Admissions

The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree is a 46-credit graduate program of the University of New England’s College of Graduate Studies that provides education in the disciplines associated with public health.

The program is delivered completely on-line and offers a part-time option. The MPH program is designed to be accessible anywhere there is a computer, and welcomes both adult learners and traditional students.

Requirements for Admissions

Prerequisites include but are not limited to:

• A sincere interest in continuing professional development in public health science.
• The potential to improve practice through application of new knowledge and skills.
• The ability to pursue rigorous online graduate study.
• Current employment in a setting conducive to applying course concepts and strategies (highly desirable).

 Academic prerequisites:

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited undergraduate institution, or international equivalent, with a major that is relevant to the student’s professional goals.
• Undergraduate cumulative GPA or 3.0 or better.
• College-level courses in mathematics and science with a minimum grade or “B” or satisfactory completion of a graduate level course in mathematics or science. In lieu of college-level courses in either, students may submit GRE subject test scores in mathematics or science, or the GRE quantitative ability score.
  

Technology requirements:

• Access to the internet and to computer audio capability
• Specific software as described in course syllabi
• Capacity to succeed in a distance learning format
  

Courses in the Graduate Programs in Public Health are delivered by Blackboard, an online course management system with an audio component.

Procedures and Policies

• Applications for admissions are submitted through the UNE online application. Submission of the online application will include a current curriculum vita or resume, a personal statement describing applicant’s interest in Public Health, and the names and email addresses of three reference letter writers.
• Applications for new students will be accepted for the summer, fall, and spring terms. Deadline for submission of an application is April 1st for summer, June 1st for fall, and October 1st for spring.
• Applicants must submit the following to the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions, 716 Stevens Avenue, Portland, ME, 04103
• • Official transcripts from all other colleges and universities attended
  • GRE scores if applicable
•  Entirely complete applications submitted by the deadline, only, will be considered by the Admissions Committee.
• Students not seeking a degree may enroll into individual courses as a non-matriculated student, space permitting and upon approval by the Director of the program. (Non-matriculated students must hold a bachelor's degree and may take up to two courses.) Students wishing to take more than two courses in the program must apply to UNE and be accepted into the program prior to enrolling in the third course. Students cannot move from non-matriculated to matriculated status within the same semester.
• International students and students with international degrees must have transcripts evaluated for degree and grade equivalency to that of a regionally accredited US institution. See International Students for a list of educational credential evaluators. 
• All applicants to UNE must be able to understand and communicate in English to be admitted to the university. UNE accepts several methods of English Proficiency, see International Students. English Proficiency requirement must be completed at the time of application.

The Admission Committee reserves the right to make changes or exceptions to the admission policies and procedures without notice when it deems such a decision is appropriate. 

For additional information on the admissions process and requirements, please access the Public Health website.

Transfer Credit

Transfer Credit
To request consideration for transfer credit, the student must provide an official transcript, a course syllabus, and complete the transfer credit form. Transfer credit is awarded at the discretion of the Graduate Programs in Public Health.

• Graduate Certificate in Public Health (GCPH) Program: upon acceptance, students may apply to transfer up to two, 3-credit courses (maximum six semester credits) into the program.
• Master of Public Health (MPH) Program: upon acceptance, students may apply to transfer up to three, 3-credit courses (maximum nine semester credits) into the program.

Transfer courses must:

• Be classified as graduate level.
• Have been taken within five years of application.
• Be from a regionally accredited institution.
• Have been completed with a grade of “B” o better.
• Be equivalent to one of the required program courses or a particular course that meets the goal of the student’s public health education.
• Not have been applied toward any other degree here or elsewhere.
  

Advanced Placement
Students who have earned a certificate of graduate study in public health from another institution within the last five years, may apply for admissions to the MPH program with advanced standing. The MPH program will grant advanced standing when a faculty review determines that the courses are equivalent to the UNE certificate courses, and that the student’s transcripts reflect a “B” or better in all core public health courses.

UNE graduate certificate-matriculated students, who are in good standing, may apply to the MPH program and request advanced standing at any time during the certificate program. UNE students who have completed the graduate certificate program may apply for advanced standing in the MPH program within five years of completing the graduate certificate program in Public Health.

Experiential Learning
No credit will be awarded to students for experiential learning.