Frequently Asked Questions
ACADEMICS
What degree program does the School of public Health offer?
UTSPH has a variety of degree programs. We offer professional (Master of Public Health and Doctor of Public Health) and academic (Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy) degrees.
How big are the classes?
It depends. Core classes can have as many as 40 to 80 students while non-core classes may have as few as 10 or as many as 20 students.
What is the demographic makeup of the classes?
STUDENTS - FALL 2007 ENROLLMENT
|
|
MALES
|
FEMALES
|
TOTAL
|
| Full-time |
145
|
248
|
393
|
| Part-time |
156
|
421
|
577
|
| Total |
301
|
669
|
970
|
ETHNICITY OF AMERICAN STUDENTS
|
| Caucasian |
372
|
| Hispanic American |
139
|
| Asian American |
138
|
| Black American |
96
|
| American Indian |
14
|
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS (all full time)
|
| Male |
101
|
| Female |
103
|
| Total |
201
|
Do you offer dual degrees?
Yes, we do. Concurrent degree programs with other institutions include MD/MPH, JD/MPH, MSN/MPH, MSW/MPH, MPH/MSHI, PhD/MPH.
Do you offer night or weekend classes?
No weekend classes are available. However, we do offer a limited number of evening classes.
Do you have part-time students?
Yes
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APPLICATION PROCEDURE
If I am denied admission, can I reapply?
Yes; however, you will need to apply for the following available term in order to be reconsidered for review by the Admissions Committee. A reapplication consists of a new on-line application form, a revised goal statement, 2 fresh letters of recommendation, and application fee. All other documents (i.e. official GRE/TOEFL scores, transcripts, credential evaluation report) previously submitted will be carried forward. You do not need to resend them.
Do you have rolling admissions?
No.
Do you ever consider late applications?
No.
Do you have interviews?
No, interviews are not required; however, if you wish to schedule an interview in order to meet with faculty or students, please contact the Office of Student Affairs (for contact information see below).
Do you admit students in the Winter term?
We do not have a Winter term. We only admit degree seeking students for the Spring and Fall terms. Certificate/Non-degree are admitted Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters.
Can I visit the School of Public Health?
Yes. If you would like to make an appointment for a campus tour, please contact the Office of Student Affairs, at 713-500-9032 or email saffairs@uth.tmc.edu. Our office hours are 8am - 5pm, Monday through Friday.
How can I best prepare for applying to the School of Public Health?
The Admissions Committee strongly suggests that an applicant spends time in crafting his/her goal statement. It must be well-written, focused and given thoughtful consideration. It must be appropriate to the program to which the applicant is applying. The goal statement or essay is used by the faculty to determine the best fit for each applicant in the program to which they apply. In addition, the Admissions Committee prefers academic letters of recommendation that can attest to your potential for success in graduate school.
What are your tuition rates?
$ 146 per semester credit hour for a Texas resident; $ 499 per credit hour for Out-of-State. Please click on http://www.sph.uth.tmc.edu/sservices.aspx?id=121 and go to Tuition to show you our Tuition and Fees schedule.
Can I get in-state residency after my first year?
Please fill out the Core Residency Questionnaire Form and mail it to the Registrar's Office. The Registrar's Office is the one that determines the eligibility of a student whether s/he can become a Texas resident or not after the first year.
What is the application deadline? Will my application be reviewed if some of the documents arrive after the deadline?
The application deadline for the Fall semester is February 1 and the deadline for Spring is August 1. A completed file consists of the application, application fee, (2) reference letters, statement of career goals, official transcripts from ALL institutions attended, official GRE scores, official TOEFL scores (if foreign applicant), and official degree certificates. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early since applications are processed in the order they are completed. Domestic and foreign applicants who earned their degrees abroad must submit a recent credential evaluation certified by either the Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc (www.ece.org) or World Education Services (www.wes.org). UTSPH will only accept either a general report from ECE or a document-by-document report from WES. Applications that are not complete by the deadline will not be processed. Neither the UTSPH Office of Admissions nor the UTHSCH Office of the Registrar assumes responsibility for mail that is delayed or lost.
How can I determine whether or not my documents have been received? How can I determine the status of my application if it has been reviewed by the Admissions Committee?
Regional Doctorate and Certicate applicants are encouraged to utilize UTLINK to check the status of their application. You will need your Applicant ID number and your four-digit Personal ID number (PIN) which consists of the last two digits of your birth year followed by the two digits of your birth month. The SPH Office of Student Affairs cannot provide information regarding the admission decision made by the Admissions Committee by e-mail nor by telephone. Decision letters will be mailed within days following the Admissions Committee decision meeting.
