The School of Public Health offers a variety of enrollment plans. In addition to regular full-time enrollment, part-time enrollment (less than 12 semester hours) is available for students who have competing professional or personal responsibilities. All core courses are offered on-line, and most of the core classes are also offered at least once per year during evening hours. (At least one core course is only offered in an on-line format.) Most divisions also offer some electives in the evening. However, part-time students should expect to take some day classes to complete their degrees.

Entering students are strongly encouraged to have access to a modern computer with, at a minimum: a high-speed modem (Pentium II, 9GB hard drive, 128MB RAM, 56K modem, CD-ROM drive, sound card); display card capable of displaying 1056 by 768 resolution True Color; operating system: Windows 98, NT 4.0, or Windows 2000; and browser: Internet Explorer 5.0 or above, Netscape Navigator 4.08 or later, Netscape Communicator 4.7 or later.

Degree Students

Students accepted under the prevailing standards of admission and registered in one of four degree programs offered by the school are considered degree students. Students must pass a preliminary examination for candidacy to the Doctor of Public Health and Doctor of Philosophy programs.

Credit-Nondegree Students

The school offers interested persons a limited opportunity to register for public health courses in a nondegree status. Twelve semester hours of course credits and letter grades earned by credit-nondegree students may be transferred toward a degree upon the student's acceptance as a degree candidate and with the consent of the academic division to which the student has been admitted. Credit-nondegree students are accepted every semester. The number of nondegree students is limited; students are encouraged to apply early.

Procedure for Admissions

Applications for master's and doctoral degrees are only accepted for students starting in the fall semester. Applications for admission should be directed to one of the School of Public Health's four academic divisions (pages 12 to 15). There are three ways to apply:

1. Apply entirely on-line: UIC has a new on-line application. This can be found by visiting the School of Public Health website at http://www.uic.edu/sph/ and
selecting “Admissions.” A copy of the instructions for completing the application should also be downloaded from that site.

2. Download a paper copy: The School of Public Health's application and instructions for filling it out are available for downloading in PDF format at http://www.uic.edu/sph/ under “Admissions.”

3. Ask for an application packet: A complete application packet may be obtained through the mail by calling Ms. Stephanie Taylor-Foster at 312-996-6625 and leaving name, address, and telephone number or by emailing this information to her at Step@uic.edu.

Applications must be submitted by the deadline of February 1 for admission to the School of Public Health for the following fall semester. (See the “Calendar” at http://www.uic.edu/sph/calendar/ for information which may have been updated.) Applicants with international credentials are strongly encouraged to submit their applications by January 1 for fullest possible consideration.

Each application is reviewed by the faculty in the division to which it is directed. Final admission decisions are made by the dean of the school. Some applicants will receive a statement from the academic division of credit requirements and length of time needed to complete the degree. This statement becomes a condition for admission.

For additional questions about the application process, contact Ms. Taylor-Foster at the above number.

Student Advising

Upon admission, each student is assigned a faculty advisor in his/her area of concentration. The advisor provides assistance in all areas that affect the student’s studies. The advisor offers information regarding policies; helps in choosing appropriate courses, research, and field work; assists, as appropriate, in the selection of the Thesis Examining Committee; and provides supervision of research and internships. The continuing relationship between student and faculty advisor is a vital part of the school's educational program.

Transfer of Credit

All degree programs of the School of Public Health permit transfer of credit for courses that are deemed relevant to the student's program of study taken before and during enrollment in the school. Consideration is given to the transfer of graduate work completed in accredited institutions, either those approved by one of the regional accreditation associations or those approved by the agencies recognized by the Council on Post-Secondary Education. Only graduate work that meets the quality and content of courses offered at the University of Illinois is considered for transfer. Consideration is given to the transfer of credit in three categories:

Graduate work for which a degree was not awarded.

Graduate work completed elsewhere after admission to the school and for which a degree was not awarded. Such courses should be an integral part of the student's degree curriculum, taken on the advice of the student's faculty advisor.

Graduate work completed in the senior year at UIC that was not applied to the baccalaureate.

In the case of competency-based or pass-fail systems, the student must submit a letter from the instructor of record assigning a letter grade for the course to be transferred.

For a more complete description of the conditions for the transfer of credit and limitations on the number of credit hours that may be transferred, refer to the SPH Student Handbook.

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