addressing their interest in the ABM, career goals, and how the ABM will support these goals. Applications are reviewed by an ABM IMMB-MPH admission committee.

Student Expectations

Students are expected to remain in compliance with all Immunology and Medical Microbiology policies and procedures during the undergraduate portion of the program, and with all Public Health policies and procedures during the graduate portion. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 beginning with the semester in which they enroll in MPH courses, continuing through the end of the ABM program. Students must also complete 120 undergraduate credit hours by the end of year 4.

Curriculum

Students completing the IMMB to MMP ABM will typically begin taking graduate Public Health coursework, in combination with undergraduate IMMB coursework, during the fall of their third year. Course descriptions are available via the West Virginia University Academic Catalog and a recommended plan of study is available here. 

Student Classification and Tuition

Typically, students will be classified as undergraduate students for 4 years of the accelerated program (through spring of their fourth year). They will be charged undergraduate tuition rates for as long as they are classified as undergraduates, regardless of whether they are taking undergraduate or graduate/professional courses. During the time they are classified as undergraduates, financial aid and/or scholarships that are only available to undergraduates will apply - but once a student is converted to graduate/professional status, they will be charged at the appropriate graduate tuition rate and will no longer be able to apply undergraduate financial aid or scholarships.