Admissions

Although admissions requirements are rigorous, the Graduate Program in Public Health aims to develop camaraderie, cooperation, and cohesiveness among students in each cohort. For this reason, admission to the Program is during the fall semester only.

We are seeking intellectually inquisitive people from different socioeconomic, educational, racial, and ethnic backgrounds who can provide special contributions to the field of public health and the Program. The Program considers the potential contribution of each applicant to the student body and the public health field. Applicants are evaluated on academic achievement, leadership potential, professional accomplishment, and personal attributes. Excellent written and oral communication skills are expected. Fluency in more than one language is not required for admission, but it is becoming increasingly desirable for the practice of public health. The Program reserves the right to limit class size in order to maintain a faculty/student ratio that ensures a high quality academic program. Therefore, Program admission is highly selective, and all qualified applicants may not be accepted.

With the exception of applicants to the joint MBA/MPH program, the Public Health Practice concentration is open only to persons with a clinical degree or studying for a clinical degree such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, physical therapy, or physician assistant.

     

The MPH admissions requirements for the Program are:

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a 3.0 GPA or better. Admitted students usually have GPAs that are higher than 3.0. The major must have an equivalent at the State University of New York (SUNY).&
  • Official transcripts from all post-secondary schools. Transcripts for all degrees earned in schools outside the U.S. or Canada must be evaluated by an agency accredited by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. See section on International Students for more information about this process.  The requirement for evaluation of transcripts is waived for graduates of foreign medical schools with a current license to practice in the U.S.
  • Proof of licensure and good standing for licensed health professionals.
  • Official GRE (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) scores. Applicants can submit scores from the MCAT, DAT, or GMAT instead of the GRE. This requirement is waived for applicants who have been awarded a doctoral degree from an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university.  Persons currently employed for more than three years in the public health field may request a waiver of this requirement.
  • Three references from persons who can address the applicant's capacity to provide leadership in public health and complete a course of graduate study.  If the applicant is a student or has graduated within the last two years, at least one letter must be from a college or university faculty member with whom the applicant has studied.  If the applicant is a member of the public health workforce, at least one letter must be from a senior administrator in the organization who is familiar with his/her work.
  • Two essays, no more than 500 words each:
    • Essay 1:  How do your background, training, and experience prepare you for a leadership role in Public Health
    • Essay 2:  Select one of the following topics: (a) Explain how the Graduate Program in Public Health and the concentration chosen will help you achieve your short-term and long-term goals; (b) Define a time in your own life when you have identified and captured an opportunity; (c) Define a unique quality you possess; or (d) How do you expect to contribute to the improvement of health in your community?
  • A personal interview, if requested by the Admissions Committee.
  • Any other requirements of the Graduate School not stated here.

 Credit Transfer: 

All Core Courses must be taken at Stony Brook University, unless an equivalent was taken in an accredited public healthprogram with a grade of B or better within the last five years.  All concentration courses are to be taken at Stony Brook University, unless an equivalent course, with a grade of B or better, was taken at an approved graduate program in the past five years and transfer of credits is approved by the student's advisor.  The student must request a credit transfer and complete the necessary forms.  In all respects the graduate program in public health follows Stony Brook's transfer of credit policy as stated in the University's Graduate Bulletin:

"A maximum of 12 credits may be transferred to a master's program at Stony Brook University with the approval of the program and the Graduate School provided that they have not been used toward the satisfaction of any degree requirements here or at another institution."

Non-matriculated Students: 

A maximum of nine (9) credits may be taken as a non-matriculated student in the graduate program in public health.  Permission to enroll in courses must be obtained from the MPH Academic Advisor.  Applicants for non-matriculation status should be aware that this will not guarantee admission to the program.

For International Students:

  • International students who trained in non-English speaking schools and do not reside in an English speaking country are required to take the TOEFL exam. The expected minimum score is 213 for the Computer-Based Test, 90 for the Internet-Based Test, and 550 for the Paper-Based Test.  
  • International students are required to have a course-by-course educational credential evaluation completed by an agency accredited by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (http://www.naces.org/). We require using World Education Services (http://www.wes.org). This evaluation provides a U.S. course equivalent including semester hours earned, course content, and corresponding letter grade for all courses listed on the international applicant's transcript.  This evaluation must be completed before the application can be considered.
  • For more information about the requirements for international students, see: http://www.grad.sunysb.edu/International/.

The Admissions Committee considers all factors including grades, GRE (or MCAT or GMAT) scores, recommendation letters, essays, prior training, and professional experience. It is a goal of the Admissions Committee to select applicants who have the academic capability, aptitude, character, personal qualities, and commitment to provide future value to society through leadership and creative contributions to the field of public health.

The Admissions Committee encourages applications from persons in the public health workforce and weighs their professional experience heavily in admissions decisions. 

Once admitted, the Program requires that each entering student take a mathematics placement examination prior to enrollment.  Also, students without a clinical background must provide certificates of completion for the following two online courses:  Anatomy and Physiology 101 and Medical Terminology 101, available at http://www.universalclass.com Students are admitted to the Program on the condition that these courses will be completed by the end of the first semester.

It is expected that incoming students will be computer literate and email capable, and have library skills sufficient for graduate work. For students with deficiencies in these areas, resources are available through the Health Sciences Center Library to acquire or update them, as necessary.

 
Last updated by Webmaster on November 10, 2009

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