MPH Admission Overview
The Master of Public Health: Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, M.P.H. program admits students (full and part-time) in the fall term. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis beginning March 15th, until the cohort of students have been filled. Applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully review the website information prior to submitting an application.
This page includes:
- Application Requirements and How to Apply
- Checking Your Application
- Admissions Process
- Financial Aid
Application Requirements and How to Apply
Applicants to the MPH: Chronic Disease Prevention and Control program must:
Step 1: Meet UTC Graduate School’s admission requirements, including a baccalaureate degree completed before the start of graduate coursework.
Step 2: Prepare application materials including:
- Personal Statement
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Applicants will be asked a series of questions in the essay section of the application, please be prepared to:
- Explain what public health means to you and why you are interested in pursuing a career in public health. We encourage you to include meaningful experiences that inspired you to pursue a career in public health.
- Share what draws you to the UTC MPH program in Chronic Disease Prevention and Control and how our program fits with your career plan.
It is recommended that the statement should be typed prior to uploading it into the application system and should not be heavily formatted. During the online application process, you will be asked to copy and paste your responses to text boxes in the application. Please note that responses cannot exceed 750 words per question. Your overall statement will be evaluated in terms of overall writing quality, evidence of your general knowledge and experience in public health, and potential for success in our program.
We are looking for students with an aptitude for public service and a sincere desire to make a positive contribution to our program, the local Chattanooga community and to the field of public health when they graduate.
- Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)
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Prospective students will also be asked to upload a current resume or CV as part of the online application process. There are no specific formatting requirements other than to adhere to general standards and provide the most current information about past research and work experiences, class- and community-based projects, as well as any other health-related experiences that make you a strong candidate for our MPH program.
- References
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Applicants must provide contact information for three professional references through the online admissions platform. Please ensure that you select professional reference in the drop-down menu for all three. All recommendations should be from people who know the applicant well enough to comment frankly on their ability to complete a master's level program of study. At least one of the professional references should be from a college professor who has observed the applicant's performance in a college-level course and/or research environment.
Please note that it is good practice to communicate with each of your references before you begin the application process. As soon as you enter their information into the online application, they will receive a request to submit their recommendation directly through the system. Applicants should follow-up with their references to ensure that the recommendations have been submitted in a timely fashion. An applicant's file is not considered complete and will not be acted upon until all three recommendations are received.
Step 3: Submit a Graduate application through the UTC application portal. This will include a payment of $35 non-refundable application fee for domestic applicants or $40 for international applicants.
Step 4: Request and submit Official Transcripts from every college attended.
GRE Scores
GRE scores are not required; however, the program may request additional requirements during the application review process.
International Students
All international applicants are required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score. A TOEFL iBT score of 79 or above is required or the IELTS overall score of a 6.0 or above is required. Students whose native languages is not English are required to provide scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required of all applicants. For more information on international students requirements please visit the Center for Global Education.
Checking Your Application
If you have any questions about the MPH program application, please contact the MPH Program Manager at [email protected]. You can check the completion status of your application through the online application system. If you need more detail or have questions about any element to the UTC graduate school application, please contact Jessica Dickerson.
For international applicants, please contact Lora Cook.
Admissions
1. Early Admission Deadline (March 15th)
On March 15th, we will begin an initial review of completed applications for early admissions to the MPH program.
- Accepted candidates will be asked to reply within two weeks of their notification on whether they plan to enroll in the program.
- If a candidate does not reply, or declines the invitation, the position becomes vacant and the next candidate, in order of rank, will be notified.
- If there are more qualified applicants than openings, only the top applicants will be accepted.
- Applicants may also be put on a waiting list. If a spot becomes available after being placed on the waiting list, then the candidate will be notified of the offer and will have one week to reply.
- Candidates not accepted into the MPH will receive written notification from the UTC Graduate School.
2. Rolling Admissions (after March 15th)
- After the early admissions deadline, applicants will be accepted on a rolling basis until the incoming cohort is full.
3. The MPH:CD Application Review Committee will conduct an admission review of all applicants who apply by March 15th (round 1)
- Review of applicants will be completed within 30 days of applicant due date (round 1).
- During this review process, applicants will either: admitted into the program, admitted into the program with condition, or denied admissions to the program.
4. If any admission slots remain open after the round 1 admission review, the CD Application Review Committee will conduct an additional(s) of admissions review of all applicants who apply:
- March 16th - April 30th for round 2 (if needed)
- May 1st - July 31st for round 3 (if needed)
- Review of applicants for rounds 2 and 3 will completed within 30 days of application due date for the associated round.
- During this review process, applicants will either: admitted into the program, admitted into the program with condition, or denied admissions into the program.
Financial Aid
The MPH faculty support the philosophy of the UTC Financial Aid Office. The educational opportunities of qualified students should not be controlled by their financial resources. Students are encouraged to contact the UTC Financial Aid Office directly for additional information regarding financial aid opportunities.
Graduate Assistantships
A limited number of graduate assistantships may be available to students accepted into the MPH program. Assistantships typically cover half of the cost of tuition and provide a small monthly stipend. Students receiving a graduate assistantship will be required to work 5-10 hours a week as a research assistant alongside an MPH faculty member.
To be eligible for a graduate assistantship, students must first apply and be accepted into the MPH program. Students accepted into the program will be invited to apply for graduate assistantships beginning in the fall.
Tuition
For more information about tuition and fees and current regional tuition rates, please visit the Bursar's Office website. Regional tuition credit applies to students who are residents of Catoosa, Dade, Fannin, Murray, Walker, and Whitfield counties in Georgia and Jackson county in Alabama.