For Students that applied through SOPHAS, please review the status of the application via SOPHAS.
How do I get my Applicant ID number (A#)?
The applicant ID number, which starts with the letter A and followed by a 9-digit number, should be on the address label on the front of the
UTHSCH Response Letter that you receive from the Registrar's Office. If the information is not on the card, please email the Registrar's Office at admissions@uth.tmc.edu or call them at 713-500-3361.
Can I apply to more than one program per term?
No. An applicant is only allowed to apply to one program per application term. If more than one application is submitted, the Office of the Registrar will contact the applicant regarding program of choice.
How many applicants do you admit?
The Admissions Committee admits as many of the qualified applicants as it can.
What is the cost of tuition for residents and non-residents?
Resident tuition is $141 per semester credit hour. The non-resident tuition is $483 per semester credit hour. Tuition and fees are subject to
change according to the actions of the Texas State Legislature or the UT Board of Regents and are effective when enacted. Graduate differential tuition will be $45/semester credit hour for residents and $112/semester credit hour for non-residents. The Student Services fee, required of all students, is assessed by semester credit hour with a maximum charge of $254.40 for 9 semester credit hours and above for Spring or Fall
semester and $189.79 per Summer session. These charges include certain fixed fees assesed each semester. Other possible fees may be added. The UT System website has more information on tuition and fees.
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ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
What are you looking for in a prospective student?
The school looks for someone who has strong interest in Public Health practice and research. Please click on the weblink, http://www.sph.uth.tmc.edu/uploadedfiles/catalog.pdf, and go to page 78 regarding factors considered by the Admissions Committee for
admission.
Is it necessary to have work experience or what kind of work experience should I have?
Prior work experience is not necessary but helpful.
Can I get in without work experience?
Yes.
How do you handle multiple GRE scores?
The Admissions Committee looks at all scores taken within the last 5 years.
When should I submit my GRE scores?
As soon as you have successfully taken the examination.
Is there a minimum GPA?
UTSPH prefers an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
Do you need any specific classes in statistics or biology in order to qualify for admission?
There is no specific course/s needed in order to qualify for admission; however, each division has its own requirements. To determine the requirements of each division, check our Web Catalog and see page 88 if you are interested in Biostatistics, page 100 for Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, page 114 for Epidemiology, page 129 for Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, page 148 for Management, Policy and Community Health.
When can I expect a decision from the Admissions Committee?
Provided your application and materials were submitted on time, they will be reviewed within 90 days of the application deadline. The decision of the Committee will be mailed to you as well as updated in UTLINK
What is the readmission policy?
All readmission applicants must apply by October 1rst for the Spring and July 15 for the Fall. For more information, please see Readmission process.
Is there a minimum score required for GRE?
A combined score of 1000 for the Master's programs and 1200 for Doctoral programs on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the General Test is preferred. For the Analytical Writing section, a score of at least 4.0 on a scale of 6.0 is preferred. Our institution code for ETS is either 6906 or 6907. No department code is needed. To that end, the Admissions Committee does consider every criterion required in a completed application file.
I am a physician. Do I have to take the GRE? How can I get it waived?
If you either earned a doctoral degree (i.e. M.D., J.D., D.V.M., Ph.D., etc) from an accredited U.S. institution, are currently certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), or have passed all three steps of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE),you may be eligible to have your GRE requirement waived. You must get permission from Dr. Mary Ann Smith, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs. An email request to Mary.A.Smith@uth.tmc.edu will suffice. If GRE waiver request is granted, the Office of Student Affairs will inform the Admissions Committee representative for that Houston program/regional campus that the requirement has been waived. Otherwise, this item will be
considered missing from your application.
Do you accept photocopies of test scores?
No. Once you have taken the GRE or TOEFL exam, have the Educational Testing Service (ETS) send the official test score report directly to our Registrar's Office.
What is the GRE/TOEFL institution code to be used?
Our institution code is either 6906 or 6907. No department code is needed.
Who needs to submit the TOEFL? What is the minimum score?
Applicants who are nationals of countries where English is not the native language are required to submit a TOEFL score that is no greater than two years old. The minimum score is 565 for the paper-based test or 225 for the computer-based test.
I'm an international applicant and my school will not send an official transcript. Will you accept an attested copy?
