The Master of Public Health (MPH) is the basic professional degree offered by the School of Public Health. The program ensures that the graduate has a general understanding of the field of public health and specific competence in a particular area. The graduate is prepared for public health practice.

MPH Admission Requirements

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited school is the minimum requirement for admission to the MPH degree program; a master's or doctoral degree in an area relevant to public health is preferred.

All MPH applicants must submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, EXCEPT:
- MPH 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;
- MPH 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.

In exceptional cases, the division director may waive the GRE requirement. If an applicant wishes to be considered for such a waiver, the application must be submitted in sufficient time to take the GRE and have the scores sent to the School of Public Health by the application deadline, in the event that the request for waiver is denied. A cover letter must state the basis for the request for a waiver.

The admissions process is highly competitive. Admitted students typically have at least a combined undergraduate/graduate grade point average of 4.00 (A = 5.00) and a combined Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score of at least 1,000 (verbal plus quantitative). Additional requirements may be specified by the student's academic division. Public health, management, or social leadership experience is also an important consideration.

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 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.

SPH application forms must be used. Applicants must follow all instructions and submit academic transcripts and GRE scores. Also required are: (1) a letter stating career objectives and the desired academic division(s), (2) three letters of recommendation, and (3) a résumé. Additionally, each academic division has specific entrance requirements regarding prerequisite training, experience, and grade point average (GPA) performance. Students must indicate the academic division to which they are applying. An interview may be required.

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 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 Admissions Application Instructions web page.

Program of Study

The program of study leading to the MPH degree is adapted to each student's past experience and future career goals. A student with a health sciences background may matriculate in an abbreviated Professional Enhancement Program. A student with limited or no background in the health sciences completes a Comprehensive Curriculum.

Professional Enhancement Program (PEP)

The PEP curriculum consists of general public health course work for students who have three or more years of public health experience related to their academic division or a graduate or professional degree in a relevant area. Divisions may have more stringent criteria for admission into this program. While curricular requirements vary among divisions, full-time students whose program is limited to this curriculum will likely be able to complete it during one calendar year. Part-time students should complete the program in less than three years.

Comprehensive Curriculum

The Comprehensive Curriculum is for students with little or no background in a health sciences field, or who are changing careers within the field. It consists of the PEP curriculum plus extended training in an area of concentration, requiring supplementary course work tailored to the student's individual interests. The Comprehensive Curriculum has variable requirements up to 60 semester hours (sh). Students typically complete a minimum 45-53 sh program of study. Comprehensive students attending the program on a full-time basis will likely be able to complete it during two calendar years.

Both the PEP and Comprehensive Curriculum programs consist of five components:

1. SPH Required Courses

2. Additional required and elective courses that vary among the academic divisions.

3. A field practicum, which can vary from 192 to 320 hours. Practicum requirements vary by division. Advisors and academic coordinators should be consulted when students are planning their practica to assure that requirements will be met. The practicum requirement may be waived for students with three or more years of professional experience related to their area of concentration in public health.

4. An essay which may be required at the discretion of the academic division.

5. A capstone experience that requires the student to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired in course work and other learning experiences and to apply theory and principles in a situation that approximates some aspect of professional practice. The field practicum experience frequently provides the foundation for the student's capstone project.