Public Health Certificate

The mission of the Public Health graduate certificate is to give students a basic, yet robust understanding of all of the aspects of public health. The graduate certificate in Public Health consists of the core curriculum for the Masters of Public Health degree and is intended for those people who:

1. are interested in learning more about the field of public health without committing to a full degree
2. are currently public health professionals and want to be eligible to take the certifying examination in public health; or
3. are interested in a degree in public health but are not sure what specific area of expertise they might want to pursue.

The certificate program is 15 credits and can be applied to an MPH should a student decide to pursue a degree program. The Public Health graduate certificate program can be completed in-person or online to allow students maximum flexibility while maintaining personal and professional commitments. Online courses are taught in 10-week online modules across the calendar year (four modules per year); residential courses are taught in 14-week modules on campus. The certificate must be completed within two years of matriculation. 

Admissions Requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university.
• International students must provide certified, translated transcripts showing the equivalency to the U.S. bachelor's degree. World Education Services (WES) is the preferred provider of such translations.
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended.
• A 1,500-word (maximum) letter of interest stating your reasons for wanting the certificate and including a description of your relevant work experience.
• A resume.
• Two letters of recommendation.

Standardized Test Requirements

• The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required to apply for the certificate program.
• International students must submit a TOEFL score when English is not the native language. A minimum score of 100 is required on the internet-based test. IELTS is also acceptable. An overall score of 7.0, with no individual score below a 6.0, is needed for admissions. 

Admissions requirements and application procedures for the graduate certificate program are identical to those of the master’s degree programs. Please visit our Admissions page to learn more.

• Graduate Credit Requirement: 15 graduate credits are required.
• Course Selection:  Graduate certificate students meet with their advisor each semester before registration. 
• Grade Point Requirement: A 3.0 (B average) overall grade point average or higher is required.
• Time Limit Requirement: The certificate must be completed within two years.
• Transfer to a Degree Program: SPH Graduate Certificate students in this 15-credit Public Health Certificate program can transfer as many credits as meet program requirements, to the MPH degree.  Graduate Certificate students wishing to transfer to a degree program may apply to do so via the online change of concentration petition after completion of 3 or more courses and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. A grade of B or better is required for a course to be eligible to transfer. Students interested in applying to an MPH degree program should meet with Departmental Advisors regarding program-specific admission requirements.

Funding

• 15 credit certificate programs are not currently eligible for Title IV funding.  Contact [email protected] for questions about funding.