Applying for any graduate program in the UAB School of Public Health is simple — just follow the steps below. Our Graduate Admissions team is here to help guide you through the process.

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 How to Apply to Our Graduate Programs

STEP 1: Review Our Admission Requirements

Applying for a Master’s degree? Please be prepared to submit all of the following:

• Online application(s)
• Official transcripts from every college-level institution attended — transcripts from institutions outside the U.S. or Canada must undergo a course-by-course evaluation through World Education Service (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
• English proficiency test score for international applicants (80 or above for TOEFL; 6.5 or above for IELTS; 120 for Duolingo)
• Three letters of recommendation from academic or professional references:
  • MPH in Environmental and Occupational Health applicants are highly recommended to submit at least one academic letter among the three recommendation letters required.
  • MSPH in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences applicants are required to submit at least one academic letter among the three recommendation letters required. Please note that friends and family members should not be writing letters.
  • MSPH in Industrial Hygiene applicants are required to submit at least one academic letter among the three recommendation letters required. If they have been working in the field for more than five years, professional letters are acceptable in place of academic letters. If applicants cannot provide an academic letter, please provide a justification (one paragraph) in the statement of purpose.
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of Purpose and Objectives
• Standardized test scores (GRE or other accepted tests):
  • Note: The GRE is waived for all master’s degree programs. However, if an applicant has fewer than five years of full-time professional health care/ public health practice experience AND a GPA below 3.0, we strongly encourage that applicant to take and include a GRE score with their application in an effort to improve the overall strength of the application.

For doctoral programs:

• Note: The GRE is required for all doctoral programs, EXCEPT for the following programs: PhD in Epidemiology, Environmental Health Sciences and Biostatistics and the DrPH in Biostatistics. Competitive applicants typically submit scores in the 70th percentile. For PhD in Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences applicants: if an applicant has fewer than five years of full-time professional health care/ public health practice experience AND a GPA below 3.0, we strongly encourage that applicant to take and include a GRE score with their application in an effort to improve the overall strength of the application.

For MPH and DrPH applicants:

• To ensure we are taking the necessary precautions to protect our community partners, the School of Public Health requires students enrolled in the MPH and DrPH programs that require an internship or practicum to consent to and complete a criminal background check. Students are responsible for completing the background check at least one term before registering for their internship or practicum. Failure to do so could prevent the completion of their internship or practicum degree requirement. Learn more about background checks.

STEP 2: Know Your Deadline

Application deadlines vary by department, degree program, and degree track. Click on the degree program buttons in the table below to see your deadline.

Note: International students are admitted to in-person programs in Fall and Spring only. International students may be admitted to online-only programs in Summer.

For information about additional SOPH scholarship eligibility and requirements, please see our scholarship page.

School of Public Health policy requires submission of the completed online application, including ALL supporting materials, by the application deadline. Allow plenty of time for transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other documents to reach their destination.

STEP 3: Apply Online

If you’re applying to a stand-alone MPH, MSPH, or DrPH program, you will submit your primary application via sophas.org. If admitted, you will then complete a supplemental application to the UAB Graduate School. Instructions will be provided upon admission.

If you’re applying to any of our coordinated degree programs, Certificates, the MS in Biostatistics, an accelerated Master’s program (offered to current UAB undergraduate students only) or the PhD programs, submit your application via the UAB Graduate School.

Now that you have familiarized yourself with the admission requirements and deadlines for your intended program, you are ready to begin!