Master of Public Health

 

Programs Degrees Major Codes Admissions
Term Deadline
Master’s (residential) MPH MPH Fall February 14, 2023 **
Master’s-Asheville site (residential) MPH MPH Fall April 11, 2023 ***
Master’s (distance) MPH MPHX January 2023 November 15, 2022****
May 2023 March 07, 2023****
August 2023 June 13, 2023****
Fall Graduate School Fellowships December 13, 2022* (Recommended)
Academic Program Aid/Financial Assistance http://studentaid.unc.edu/
Associate Director Karla Townley-Tilson (kttilson@unc.edu)
Director of Graduate Admissions Jonathan Earnest (earnestj@email.unc.edu)
Address 135 Dauer Dr
263 Rosenau Hall, CB #7400
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400
Website https://sph.unc.edu/resource-pages/master-of-public-health/
https://onlinemph.unc.edu/
Phone 919-445-1170
Test Requirements
GRE scores are neither required nor typically recommended for applicants to the Master of Public Health program
Letters of Recommendation 3 – Letters of recommendation should come from letter writers who can attest to the applicant’s ability or potential to complete graduate public health training. Applicants who have graduated from an academic degree program in the past 5 years are recommended to have at least one academic letter of reference.
International Applicants Only TOEFL or IELTS score (no more than two years old)
Other Requirements In addition to the University’s required application materials, applicants should review the information below for additional expectations or application requirements.

Residential applicants must submit an application to the MPH through www.sophas.org first.  After the SOPHAS application has been submitted, applicants will receive an email from the UNC Graduate School with instructions on how to submit the UNC Graduate School application.  Applications will not be reviewed until all applications and application materials have been submitted and verified.

*For Fall 2023 Graduate School Fellowship consideration, SOPHAS must be submitted by December 1, 2022.

**For Fall 2023 MPH applicants, SOPHAS must be submitted by February 1, 2023.

***For Fall 2023 MPH-Asheville applicants, SOPHAS must be submitted by April 1, 2023.

****The School of Public Health also offers an online MPH degree program, MPH@UNC.  Please visit https://onlinemph.unc.edu/ for more information and to apply. Applications will not be reviewed until all applications and application materials have been submitted and verified.

Statement of Purpose: Applicants should respond to the following questions without exceeding 1500 words:

  1. Why are you interested in pursuing a Master of Public Health degree and how will this prepare you for your career?
    2. How have the previous work and volunteer experiences led you to apply to the MPH?
    3. Racism has been identified as a public health crisis by the American Public Health Association. How do you plan to be actively antiracist and use your public health training to interrupt systems of oppression, discrimination and abuse that exists where you study, live, and work?
    4. Please explain why you are interested in applying to your first choice concentration and second choice concentration (if applicable).

Concentrations: Applicants must select a single concentration as part of the application process.  An applicant can only submit one Graduate School application for one concentration.

Concentration specific admissions preferences:

Applied Epidemiology

  • Complete calculus, statistics or an advanced math course in college, grade of B or more.
  • Applicants should also meet one of the following criteria:
    • Holds a doctoral degree in a health profession or academic area related to public health
    • Holds a professional master’s degree in a health-related field and one year of health-related work experience
    • Holds a bachelor’s degree with at least two years of experience in a relevant health related field
    • Experiences can include work, internships, or volunteering

Environmental Health Solutions

Successful students in this concentration typically have some college-level calculus and chemistry and have an interest in working at the intersection of science and public health. Training in other STEM disciplines and/or statistics is a plus.Global Health

  • Preference is given to applicants with the equivalent of 1-2 years full-time work or sustained volunteer experience in public health/health behavior

Health Behavior

  • Preference is given to applicants with the equivalent of 1-2 years full-time work or sustained volunteer experience in public health/health behavior

Health Equity, Social Justice and Human Rights

  • Preference for one or two years of work experience and some coursework and/or exposure to equity issues in public health

Health Policy

  • Our most successful students typically have 1-2 years of relevant work or volunteer experience and excellent writing skills

Leadership in Practice*****

  • Preference is given to applicants with the equivalent of 3 or more years of full-time work or sustained volunteer experience, ideally in public health or human services settings

Maternal, Child and Family Health

  • Preference is given to applicants with the equivalent of 1-2 years full-time work or sustained volunteer experience related to the Maternal and Child Health population

Nutrition*****

MPH Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration*****

(The residential format of the MPH Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration program admits for the fall term; the distance format of the MPH Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration program admits for the January term only)

  • Prerequisite Coursework
    • Chemistry through Organic
    • Biochemistry
    • Microbiology with Lab
    • Anthropology or Sociology
    • Psychology
    • Human Anatomy and Physiology
    • Human Nutrition

Place-based Health******

  • Our most successful students typically have 1-2 years of relevant work experience

Population Health for Clinicians

Public Health Data Science

  • Applicants should have prior course experience covering multivariable calculus, linear algebra, statistics, and computer programming
  • Applicants should have at least 1 year of relevant prior work experience (e.g., data analytics for CRO or non-profit research entity that focuses on human health

*****Concentration also offered in the MPH@UNC online format

******Concentration offered only via the UNC Gillings MPH Program in Asheville. At this time, our joint MPH program located in Asheville cannot provide sponsorship for F-1 student visas. International students who have or are eligible for other visa types that allow them to study in the U.S. are welcome to apply. Please contact us with any questions.