Graduate Program in Public Health
ADMISSION POLICY
Admission Policy
The time allotted for completion of the MPH degree, regardless of concurrent degree involvement is four (4) years unless there are compelling extenuating circumstances.
Master of Public Health (MPH) Admission Requirements
- Baccalaureate degree from a Council for Higher Education (CHEA) regionally accredited college or university.
- Official transcripts from all previous postsecondary CHEA regionally accredited college or university. If the student is applying for concurrent degrees in the College of Medicine, College of Nursing, or College of Health Related Professions, then transcripts need only be sent to those primary programs.
- An undergraduate record with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale) is preferred. Applicants who have completed all or part of their education abroad, are required to have a course-by-course educational credential evaluation completed by an approved agency accredited by the National Association Of Credential Evaluation Services (http://www.naces.org).
For those applying to Biostatistics, Epidemiology, or Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, a Bachelor of Science degree is preferred with at least one (1) undergraduate math and one (1) undergraduate biology course. For applicants to Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, an undergraduate chemistry course is preferred.
- Appropriate completion of the MPH Program application, including the personal statement and essay on a selected public health topic. Please see information below in regard to the personal statement and essay (Written Essays Guidelines).
- Letters of recommendation
- For students pursuing only the MPH degree: Two (2) letters of recommendation must be submitted addressing the applicant’s academic ability and professional experience or interest as it applies to public health issues.
- For students pursuing concurrent degrees: In addition to the required letters of recommendation for the primary program, applicants must submit one letter of recommendation unless the AMCAS or other primary program letters (or evaluations) speak directly to the applicant’s interest or experience in public health.
- A graduate entrance examination is required. The graduate entrance examination must have been taken within five (5) years of the application submission date. Graduate entrance examinations that will be accepted include the following :
- Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Combined scores of 1100 or above are preferred. For those applying to Biostatistics, Epidemiology, or Environmental and Occupational Health, quantitative scores in the 50th percentile or above are preferred.
- Medical College Admissions test (MCAT) Score of 24 or above are preferred
- Dental Admission Test (DAT) Score of 17 or above are preferred
- Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Scores of 550 or above are preferred
- Law School Admission Test (LSAT) Score of 150 or above are preferred
- Optometry Admission Test (OAT) Score of 70 or above preferred.
- United States Medical Licensure Exam (USMLE) Step 2 or 3.
- If a student has earned a doctoral degree from CHEA regionally accredited college or university, the graduate entrance examination may be waived at the discretion of the departmental chair after review of official transcripts from said school.
- Proof of current licensure must be submitted for all licensed health professionals
- Test of English as aForeign Language. The TOEFL is required for ALL applicants for whom English is a Second Language and who have not completed at least one year of full-time study in a regionally accredited college or university in the United States (at least 24 semester credits, including two courses in English composition). A minimum score for the paper exam of 536 (undergraduate programs) and 564 (graduate programs); and a minimum score for the computer exam of 208 (undergraduate programs) and 223 (graduate programs) is required on the TOEFL.
Please note: Your application is not considered complete without the required standardized test score(s).
- A $45 non-refundable application fee made payable to SUNY Downstate Medical Center.
Written Essay Guidelines: The application must include two written essays prepared by the applicant without outside assistance. These statements help the Admissions Committee evaluate the applicant's motivation for entering the program as well as skills in problem-solving, writing, and following guidelines. Each should be thoughtful, clear, concise, and well-organized. Any application that includes plagiarized material will be automatically rejected.
- Personal Statement. The first essay is a personal statement in which the applicant explains his or her reasons for pursuing the degree in a particular area of interest and hopes for what he or she will achieve with that degree. The essay should be on separate, numbered sheets of paper for and include the applicant’s name at the top of each sheet. The essay should be no more than 300 words.
- Public Health Essay. Choose and describe a public health issue/problem in which you have an interest and present at least one possible approach to addressing that issue/problem. The essay should be no more than 1,000 words.
In your essay please carefully describe the issue or situation, using and citing current references, to substantiate your arguments. Then present your thoughts on how you might go about addressing some aspect of it. Please note that you can present a solution wherein you might work as an individual, or with other people or organizations. The essay should be clearly written and carefully checked for grammar and spelling. Please use separate sheets of paper for your essay, number the pages, and make certain that you include your name on each sheet.
Admission to the Concurrent Degree Program
Applicants for concurrent degrees with other programs in the medical center must apply to and be accepted by each program. Students applying for concurrent degrees should apply to both programs as early as possible so that they can obtain their admission status for each program in a timely fashion. The admission requirements for each degree apply. Students applying for concurrent degrees should indicate their intent on the application.
Application Deadlines
MPH applicants can apply for either summer or fall semester except for MD/MPH applicants (see below). Applicants intending to enter in the Summer semester must have their applications completed and submitted by February 15th. Applicants intending to enter in the Fall semester must have their applications completed and submitted by April 15th of the academic year beginning in September. Note that applicants may be admitted after these dates, but only on space-available basis.
For MD/MPH Applicants: Matriculated MD/MPH applicants can enter only during the summer semester. A complete MPH application for medical students must be submitted by May 15th directly to the SUNY Downstate Office of Admissions.
Transfer Credits
A maximum number of nine (9) credits from another CHEA regionally accredited college and/or university can be transferred into the MPH program. Courses taken at other CHEA accredited institutions must be approved by the departmental chair.
