Application Process
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How can I visit the School of Public Health? |
We host open houses each fall, which include interaction with faculty, major
coordinators, and current students. Check the SPH Applicant/Prospective website
for upcoming events. You may also visit campus at your convenience; contact the Major
Coordinators at gradstudies@epi.umn.edu to make arrangements.
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When is the application deadline? |
The priority deadline for all programs is
December 15.
Completing your application by
the priority deadline ensures you will be given full consideration for all School awarded
funding. We will accept and review applications after the priority deadline. The final
applications deadlines are as follows:
- EpiCH Applications: April 15
- Clinical Research MS Applications: June 15
- PhD Applications: February 15
Applications received after the final deadline may not be reviewed. Please be sure to
contact a major coordinator if you are not able to meet the final application deadline.
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Can I be admitted at any time other than Fall semester?
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Fall admission is usually required. Any exceptions are at the discretion of the specific major. |
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Do I have to pay an application fee? |
We require an application fee for each application; the fee is valid for one year. |
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Can I apply for more than one major? |
Yes. We require a separate fee and application packet for each major to which you apply.
For more information see the SPH Application web page. |
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Do I have to take a test for admission? |
Yes. A standardized test is required unless you already have a doctoral level degree
earned in the US or Canada.
Most majors require the GRE. For location and test
dates, go to http://www.gre.org. Use institution code 5688.
Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the TOEFL.
For location and test dates, go to www.toefl.org. Use institution code 5688.
If you are a medical doctor trained outside of the US/Canada, and have been granted
the ECFMG Certificate, then you are also exempt from the GRE/TOEFL
requirements for majors in Division of Epidemiology and Community Health. You
will need to submit proof of your Certificate with your application. |
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What if I haven’t taken the GRE by the application deadline? |
Your application is not considered
complete until the official score from ETS is received by the
SPH’s Student Service Center or SOPHAS, and we will not
review an application until it’s complete. Please make
your testing plans accordingly. |
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Do I need original transcripts from all colleges/universities I have attended? |
Yes. For any coursework reported on your application
you must provide a transcript. For more information see the
SPH Application
web page. |
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If I have attended the University of Minnesota before, do I have to complete the
entire SPH application process? |
You must complete all processes, including requesting an official transcript from the
Office of the Registrar and paying the application fees. For MS and PhD applicants who
have attended the University of Minnesota previously, the Graduate School requires a
Change of Status Form (PDF) ,
which involves a separate fee. |
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What is a letter of intent? |
The letter of intent should be approximately two pages in length and should highlight
your professional experience and academic work, future career goals, and your
current educational needs.
In addition, you should (indirectly) answer the questions
- Why are you thinking of pursuing public health?
- Why are you interested in the specific major for which you are applying?
- What specific population or topic areas within the field are you currently interested in?
It is important that you are able to demonstrate some understanding of the field
but of course, you are not expected to demonstrate a very sophisticated
understanding as you will gain that during your studies.
Epidemiology PhD students must also submit a Proposed Research Statement. |
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Who should complete the recommendation forms and write the letters? |
Persons qualified to assess your academic work, clinical, public health, professional, or
significant volunteer experiences, or leadership potential in public health should complete
recommendation forms. Recommenders can upload the letter through the online
application process. |
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Will I have to participate in an interview as part of the admission process? |
We welcome your visit, but it is not part of the review process and will not affect the
admission decision. Open houses scheduled each fall are a good way to learn about the
School of Public Health. |
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What documentation do international applicants need? |
If you are an international applicant, you must submit one official transcript from
each college or university attended, with an official English translation if the original
is not in English. For more information see the SPH Application web page.
All international students are required to complete a financial certification form (to
process the I- 20) identifying sufficient funding for one academic year. You can find
the Financial Certification form (PDF) .
Please be aware that financial aid for International students is extremely limited at the
University. |
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What is the Title IV code for my financial aid application? |
Use this code to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid: 003969 |
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When is my application file ready to be reviewed? |
When we have received all necessary parts of the application packet, then your file is
complete. It is then sent it to the major’s admissions committee for review.
