Each year, approximately 16 new MPH students join our program. Both MPH program tracts are extremely competitive. On average, we accept 20 percent of our 2-year MPH applicants and 30 percent of our 1-year MPH applicants. Faculty carefully weigh all aspects of applicants’ background in making admissions decisions. The fit between the program’s focus and the candidate’s interests and objects is of utmost importance.

2009-2010 Admissions Cycle

UC Berkeley School of Public Health will be participating in SOPHAS (School of Public Health Application Service). For instructions on how to apply, please visit: http://sph.berkeley.edu/admissions/apply.html.

Admissions Criteria

• SPH & Graduate Division Admissions Requirements
• Additional 1-Year track requirements
• Additional 2-Year track requirements
• Letters of Recommendation
• MCH Supplemental Questionnaire (Statement of Purpose)
• Personal History Statement
  
• International Applicants
• Admission Stats

SPH & Graduate Division Admissions Requirements

• At least a B (3.0) grade-point average or the equivalent in work completed after the first two years of a bachelor's degree program and in all post-baccalaureate course work.
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores not more than 5 years old. Exceptions: see SPH website. Minimum GRE scores in the 50th percentile and/or minimum TOEFL score of 68 (iBT), 230 (CBT), or 570 (PBT).
• International Applicants: Report your Official TOEFL scores to UC Berkeley using recipient code 4833-50. Scores of tests taken before June 2007 are not acceptable. In special situations, the IELTS may be an acceptable substitution for the TOEFL. (You are only required to submit TOEFL scores if you have NOT studied in a country where English is the official language for one year or more.) International applicants to the PhD & MA programs in Biostatistics and the PhD program in Health Services & Policy Analysis must submit both the TOEFL & the GRE.

Please refer to the SPH website and the UCB Graduate Division website for more information.

Additional 1-Year track requirements

• Professional degree in a health care-related field (physicians, baccalaureate- or masters-level nurses, psychologists, masters-level social workers, and other masters-level professionals).
• Significant work experience in the MCH field.
• Must be engaged in or demonstrate a commitment to shift from the perspective of individual patient care to focus on public health programs, policies and systems of care.
• Of utmost importance is the fit between the program's focus and the applicant's interests and objectives.

Additional 2-Year track requirements

• Strong interest in and potential to develop quantitative analytical skills as evidenced by scholastic achievement and/or research activities.
• Work or volunteer experience in an MCH-related, service or policy setting (typically, at least 1-2 years).
• Of utmost importance is the fit between the program's focus and the applicant's interests and objectives.

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required. Ideally, at least one should come from a former professor or faculty member who can comment on your academic abilities. Please also include some that can attest to your work in the field.

MCH Supplemental Questionnaire (Statement of Purpose)

The MCH program requires that all applicants complete a supplemental questionnaire. This questionnaire can be found HERE.

Personal History Statement

See SPH website.

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Information for International Students

Applicants from other countries are held to the same admissions regulations as applicants from the United States. In addition, foreign applicants are expected to have an excellent command of English before beginning studies at Berkeley.

Therefore, applicants whose schooling was not in English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum acceptable score is 570 on the paper-based version, 230 on the computer-based version, and 68 on the internet-based test. The TOEFL scores must not be more than two years old.

Admissions Stats for the 2009 Incoming Class

The Program received a total of 74 applications for the 2009-2010 academic year. A total of 29 offers were made, and the incoming class is comprised of 18 students (3 for the 1-year track and 15 for the 2-year track). Here are some statistics for the incoming class:

• Average Age: 25
• Average GPA: 3.73
• Average GRE Scores
• Quantitative – 79% (79th percentile)
  
• Verbal – 87 % (87th percentile)