For transfer of credits or a waiver, the accepted student must provide: 1) a course description and 2) verification of at least a B grade (3.0 on a 4.0 system) in that particular course(s).
Notification of Status
Notification of action on the application is mailed after the complete admission materials are received. A student accepted for admission into one of the graduate programs is required to secure his or her place in the class by submitting a deposit that will be applied to the first semester’s tuition.
Deferrals
If accepted, individuals may request a deferral for up to one year for personal or professional reasons. Requests must be made in writing and submitted to the Office of Admissions and to the Chair of the specific department. No extensions beyond the one-year are permitted.
Matriculation Policy
Accepted students are required to submit all required documents, including final transcripts for all college and universities attended, to the Office of Admissions prior to the start of classes. Note that required health documents must be submitted directly to the Student Health Office.
Non-Matriculation Policy for MPH Courses
Individuals who wish to enter as non-matriculated students with the intent of ultimately applying to the MPH Program as a matriculated student must meet the following criteria:
- completion of an accredited bachelor’s degree program or higher from a CHEA regionally accredited college and/or university,
- completion of the non-matriculated application,
- submission of a transcript of undergraduate and, where applicable, graduate grades,
- submission of both the personal and public health essay
- a personal interview with a designated member of the faculty.
Individuals accepted as non-matriculated students are limited to specific courses in each department (see list below). Students must achieve a GPA of 3.0 for each course to be considered for subsequent admission as a matriculated student.
Courses Available for Non-matriculated Students
Approved non-matriculated students may take four (4) of any of the six (6) core MPH courses (listed below). Please note, however, that in order to take any of the Biostatistics, Epidemiology, or Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences electives, the non-matriculated student must first take and obtain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA in both Principles of Biostatistics and Principles of Epidemiology.
MPH Core Coures
- Principles of Biostatistics
- Principles of Epidemiology
- Health Behavior and Risk Reduction.
- Principles of Environmental Health
- Principles of Health Policy and Management
- Introduction to Public Health Theory and Policy
Non-matriculated students wishing to take other courses must secure the permission of the chair of that particular department.
Non-matriculated to Matriculated Application Process. If the non-matriculated student subsequently wishes to apply to the program as a matriculated student, then s/he must complete the formal MPH application process (detailed above), and be accepted based on the delineated criteria. Credits from the courses taken as a non-matriculated student will apply to the student’s MPH course credits. Note that an application to become a matriculated student does not guarantee admission.
Individuals who wish to take a specific course as a non-matriculated student with no intention of ultimately applying as a matriculated student, must:
- provide proof of a completed of an accredited bachelor’s degree program or higher from a CHEA regionally accredited college and/or university,
- submit a completed the non-matriculated form
- provide a transcript of undergraduate and, where applicable, graduate grades
- complete a personal interview with a designated faculty member.
Note that the program determines which courses are open to non-matriculated students as well the number of students allowed in each course.
Re-applicants
Some “re-applicants” are admitted each year with improved credentials. Re-applicants should contact the Program Office to schedule a pre-application advisement appointment to discuss how to improve their credentials in a reapplication. Re-applicants must submit a new application form, application fee, transcripts, and at least one new letter of recommendation.
International Student Applications and Foreign Medical Graduates
Applicants who have completed all or part of their education abroad, are required to have a course-by-course educational credential evaluation completed by an approved agency accredited by The National Association Of Credential Evaluation Services (http://www.naces.org). This evaluation must include a breakdown of each course by name, US equivalent semester hours, and the corresponding letter grade. These requests should be done and completed well in advance of the semester deadlines.
Our entering classes are small and admission preference is given to New York State residents and to individuals who have completed their prerequisite courses in the United States.
International students should not consider assistance from the college in their financial planning. On-campus employment is not recommended because of the demanding nature of the academic program. Many international students have visa restrictions on working. All international applicants must document their ability to finance their education as part of the admissions process.
International Medical Graduates who wish to be considered health care professionals are required to either have a valid and current state license in the United States or have passed Steps I and II of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) before they can be considered for entry into the program.
Application Processing
All applicants are instructed to send the application for admission and all official supporting credentials to the SUNY Downstate Office of Admissions. When an application is complete that application is forwarded to the Graduate Program in Public Health for review by the Committee on Admissions.
Important Information
For more information about the Graduate Program in Public Health, contact:
The SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Graduate Program in Public Health
Box 43
450 Clarkson Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11203
718-270-1065 (telephone)
718-270-2533 (fax)
e-mail: PublicHealth@downstate.edu
website: http://www.downstate.edu/publichealth
Application forms are available from the SUNY Downstate Medical Center website:
http://www.downstate.edu/publichealth/application.html
or
from the Office of Admissions:
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Office of Admissions
Box 60
450 Clarkson Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11203-2098
718-270-2446
ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS FOR ALL PROGRAMS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO:
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Office of Admissions
Box 60
450 Clarkson Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11203
Contact information for GRE, and TOEFL examinations is:
Graduate Record Examination
Educational Testing Service
Box 955
Princeton, NJ 08540
609-921-9000
e-mail: gre_info@ets.org
website: http://www.gre.org
GRE code: 2534
TOEFL
Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08451
609-771-7100
website: http://www.toefl.org
TOEFL code: 2534
