Admissions

About Admissions

Thank you for your interest in the UMDNJ-School of Public Health. We trust that after you have reviewed our program information that your interest in pursuing your degree with the UMDNJ-School of Public Health will be enhanced.

All MPH, MS and doctoral applicants* must apply for these programs through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) at http://www.sophas.org. In addition, applicants for these degree programs will need to complete the supplemental application in tandem with the application to SOPHAS. To locate the supplemental application, please go to the SOPHAS web site.

*The UMDNJ-School of Public Health recognizes the need for a separate application for applicants who are part of a residency/fellowship program, or have a UMDNJ faculty appointment; or those interested in applying for certificates; dual degrees; or non-matriculation status. Applicants who fall into any of the categories mentioned above should contact the Campus Administrative Office to request an application:

• Newark Campus Administrative Office
• Piscataway/New Brunswick Campus Administrative Office
• Stratford/Camden Campus Administrative Office

Students interested in applying for non-matriculated status have the following options:

Option 1: Applicants interested in taking two courses only and/or enrolling for a single semester should complete our "non-matriculating short form" at the following link:

• Non-Matriculating Short Form with Payment Information

Option 2: If you would like to take more than six credits, without matriculating in a degree program, you may seek application as a non-matriculated student. This requires an applicant to complete a more extensive application, which is available through any campus office.

A student seeking non-matriculated status can take up to twelve (12) credits within two (2) years.

• A non-matriculated student may seek matriculated status by requesting that the campus admissions committee review the student's admission application and transcript from the SPH.
• If the campus admissions committee approves the student for matriculation, only twelve (12) credits taken as a non-matriculated student can be applied toward the MPH degree.
• A non-matriculated student seeking matriculation must submit GRE scores to the campus admission committee.

Applicants for admission to the Newark, Piscataway/New Brunswick or Stratford/Camden Campuses must have completed an undergraduate program accredited in the United States or its equivalent and must meet the criteria below.

Criteria for Matriculated Students

Criteria for Non-Matriculated Students (including those taking a course or two for one semester only)

NOTES

1. For students who obtained an undergraduate degree in a country other than the U.S. or Canada, a course-by-course evaluation of their transcripts is required unless an advanced degree has been earned in the U.S.. Among agencies providing this service is the World Education Services Inc. (WES). It is the responsibility of the student to obtain this evaluation.

2. Students being considered for certain articulated programs are exempt, but need to submit a transcript of all academic work completed.

3. In the case of a doctorally-trained applicant, who is a faculty member at UMDNJ or a partner academic institution, a Letter of Appointment by the Board of Trustees or other employment official may replace the transcripts and GRE scores.

4. If coming directly from an academic setting, a letter from a faculty member is preferred.

Criteria for Doctoral Applicants

Requirements for admission to the doctoral programs are generally more stringent than those for the MPH or MS degree programs. Considerable attention is given to the match between the expertise of the faculty and the specific interests of the candidate. Applicants for the doctoral program can select either the PhD or the DrPH degree. Students may choose to work towards a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree at UMDNJ - SPH. Some view the PhD as a more research oriented degree and a DrPH as a more practice oriented degree.

The PhD and DrPH degrees require 72 credit hours for completion. Candidates for either doctoral degree will be required to complete comprehensive written and oral examinations in major and minor areas, if applicable, as well as complete and defend original dissertation research. In addition, students pursuing the DrPH will be required to take Fieldwork I and II and complete an MPH degree unless one has already been earned. Through doctoral level research, the students will develop expertise on a single topic, design and implement a research project, integrate and interpret complex data, and complete a comprehensive dissertation. The students must plan this carefully.

Although the students will work closely with their faculty advisors, they will bear responsibility for developing research of publishable quality. Doctoral students are accepted in the departments of Biostatistics, Environmental and Occupational Health, Epidemiology, Health Education and Behavioral Science, and Health Systems and Policy, on the Piscataway/New Brunswick Campus. The PhD and DrPH degrees are also available on the Newark Campus in Biostatistics and Epidemiology. The program is designed to be flexible and responsive to the needs of individual students. A specific course of study will be selected by the student in consultation with his/her major advisor and then must be approved by the doctoral committee, although individual students may make substitutions with the written approval of the doctoral committee.

Each applicant to the doctoral program is required to submit a full application, including identification of an area of proposed research. These materials will be reviewed by the entire doctoral committee for quality and compatibility with the interests of the faculty. Personal visits are strongly encouraged for applicants to meet with faculty prior to this review. After review by the doctoral committee and upon identification of a UMDNJ - School of Public Health faculty member (at the rank of assistant professor or higher) willing to serve as the applicant's advisor, the doctoral committee may recommend admission of that student.

Criteria for Foreign Applicants

All foreign/international applicants are required to submit an official transcript/academic credential for a course-by-course evaluation unless an advanced degree has been earned in the U.S.. Among agencies providing this service is the World Education Services, Inc. (WES). For a fee, WES will evaluate formal academic credentials and university transcripts and provide an official "course-by-course" report that shows U.S. semester credits, grade equivalents, and a U.S. grade point average (GPA). To obtain an Application for Evaluation, instructions for submitting official documents, and a detailed explanation of WES services, please contact one of their locations:

For additional information, you may also visit their Web site at http://www.wes.org.

Office of International Services (OIS)

The Office of International Services (OIS) attends to the specialized needs of UMDNJ's international students and scholars and their dependents. These services include communication of relevant information and services to both students and staff and comprehensive advising in all appropriate areas of international education. The OIS acts as the University's designee in ensuring institutional compliance with all U.S. immigration regulations and procedures and is the University's liaison to the Departments of State and Homeland Security. Advising services are provided to departments seeking to hire or enroll foreign nationals under the F-1, J-1, H-1B or 0-1 visa classifications as appropriate.

Services provided include: information workshops; orientation programs for new students and scholars; preparation, issuance and/or filling of initial petitions; extension and transfer of immigration related forms; preparation of dependent forms; status monitoring; insurance and other regulatory compliance; regular interaction with U.S. government agencies such as the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of State (DOS) and Social Security Administration (SSA); and general advising to the UMDNJ community at large.

Deferred Entrance

Once a student has been accepted as a matriculated student, a deferment for one semester may be requested. If deferment is sought beyond one semester, the student's application will be reevaluated in competition with new applicants and it will be necessary to reapply (see below for Application for Readmission). To seek deferment, students must describe the reason(s) for the deferment request, in writing, to the campus associate/assistant dean before the beginning of the semester in which they were to have enrolled.

Application for Readmission

Within One Year: Students may apply for readmission to the School by completing and submitting an Application for Re-admission form if reapplication is within one year after original offer of admission. This form is available from the campus offices. Official transcripts of all graduate work completed at other graduate schools since the candidate's last enrollment in the UMDNJ - School of Public Health must also be included with the form. A $95 readmission fee is required and must accompany the form. Official notification from the School pertaining to this readmission request will be sent upon review. There is no automatic readmission.

After One Year: Beyond one year, an applicant who wishes reconsideration will need to submit a new application. Please contact your Campus Administrative office for information.

Credits Earned Prior to Leave of Absence

Students who re-enter the UMDNJ - School of Public Health after an absence of more than one year may apply all previous credits earned in the UMDNJ - School of Public Health within the last seven years to their degree. Credits earned more than seven years earlier can be used only if approved by their department chair.