MPH Admissions FAQS

Yes. The GSU School of Public Health and its programs are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), an independent agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to accredit schools of public health and programs in public health, including those offered online.

Accreditation is not just a stamp of approval, but a signal to employers and other institutions that the school or program meets certain standards and benchmarks for educational quality, qualified faculty and adequate resources. When a student attends an accredited institution, they can be confident they are learning the skills they need in the workforce. They also can be assured that they are positioning themselves well for a long career in public health. Graduating from an accredited program opens doors to certifications, funding opportunities, and employment. In fact, some employment opportunities, like working for the US Public Health Service, the US military, and some government agencies, are only open to students who have graduated from CEPH-accredited programs.

All programs in the GSU School of Public Health, whether in-person or online, are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Accreditation is not just a stamp of approval, but a signal to employers and other institutions that the school or program meets certain standards and benchmarks for educational quality, qualified faculty and adequate resources.

Georgia State’s online programs are designed and taught by the same faculty who teach on-campus. Their successful completion will earn you the same degree. Our programs are designed with flexibility in mind. In-person students can take online classes, and online students can choose to take in-person classes.

Learning online does require the ability to focus on coursework for a dedicated amount of time each week. Your online class may not have a scheduled time to meet, but your success mindset should include planning for the time you need to participate in online discussions, complete assignments and prepare for projects or presentations.

Learn more about online student success and get tips from the online student success blog.

Online MPH courses offered through the GSU School of Public Health are offered asynchronously or synchronously at the discretion of the faculty members who develop the courses. Please check the catalog to make sure you enroll in the course that’s right for you.

Yes. To meet the needs of students who are working professionals or have family responsibilities, students pursuing an MPH degree at Georgia State can enroll in online or in-person classes. Georgia State's online courses are designed and taught by the same faculty who teach on-campus. Their successful completion will earn you the same degree.

School of Public Health students who take online courses have access to the same networking and career support services available to students taking in-person courses. Networking events include “Meet and Talk” social mixers that bring students, faculty, alumni and other public health leaders together for professional development, breakout sessions, fun activities, raffles and prizes. Students can also network and engage with fellow students and public health leaders through events such as the John R. Lutzker Lecture Series, Grand Rounds Lecture Series, and Kreuter Katz Lecture. These lectures, which bring nationally recognized thought leaders to Georgia State, are typically livestreamed for those who cannot attend in-person and archived online for later viewing.

The Office of Applied Practice Experience and Career Services (APECS) provides a range of services to SPH students—whether on campus or online—including virtual career events, workshops and panels with public health experts. Additional one-on-one career services include counseling, resume analysis and mentorship support. Through the School of Public Health’s online ELEVATE portal, students can connect with their peers, alumni and career opportunities. Whether you are seeking internships, applied practice experiences or jobs, ELEVATE provides a treasure trove of data-driven information.

To facilitate networking and collaboration among students, individual online courses may include discussion forums, group projects and team building activities. Faculty may also host interactive online or hybrid orientation events. Georgia State's online programs are designed and taught by the same faculty who teach on-campus. Their successful completion will earn you the same degree.

Georgia State’s online programs are designed and taught by the same faculty who teach on-campus. The development of online courses is supported by GSU’s Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Online Education (CETLOE). Georgia State is a national model for student success, with more online program options than any other institution in the state.

CETLOE design teams work with faculty to create high-quality online courses and programs. Often spanning multiple semesters, online course and program design projects require significant and sustained commitment from faculty and draw upon the expertise of the full CETLOE team, including learning experience designers, multimedia developers, learning technologists and learning analysts.

Visit the CETLOE website for tips to leverage the learning tools and the resources you have as a student.

School of Public Health students who take online courses have access to the same networking and career support services available to students taking in-person courses. The School of Public Health’s Office of Applied Practice Experiences and Career Services (APECS) hosts career fairs, workshops, seminars and panels with industry experts. It also offers one-on-one career services counseling and resume analysis.

The School of Public Health’s online ELEVATE portal helps connect students with their peers, alumni and career opportunities. Whether you are seeking internships, applied practice experiences or jobs, ELEVATE provides a treasure trove of data-driven information. In addition, GSU’s Student Career Services offers job search tools and resources and hosts events and career fairs.

