Degree Admission Requirements: 60 Credit Hours

Regular Admission ¹

1. Application - Completion of an application in Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS).
2. Degree - Completion of a Master’s or terminal degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants who do not have a graduate degree in Public Health will be required to complete prerequisite Public Health coursework.
3. Transcripts - Official transcript(s) from each college or university previously attended. A transcript is required even if the courses from one school appear on the transcript of another school. (NOTE: SOPHAS will NOT process your application without receiving all official transcripts. Please refer to the SOPHAS FAQs page for instructions on HOW TO SEND TRANSCRIPTS.)
   • All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES). Visit http://www.wes.org/ to view which documents are required for your country and to request an International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP) Course-by-Course Report.
   • Transcript(s) should show completion of at least one (1) graduatelevel core course in each of the following five (5) areas: biostatistics, epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences in public health, health policy and management, and environmental health. (Applicant may be asked to provide syllabi for courses taken.)
   • Courses must have been completed in the last five (5) years and each must have been passed with a grade of “B” or better. Applicants who have not completed these courses, but whose applications show exceptional potential for success in the Dr.P.H. program, may be admitted to the Dr.P.H. program, but will be required to complete the courses (as presented in the JPHCOPH M.P.H. core course requirements) with grades of “B” or better before progressing to the Public Health Core and Concentration Courses of the Dr.P.H. program. If the applicant has completed a Master’s degree in a field other than public health, professional public health work experience in one or more of the five core areas may be substituted for the corresponding M.P.H. level courses at the discretion of the College. Applicants who took these courses more than five years ago but who work in the Public Health field may request a waiver. Requests for this waiver must be submitted in writing to jphcophadmissions@georgiasouthern.edu.
4. Grade Point Average (GPA) - Preferred minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 scale in upper division graduate courses. Competitive candidates will have a graduate GPA of 3.5 or higher.
5. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) - Official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), taken within the last five (5) years sent to school code 8560. Competitive applicants will have a total score of 300 or higher on the combination of verbal and quantitative sections and an analytic writing score at the 50th percentile or higher. The requirement for completion of a standardized test will be waived for those applicants who hold a terminal degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
6. English Language Proficiency - International applicants and U.S. Citizens whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. Prior to consideration for admission, international applicants whose native language is not English must take and post acceptable scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System unless they have received a degree from an accredited college or university in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada (except Quebec), Australia, or New Zealand. The TOEFL and IELTS examinations are administered at various times of the year and in many centers throughout the world.
   • A score of at least 75 (internet-based test, IBT) or 537 (paperbased test) on the TOEFL and 6.0 on the IELTS is normally required to be considered for regular admission. The official TOEFL and the official IELTS scores may not be more than two (2) years old. Those who do not meet the minimum proficiency standard may be recommended for enrollment in University English courses or for English courses offered by the English Language Program (ELP) on campus. Successful completion of Intensive English Programs (IEPs) at other English Language Program (ELP) providers will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Request that your official TOEFL scores be sent directly to SOPHAS. Go to http://www.ets.org/toefl and request your TOEFL scores be sent to us using code #5253.
7. Letters of Recommendation - Three (3) letters of recommendation. It is strongly advised that two letters be from individuals who can address your past academic performance and it is encouraged that the third letter is from a work or internship supervisor.
8. Curriculum Vitae/Resume - A CV/Resume that includes the following: a) educational experiences, b) professional goals and objectives, c) work history, d) professional experiences, memberships and/or participation in professional organizations, e) experiences in public health programs. A minimum of 3 years of relevant full-time experience in public health, healthcare, or a closely related area are required: highly competitive applicants will have 5 or more years of full time relevant work experience.
9. Work Experience - A minimum of 3 years of relevant full-time experience in public health, healthcare, or a closely related area are required: highly competitive applicants will have 5 or more years of full-time relevant work experience. 
10. Statement of Purpose - A Statement of Purpose (700-1,000 words) that conveys the applicant’s reasons for pursuing a Dr.P.H. in Public Health and how admission into the Leadership program relates to the applicant’s professional aspirations.
11. Applicants demonstrating potential for success in the Dr.P.H. program may be required to participate in an in-person or telephone interview prior to a final decision by the admissions committee.

¹ Some students may be required to take prerequisite coursework prior to beginning the program of study. Conditions of admission will be presented at the student’s first advisement appointment. For more information on our programs, visit our website at http://jphcoph.georgiasouthern.edu/degrees/.

Non-degree Admission Requirements

An applicant may be admitted as a Non-Degree (Doctorate) student to earn credit hours in DOCTORAL-LEVEL Public Health courses without working towards a degree or certificate program. Applying to a graduate degree or certificate program is a separate process and different  criteria must be met.

1. Application - Completion of an application in Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) Express.
2. Degree - Completion of a Master’s or terminal degree from a regionally accredited institution.
3. Transcripts - Official transcript(s) from each college or university previously attended. A transcript is required even if the courses from one school appear on the transcript of another school.¹
   • All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES). Visit http://www.wes.org/ to view which documents are required for your country and to request an International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP) Course-by-Course Report.¹
   • Upload transcript(s) from all institutions attended. (Do NOT send transcripts to SOPHAS Express)¹
4. Grade Point Average (GPA) - Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75/4.0 scale in either:
   • Upper division undergraduate courses; OR
   • Upper division graduate courses
5. Statement of Purpose - A Statement of Purpose (500-1000 words) that conveys the applicant’s reasons for pursuing graduate study in public health and how admission into the program relates to the applicant’s professional aspirations.

¹ NOTE: Unofficial documents must be uploaded for review purposes. Official transcripts are only required if you are offered admission. Following notification of admission, official transcripts mailed in sealed envelopes directly from each university attended (or directly from WES) are required PRIOR to the first day of classes of the original semester of acceptance. Failure to provide the official transcripts following notification of admission will result in revocation of the admission offer.

Official documents must be mailed to: Georgia Southern University,
Office of Graduate Admissions, P.O. Box 8113, Statesboro, GA
30460-8113.

Program Competency Requirement

Students will work with the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and the Office of the Provost to successfully complete training and teach at least one course (this does not apply to students that are hired as a teaching assistant).

Program of Study