An admissions committee (comprised of 4-6 faculty) for each major reviews the
applications to that major. |
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When will I know if I’ve been accepted? |
Generally we will notify you of admission about six weeks after receiving your complete application. You may email the Major Coordinators
(gradstudies@epi.umn.edu) to inquire of your status after that time.
The admission committee will notify you as soon as they can. Please understand that
we process hundreds of applicants simultaneously.
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If admitted, can I defer my admission? |
For MPH: In some cases a deferral is granted for one year only. There should be a
specific reason to request a deferral, and the closer the request is to the start of
classes, the less likely it will be granted. You must request a deferment in writing
from the major. If granted, your name will be added to the following year’s incoming
class list.
For PhD & MS: Deferral is rare. Ask Andrea Kish for details
(kish@umn.edu). |
Preparing a Competitive Application |
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How competitive is admission? Am I likely to get in? |
School-wide over the past several years, approximately
50% of all applicants have been offered admission. Detailed
admission statistics are available on our Prosective
Student Page. |
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How can I strengthen my application? |
If you’re still taking your undergraduate coursework, work hard to have as good a grade
point average as possible. But this doesn’t mean taking easier courses. Our admissions
committee looks at your GPA along with the selection and difficulty of courses. They
take into account the institution where you earned your degree. It’s important to complete
any unfinished courses. If you have a bad grade in a course that is particularly important
to the major to which you hope to apply, retake the course or a similar course to earn a
higher grade.
If you’ve completed your undergraduate degree and either have an overall GPA lower
than you believe you’ll need, or you have lower grades in particular courses that are
important, consider taking some additional post-baccalaureate coursework to earn some
high grades in relevant coursework.
If you have not taken one or more of the prerequisite courses, you can definitely
strengthen your application if you take them. The prerequisites are not meant to be
barriers to the programs; rather, we want to make sure that students are prepared for the
content of the graduate classes required in a particular degree.
For the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), studying can definitely help. A general rule is to
use as much time to prepare for the GRE as you would for a 2-3 semester credit course;
about eight hours per week for 15 weeks. You can take preparatory courses at many
colleges or through private educational testing organizations. Also, the U's Complete Scholar
program offers noncredit
courses titled “Preparing for the GRE” and “Math Intensive for the GRE.” You
might also find preparatory materials at your local library. |
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What are the average GPA/GRE scores of accepted students? |
This information is available on our Prospective
Student Page. |
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Should I take preparatory courses before my first official Fall Semester? |
If you have met the prerequisites for the program you wish to enter, we encourage
prospective students to just focus on being a strong candidate. Take time to prepare for
the GRE and to write a terrific letter of intent.
However, if you do not meet all of the prerequisites for the program you wish to enter,
please make sure those courses are completed as soon as possible. It is okay to still be
completing a course during the admission process, but it is easier for the admissions
committee to see your potential if all of your materials are accessible to them at the same
time.
You may be able to register for a Public Health class without
being admitted to the SPH. For more information see www.sph.umn.edu/education/
nondegree/home.html
Please note that you are allowed to transfer no more than 15 credits into the SPH.
Note: The SPH has a specific policy stating that "courses designated as part of
the public health
core, must be taken A-F. " So if you plan to try to take a
SPH core class prior to be admitted, keep this in mind.
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Test Preparation for GRE |
For information on the GRE, please see
www.cce.umn.edu/testprep and www.gre.org |
Feasibility - Making the program work for you |
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How long does it take to finish the MPH degree? |
Most majors have designed their curriculum to be completed in two years of full-time
study, although part-time study is allowed. |
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How many credits do I have to take to be considered full time? |
MPH students: Students are considered full-time if they register for nine (9) credits for
the Fall and Spring semesters, and six (6) credits for the May Intersession/Summer
Session.
PhD & MS students: For certification by the Office of the Registrar as full-time,
Graduate School students much be registered for six (6) credits each semester.
External agencies or the Office of Financial Aid may require you to be registered for
more than six or nine credits to be considered full-time. Check with these agencies to
verify requirements.