All MPH students complete an Applied Practice Experience, which enables them to apply the knowledge they have gained through their coursework in real-world settings that position them for career success. Our location in Atlanta gives students unparalleled opportunities for APEs, but students can complete their APE requirement anywhere within the U.S. or even abroad. Students have the flexibility to set up APE projects that are entirely remote, hybrid or in-person.

GSU School of Public Health students have completed APEs in organizations that range from large federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, international agencies such as the World Health Organization, health systems and community based organizations. For a list of additional example sites, visit our APE page.

Public health degree holders are in high demand at federal and state agencies, health care organizations, academic institutions, private companies and non-profit organizations.

Visit our Public Health Careers page to see median salaries for public health professions and, where available, the projected growth in demand for these professions over the next several years.

Yes. The degree you’ll earn online is no different than the one you’d earn in-person, and tuition is priced the same. As a public institution, Georgia State is dedicated to both excellence and affordability. More than 92% of GSU students with demonstrated financial need receive some form of tuition assistance. From scholarships and fellowships to graduate assistantships, federal aid and student loans, there are several options for funding your graduate education at Georgia State. Learn more about funding your education.

iCollege is the name of the learning management system platform (LMS) at Georgia State University. It is where you can review coursework, view lectures, join in class discussions and so much more. Regardless of how you engage with your classes, whether the classes you attend are online, in-person or a mix of the two, iCollege is a vital tool for success during your time at GSU. Learn more about digital learning at Georgia State.

The Applied Practice Experience (APE) is integral to the MPH curriculum, providing a hands-on learning experience that positions students for thriving, impactful careers. Our location in Atlanta gives students unparalleled opportunities for APEs, but students can complete their APE requirement anywhere within the U.S. or even abroad. Online students have the flexibility to set up APE projects that are entirely remote, hybrid or in-person.

GSU School of Public Health students have completed APEs in organizations that range from large federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, international agencies such as the World Health Organization, health systems and community based organizations. In addition, online students can participate in study abroad options that afford APE project opportunities in countries such as Brazil, Ghana and the United Kingdom. For a list of additional example sites, visit our APE page.

Yes. Online students can choose to enroll in in-person courses, including study abroad. The School of Public Health’s study abroad programs allow students to examine firsthand public health issues in countries such as Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Indonesia, Uganda and the United Kingdom. In many cases, study abroad scholarships and financial aid are available.

For your MPH application to be considered complete and ready for review, the required documents listed here must be received by SOPHAS and verified. During the SOPHAS application process, you will receive emails from our Office of Academic Assistance (OAA) containing follow-up questions or confirming receipt of your application. It is important for you to regularly check your email inbox and respond to emails from our OAA staff.

Call us at (404) 413-1452 or e-mail your question to [email protected].

There is no minimum GPA, but applicants with a 2.75 GPA and above are generally preferred. Note that applications will be considered individually based on a number of factors, including the rigor of the academic program and school attended.

GRE/GMAT scores are not a requirement for admission to the MPH, DrPH, Graduate Certificate of Public Health or Maternal and Child Health Graduate Certificate programs.

No. Applicants are admitted to our program with various academic and professional backgrounds.

With the exception of our online degree programs, classes are held at Georgia State University’s downtown campus. Classes are held in the afternoon as well as in the early evenings to accommodate working students. Click here for the university schedule. Note that not all classes, particularly electives, are offered in the evenings. Students may need to take courses in the afternoon as well as the evening.

Our MPH program in the Health Promotion and Behavior concentration is available as a fully online option, as is our Graduate Certificate in Public Health. In Fall 2025, the Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Health Management and Policy concentrations will be available fully online. Classes in most other degree programs will be held in-person on Georgia State’s Atlanta campus, although some classes may be held in a hybrid or online format.

The School of Public Health requires applicants to submit three Reference Forms. Students who have recently graduated with their bachelor’s degree or equivalent are strongly encouraged to submit at least one academic reference from a faculty member in the program in which they earned their degree. Other recommendations should be sought from employers and/or supervisors from paid and/or volunteer work. It is suggested that a friend, relative or peer not be used as a reference. Give recommenders adequate time to submit their recommendation online or via mail.