No. The copy must be official, i.e., it must be received directly from your school or arrive in an envelope that has been sealed and stamped by an official at your school. In the meantime, you should write a letter to your school requesting that an official transcript, official marksheets, and an official diploma be sent to UTHSCH Office of the Registrar. Make a copy of the letter and send the original by certified or registered U.S. mail to your school. Send the copy of the letter and the certified or registered mail receipt to the Registrar's Office (RO). Also send to the RO copies of the documents that you were given by the school. If all these items are received by the application deadline, your application will be considered complete for review.
What is the difference between the M.P.H. program and M.S. program?
The M.P.H., a more broad-based degree, is a public health practice/issue/problem-oriented degree. It requires the demonstration of breadth of knowledge in public health and the documentation of practical experience in public health. It requires a minimum of 45 semester credit hours which includes a practicum and a culminating experience. The M.S., a more depth-based degree, is academic or research-oriented. It requires suceessful completion of a minimum of 12 courses comprising at least 36 semester credit hours including thesis.
Once I have been accepted, can I change programs?
It is possible to change your area of specialization/major provided you remain in the same degree program you were admitted to. You need to fill out the Change of Major/Division Request form and submit it to the Office of Student Affairs at E-201. A goal statement should accompany this form. The Convener of the proposed major will make the final decision on this approval. It is suggested that a program change be made after one full semester of coursework has been done. It is important to first consult with your academic advisor about your plan to switch programs before submitting the request form.
Can I defer my admissions to a later semester?
Yes; however, deferment is not automatic. It would only be granted if justifiable reason is presented. You may email your deferral request to Dr. Mary Ann Smith, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs at Mary.A.Smith@uth.tmc.edu. If your request is granted, a letter confirming the deferral will be mailed to you shortly.
How long does it take to complete the M.P.H. program? Can I finish the program in one year?
Although it is possible to complete the M.P.H. in one academic year, this is extremely ambitious. Typically, full-time students take 18-24 months to complete the degree.
Can I transfer any credits earned while enrolled in another program toward the M.P.H. at UTSPH?
No. Although you may not have to repeat classes that you have already taken, courses taken while enrolled in another program will NOT count toward your degree at UTSPH. You will be required to complete at least 45 semester credit hours while you are enrolled in the program.
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FINANCIAL AID
What kind of funding is available for students?
There are a wide range of financial assistance programs to help students at all our campuses. We have SPH scholarships, Public health traineeship and several other current use scholarship. We also offer a one time student assistance for travel or dissertation/thesis expenses with the approval of the division director through our Student Assistance Fund. There are very limited funds for international students. However, with the help of our Financial Aid office and International Financial Aid office international students can find alternate loans to fund their education.
What kind of funding is available for non-degree and certificate students?
The school does not offer funding for non-degree and certificate students. However, these types of students can find alternative loans with different lenders. UT Financial Aid office does not certify any loans for non-degree and certificate students. Any laons would be at the discretion of the lender and student.
How can I get financial aid? Are there assistantships available?
You can reach the Office of Financial Aid at 713-500-3860 or http://sfa.uth.tmc.edu/. Visit our Career Services website to see open Student Assistant Positions. This will list all of the vacant positions currently available to students. You may also want to check the bulletin boards in the lobbies of each of the floors of the school for available jobs or contact your advisor about potential Graduate Assistant (GA) positions.
Is there funding for international students?
Our funds are restricted to awards to citizens of the United States and its permanent residents. International students are advised to seek assistance through international agencies, private foundations and country of citizenship.
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POST-GRADUATION
What can I do with a public health degree?
Public Health is so vast that it has many fields to choose from. Career opportunities can be found in the public and private sector. For additional information, please visit www.whatispublichealth.org.
Do you have your own Career Services office?
Yes. It is located in the Office of Students Affairs.
I have some questions about job prospects in public health. Can I meet with someone in Career Services?
Yes. You may contact Ms. Pantheia Evans, Coordinator of Career & Alumni Services, at 713-500-9024 or email Pantheia.Evans@uth.tmc.edu. She would be more than happy to assist you.
What career opportunities are available in Public Health?
We invite you to visit our Career Services site.
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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
How can I get an I-20 or IAP-66 form?
Once accepted to the program, the Office of Student Affairs will send you a Certification of Finances Form along with your official admission letter and a response form. This form will assist the Office of International Affairs in determining if you are capable of financing your education in the U.S. since financial aid is not available. Your student entry document, Form I-20 or IAP-66, will be issued only if you satisfy the financial criteria. Therefore, it is important to return your completed Certification of Finances Form and supporting documents as soon as possible. For information on International student affairs, see Office of the Registrar.
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