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How many credits do students usually take each semester? |
Most full-time students take 9-14 credits during Fall and Spring semesters. Students may
also take at least one course during May Intersession and may opt to take more credits in
the Summer Session. |
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Can I complete a degree in the evening or summer, or on the Internet? |
MPH core courses are available in both on-line and
traditional classroom formats. The Division of Epidemiology and Community Health
does offer a distance-based degree in maternal and Child Health. |
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Can I transfer courses from another university or college? |
For MPH students: After you start the program, transfer credits may be petitioned, and
must be approved by the faculty of your academic major and the Dean of the School of
Public Health, and cannot exceed 15 semester credits. Coursework taken at the University
of Minnesota before the term to which you are admitted are also considered “transfer
credits.”
For PhD and MS students: Contact Andrea Kish at kish@epi.umn.edu, and see the
Graduate School website at http://www.grad.umn.edu/. |
Finances |
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What financial aid is available? |
Download a PDF which explains various was to finance your education. Financing Your Education (PDF)
Complete applications received by December 31st will be given first consideration for
School awarded scholarships.
Upon your admission to the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, you
should refer to the Job Tip Sheet (PDF) that will guide you through the Assistantship process here at the University of Minnesota.
You can visit the Assistantship office at http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae. To increase your
chances of obtaining a Graduate Assistantship, consider learning a statistical software
package such as SAS or SPSS.
Limited funds for (current) student travel are available. Resources are also available through the J. B. Hawley Student Research Award for
research projects, including Master’s Projects.
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What are the benefits of a graduate assistantship? |
Assistants receive tuition benefits, health insurance, and more. See
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae for details. |
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How can I apply for graduate assistantships? |
Please refer to our Job Tip Sheet (PDF)
as well as the University's Graduate Assistant web pages:
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae/. |
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Is financial aid available for International students? |
International students are eligible to apply for graduate assistantships anywhere within
the University of Minnesota. These positions are very competitive. You may only
calculate assistantship income on your Financial Certification form if you have an
assistantship contract with the major to which you have been admitted.
If you do not have sufficient funding to cover your expenses for the first year, consider
delaying your studies; reapply when you have secured sufficient funds.
For a listing of graduate assistant positions, see http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae/. |
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Student Life |
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How does the SPH Student Service Center help students? |
The SSC, a School-wide office, coordinates functions including recruitment, applications,
and graduation clearance. The SSC works closely with Major Coordinators in each of the
majors. |
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How are students involved in campus and community? What kinds of activities and
organizations are available? |
Many students are involved in governance and social activities through the SPH Student
Senate, Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, and the Center for Health
Interdisciplinary Programs. |
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What about access to technology in the School of Public Health? |
Computer labs in the SPH and across campus give all students computer access.
The Division of Epidemiology and Community Health computer lab in the West Bank
Office Building includes one Macintosh and three PC’s available for student use. These
computers are for Division graduate students to use on work pertaining to their degree
program.
Additionally, the Health Sciences Bio-Medical Library has computer facilities located
in Diehl Hall.
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What assistance is available in helping to find internships and jobs? |
SPH Career Services provides resources to students, prospective students, and graduates.
For more information see
http://www.sph.umn.edu/
current/ career/home.html. |
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Is there a contact for student representation and student concerns? |
Students are invited to share their ideas, questions, and concerns with their representative
to the Council of Graduate Students (PhD) and the SPH’s Student Senate (MPH). In
addition there are student representatives that attend the Division’s Training Committee
(DTC) meetings. |
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What services are available for students with disabilities? |
The University of Minnesota is a leader in creating inclusive learning environments. See
http://ds.umn.edu/. |
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Does it always snow in Minnesota? |
Contrary to popular belief, Minnesota isn’t trapped in perpetual tundra. We enjoy the full
spectrum of seasons, which include summer temperatures well above 80F. It’s beautiful
here! |
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Where do students live? |
Many students live in apartments off campus. For more information see
http://www.housing.umn.edu/offcampus/. |
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Do I need a car to live off-campus? |
Popular areas for student residence are well served by bus. Parking on campus is limited,
and monthly bus passes are offered to University students at deep discounts. Travel by
transit outside the central cities is more limited and you may want a car to do errands and
see friends in the evening and on weekends. |
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