School of Medicine

Admission Requirements for:
MPH & Graduate Certificate in Public Health Practice (GC-PHP):  

Before applications to either the MPH or the GC-PHP are presented to the Admissions Committee, all requirements for admission must be satisfied.  Students must meet the requirements of the Graduate School of the University as well as those for admission into the Public Health Graduate Programs.

1. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate an overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher (on a scale of 4.0) and specifically to have achieved grades of 3.0 or higher in college course work in mathematics, the social sciences and the natural sciences.
2. The demonstration of competency in mathematics at the college-level is essential for admission into these programs.  Some of the elective courses offered in the occupational and environmental health sciences also require demonstration of undergraduate competency in chemistry and physics.
3. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test is required.  Successful applicants have previously attained scores on the verbal reasoning section of the GRE at or above the 60th percentile level, on the quantitative reasoning section at or above the 55th percentile level, and on the analytical writing section at or above the 50th percentile.   Individuals who have already completed a graduate level degree (MS, MBA, MSN, Ph.D. etc:) from an accredited institution, can apply for a waiver of the GRE requirement. 
4. Individuals who have passed a USA health professional licensure examinations  (for MD, DOM, DDS, DVM, and Pharm D  degrees etc:) and who have not taken the GRE, should apply to the Graduate Certificate in Public Health Practice with a request for a waiver of the GRE requirement.  Following completion of 9-12 credits of course work, students in good academic standing have the option to apply to transfer all earned course credits to the MPH Program.   
5. Applicants who graduated from non-US colleges or universities are required to demonstrate English proficiency either by completing a degree at an accredited US institution or in a country where English is the native language; or by passing the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB), the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or equivalent test such as the International English Language Test System (IELTS). 

The Application Process:Application to these programs requires all material to be submitted by online application to the WSU Graduate School by logging on to: http://gradadmissions.wayne.edu and applying for the Fall semester for the MPH degree and either Fall, Winter or Spring terms for the Graduate Certificate in Public Health Practice (GC-PHP).  Although the Graduate School Admissions Office will require official transcripts to be forwarded to them directly, submission of unofficial copies online will expedite the review process.  Application review by the Department and subsequent submission of a recommendation for admission to the School of Medicine and the Graduate School cannot be made until all required information has been received.  A final decision by the Graduate School Admissions Office can also not be made until additional requirements have been met that include for example – receipt of official transcripts and evidence of financial support.  Regular online review by an applicant to determine current admission status at http://appstatus.wayne.edu is essential for addressing possible paperwork deficiencies.  Applicants who have already completed or who are currently enrolled in a graduate degree program at Wayne State University do not need to reapply to the Graduate School, but need to contact the MPH office to obtain the required “Change of Status” and “Supplemental Application” forms.

Deadlines for Submission: 

• Fall Term for MPH and GC-PHP  – Apply by June 1
• Winter Term for GC-PHP only  – Apply by October 1
• Spring Term GC-PHP only  – Apply by February 1

Reviews of applications for the MPH degree begin in January.  Applicants are encouraged to submit their material early even if they have not yet completed their undergraduate degrees and or taken the GRE. This enables the admissions committee to advise of any deficiencies so that improvements in individual applications can be completed by the June 1st deadline.

Required  Application Material: The recommendations of the Committee are based on detailed review of all material submitted online including an applicant’s academic record, performance in the Graduate Record Examination, personal statement, background and professional experience, and three letters of recommendation.

• Although official transcripts of all degrees and test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, GRE etc.) are required by the Graduate Admissions Office, copies of transcripts, test scores as well professional certificates and scores (USMLE, ECFMG etc.), should be submitted online to expedite the review process.
• A Curriculum Vitae/Résumé and a Personal Statement (< 500 words) of purpose describing the applicant's reasons for applying to the Program, interest and background in the field of public health, and long-term academic and professional goals, need to be included.
• The three required Letters of Recommendation are submitted online by an applicant’s references in response to contact information submitted by the applicant online (see below for guidelines).

Mathematics Requirement: A background in mathematics is essential for success in the Program.  Applicants are therefore expected to have achieved a grade of B or above in a college-based mathematics or statistics course, preferably within the last 5 years.  Applicants with a deficiency in this requirement may be asked to take a college-based mathematics course before being considered for admission into the Program.  US College Mathematics Departments usually offer a placement examination.  For example, applicants passing the WSU mathematics placement examination at the first level would be recommended to take MAT 1000 or MAT 1050 (http://www.clas.wayne.edu/math).  However, an applicant passing at the second level of this placement examination with recommendations to take MAT 1800 or higher would have met the mathematics requirements for admission into the Program.  For physicians and other licensed healthcare professionals who might have taken biostatistics as part of a larger course such as community medicine, the Admissions Committee is willing to consider a waiver of this mathematics requirement if official documentation of specific mathematics competencies can be provided.  Such documentation is best provided as a letter forwarded directly to the MPH office by the applicant’s school, listing the specific biostatistics competencies, contact hours and grades attained.  Applicants should contact the MPH Office for additional information.

Letters of Recommendation: When requesting letters of recommendation from former lecturers, supervisors and/or professional colleagues, applicants need to request that their referees focus on the suitability of the applicant for admission into a public health graduate degree or certificate program.  The letters need to be current, signed and printed on letterhead and should include a description of how long and in what capacity the referee knows the applicant.  The committee is seeking from referees an appraisal of an applicant’s experience in public health and/or related fields, listing relevant technical skills.  Assessment of abilities to communicate in both verbal and written formats is also important.  Any additional information on an applicant’s interpersonal skills, motivation, organizational abilities, and aptitude for research are also welcomed.  Overall the committee would like to hear from referees as to an applicant’s potential to be successful in completing a graduate degree or certificate in public health and how they might effectively use the acquired knowledge and experience in developing a future career in the field of Public Health.

Checklist:  Theonline applications to the Public Health Programs (MPH or Public Health Practice Graduate Certificate) have the provision for uploading documents.  In order to satisfy Graduate School Admissions requirements, arrangements need to be made to ensure that all official undergraduate/graduate degree transcripts are forwarded to the Graduate Admissions Office directly.  Application review by the program will not be initiated until the following have been received online as appropriate (http://gradadmissions.wayne.edu).  

• Unofficial copies of all undergraduate/graduate degree transcripts
• Copies of Test Scores (GRE, TOEFL, IELTS etc.).
• Identification of examples of undergraduate or graduate courses completed in:

Mathematics/Statistics (preferably in the last 5 years);
Social Sciences; and the Natural Sciences.

• Copies of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores or GRE waiver request.
• Copies of certificate/licensure examination results (USMLE etc.) are required for a GC-PHP application GRE waiver request.
• Personal Interest Statement.
• Professional Resumé / Curriculum Vitae.
• Receipt of Three Letters of Recommendation.