The MS in public health sciences prepares students for intermediate to senior research positions in local, state, or federal agencies, in private or public health organizations, or in health research programs. MS degree students are also prepared for continuing studies through the PhD program.

MS Admission Requirements

An applicant must have (1) a baccalaureate degree from an accredited school, preferably with a major in the biological, physical, or social sciences, (2) an undergraduate grade point average of at least 4.00 (A=5.00), and (3) a combined Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score of 1,000 (verbal plus quantitative). Although exceptions may be made, admitted students usually have qualifications in excess of these minimum standards. The academic divisions may have additional admission requirements.

All MS applicants must submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, EXCEPT
- MS applicants with a graduate or professional degree at the doctoral level, e.g., PhD, ScD, MD, DDS, DO, DVM, JD, from an accredited U.S. or Canadian school;
- MS applicants with the above-stated degrees from foreign schools whose applications are sponsored by an accepted referral service, such as AFGRAD or AMIDEAST;
- physicians who are licensed to practice in the United States.

NOTE: The USMLE and ECFMG will not be considered in lieu of the GRE.

Application Process

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 online 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.

The Graduate College application forms must be used. Applicants must submit academic transcripts, GRE scores, three letters of recommendation, a résumé, and a career-goal statement including (1) reason for pursuing the MS at UIC in the chosen area of concentration and (2) career goals and intended research.

International applicants must present evidence of English competency. Official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08540, must be sent to UIC. The test must have been taken within the last two years. Minimum scores required: paper-based TOEFL = 550, computer-based TOEFL = 213. The USMLE and ECFMG will not be considered in lieu of the TOEFL or as evidence of English competency. For more complete information about the TOEFL requirements, please refer to the Graduate College website, Degree Admissions, Application Procedures, International Applicants, Test of English as a Foreign Language.

Program of Study

Upon admission, the student and his or her faculty advisor develop a goal-oriented program of study that includes:

1. Required courses, limited to:

EPID 400 - Principles of Epidemiology (3 sh)
BSTT 400 - Biostatistics I (3 sh)

2. Academic division course requirements, seminars, and electives combined to suit the student's goals. SPH courses may be combined with those from other departments (e.g., Community Health Sciences with Anthropology).

3. Research must be completed in three to four semesters of full-time work leading to a required thesis. The research may include theoretical, laboratory, field, or computer-based investigation. Research is undertaken with the assistance and approval of the student's academic advisor and Thesis Examining Committee.

4. The biostatistics program requires a comprehensive examination rather than a formal thesis for MS students.

Minimum Semester-Hour Requirements

* At least 9 semester hours must be at the 500-level.

Final Oral Examination

The final oral examination consists of a presentation of the student's research findings at an open meeting of students and faculty and a separate oral examination in the academic division by the student's Thesis Examining Committee.