Limit statements to one single-spaced page, or two double-spaced pages, and include the following content:

• Introduction: why you’re interested in public health and your specific area of concentration or research
• Previous academic, professional, community experiences, as well as any work in the area of health or healthcare
• Career and personal goals: how you believe the degree you are seeking will help you achieve these goals and trajectory
• Specific interest in Georgia State’s program

See the university's Tuition and Fees webpage.

Any applicant whose country of birth is English-speaking (as listed here) is not subject to the English Proficiency requirement. For applicants whose country of birth is not English-speaking, proof of English proficiency can be demonstrated through one of the following means:

• Proof of baccalaureate or graduate degree completion inside the U.S. (from an accredited institution) or outside the U.S., where English is the official language of academic instruction from an approved country (view this link for the list of approved countries)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores of 80 or above (internet-based test)
• International Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.5 or above
• Completion of a University System of Georgia approved ESL program

You can check your financial aid status by calling the Office of Student Financial Aid at (404) 413-2600 or online at http://www.gsu.edu/financialaid.

Once your application and materials have arrived in our office, they become the property of Georgia State University. For this reason, no materials will be returned or released to an applicant or to any other party, such as another school or external agencies, for example. Moreover, your application fee is nonrefundable and will not be returned if your application is withdrawn or denied.

Students who have completed graduate courses at other accredited institutions before enrollment in the MPH program may request that any such courses be evaluated for transfer of credit. Students must have earned a grade of “B” or better in all transferable courses. The maximum amount of credit that may be transferred is nine semester hours. Exceptions to this rule will be granted on an individual basis. Click here for the Graduate Request for Evaluation of Transfer Credit.

The terms are often used interchangeably, but in the context of the MPH program, the APE is a field-based experience for which students receive course credit. An internship is a more commonly used term that refers to an opportunity to gain experience in a field. If you see an advertisement for an internship, it is possible to pursue that experience as an APE; it would simply require additional planning to ensure academic requirements are met through the experience.

You should complete your core courses and two of your concentration courses before beginning the APE. Start your APE search at least one semester prior to the semester you’d like to begin.

Gaining as much field experience as possible will help you in the long-run. Students can do as many internships as they can reasonably fit into their schedules, but would need to meet the requirements above in order to “count” the internship as your APE.

The first step is to refine your idea. There are several ways of doing that:

• Complete a gap analysis – does this opportunity afford you skill development that will aid in your job search
• Discuss your idea with the practice coordinator and your advisor. They can help to make your idea more specific and suggest possible APE sites.
• If you have a site in mind, discuss your idea with a staff member of the organization or a prospective preceptor.
• Assess how well your idea gives you the opportunity to use what you have learned in your specialty track or concentration in a real world setting.

You can learn more about proposing an APE by visiting the Office of Applied Practice Experiences and Career Services.

Finding a site is a key step in developing your APE. Before this can become your formal APE site, it is important to do the following:

• Discuss this possible site with the practice coordinator. She will help you determine if the site is appropriate to conduct your APE.
• Obtain approval from the practice coordinator. She may already be familiar with the site or the program of interest within that organization.
• Verify with the practice coordinator that an affiliation agreement exists between GSU and the potential site (if not, the coordinator will facilitate that process).
• Complete the learning contract, including signatures.
• Purchase professional liability insurance through the GSU web store.

The APE is an opportunity to bring academic theory, specifically what you learned in your concentration, into practice.

• The culminating experience is typically research-oriented, whereas the APE is mostly hands-on in nature.
• You are eligible for the APE as soon as you complete all the core courses AND at least 2 courses in your specialty track. The culminating experience on the other hand is the last academic requirement of the MPH degree.
• You may work on the culminating experience at the same time that you work on your APE and you may focus on a common topic or field; but, the two may not be the same thing.
• In some instances, the APE can help identify interesting research gaps, which could serve as a building block for your culminating experience.
• The APE and the culminating experience are SEPARATE and DISTINCT academic requirements, for each of which specific academic credits are awarded.

Possibly. If you are working in a public health organization and demonstrating competencies from your coursework, you may explore an APE opportunity in the same agency. Please contact the practice coordinator to discuss.

• Any practice site must be discussed with your advisor and approved by the practice coordinator.
• Consider that the APE offers great networking opportunities; students completing the APE at their place of employment miss out on this aspect.

The study abroad office provides scholarship opportunities to graduate students meeting specific criteria. Please visit the Georgia State Study Abroad Office for more information.