Admissions

All dual degree applicants are required to submit separate applications to both the MPH program and the partner program that participates in the dual degree you wish to apply to. You may find links to applications to those partners programs on the individual dual degree pages:

• Medicine (MD/MPH)

• Dentistry (DDS/MPH)

• Wagner (MPA/MPH)

• Nursing (MS/MPH)

• Social Work (MSW/MPH)

Apply early. ALL MATERIALS should arrive at SOPHAS at least four weeks prior to your earliest deadline. It can take up to 10 business days for items such as transcripts or money order payments to be marked as received by SOPHAS from the date they are mailed, and it can take up to FOUR WEEKS for your completed application to be processed and mailed to GPH. Submitting your materials early helps ensure timely processing and avoids costly delays.

Don’t wait for supplemental materials to submit your application. Do not wait for your standardized test scores, recommendations or other documents to be received by SOPHAS before submitting your application. Submit your application as soon as you have entered all required information; we may wish to begin processing your application right away and will add documents, recommendations and test scores as they are received.

Do not send any copies of application documents, as they will not be accepted as part of your application. SOPHAS will not accept faxes, photocopies, or unofficial documents. Notify your registrar that you need an official copy sent to SOPHAS; a request form can be found in the application’s Colleges and Universities section. 

After you have submitted your application, use the SOPHAS application system to check the status of your application instead of calling or emailing the admissions office. You can ensure all required documents are received and your application is being processed in the “My Status” section of SOPHAS. Check your status often until you application is complete. 

Please note that during certain times of year, due to extremely heavy inquiry volume it may take up to 1-2 weeks for email or phone inquiries to GPH’s admissions office to be responded to.

• Transcripts: A bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university, with no previous work and/or research experience required. Reviewers consider the overall GPA, as well as the academic rigor of the academic institution and any changes or improvements in academic performance.

We are interested in admitting candidates who have the potential to be global public health leaders. Evidence of leadership (during you educational experiences and outside) includes:

• Charity/Volunteerism

• Professional Associations

• Work as a Reviewer/Editor of any publications

The personal statement is given considerable weight in the admissions process. We expect thoughtful and reflective answers and invite applicants to take this opportunity to creatively and honestly communicate their own engagement with global public health and interest in graduate study at NYU. Factors include:

• Writing Ability: writing style, spelling, grammar, and conciseness

• Substance: More compelling personal statements demonstrate how the student would benefit from the NYU MPH and that the applicant already has a sophisticated understanding of the field in which you are currently working or intend to work.

• Congruence with Program Goals: Show an understanding of the degree and describe how the program’s mission and goals will help you achieve your professional and/or academic pursuits.

• Ability to Follow Directions: The substance of each question in the prompt should be addressed either directly or indirectly somewhere in the statement.

Each of your three references should include a recommendation form and an accompanying letter of recommendation. Applicants who are currently students applying for a joint degree program, or who have graduated within the past three years must submit at least one academic reference. Other references should be from professional contacts, not friends or peers. Reviewers consider the following:

• Strength of Recommendation: Recommendations should discuss/evaluate the applicants’ academic and/or professional qualifications and potential for success

• Credential of Recommender: Is the writer a supervisor, senior professor, etc? Is the person qualified to make the recommendation?

• Comparison to Others: how the recommender evaluated the applicant against others s/he has taught or supervised

Consistency: Recommendations that vary substantially in their overall evaluation may not show clear evidence of the applicant’s potential.

Applicants are asked to include their most recent resume or curriculum vitae so we may consider the following factors:

• Public Health Experience: Does the applicant have prior work experience in public health or a related field and in particular, public health issues?

• International Experience: Has the applicant worked internationally and/or in the US on international issues? Does the applicant show evidence of cultural competence?

• Types of Positions Held: Does the applicant’s work history lend support for success in the program as well as success in a career in public health?

• Publications: Although not required for admissions, reviewers consider any publications from the applicant, with particular attention to publications in peer-reviewed journals.