OHSU

MPH Admissions

Requirements for Admission

The application cycle for Fall 2013 is now open.  The application deadline is February 15, 2013. All supplemental materials must be received by this deadline.  

There is no specific undergraduate degree required for admission to the MPH program.  We accept students with a variety of academic backgrounds.

Our only requirement is that one undergraduate course in statistics be completed prior to matriculation, upon acceptance. 

If you have not taken an undergraduate statistics class, Portland State University offers STAT 243 every quarter. Depending on demand, about 4 to 8 sections are offered each quarter.  (Half of them are for non-business majors and the others for business majors.  Either section is acceptable.)

While there is not a hard cutoff for the GRE and GPA scores, as they are only one component of a successful application, we do have minimum score guidelines:

GRE:  500 Verbal, 600 Quantitative, and 4.5 Analytical    (New as of 11/2011:  V: 153,  Q: 148;  A:  4.5)

GPA:   3.0 

MCAT: 24 (with scores of 8 as absolute minimums in the individual categories)

 

Also, we require that foreign applicants who have not graduated from an accredited English-speaking university take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).  Minimum scores are listed below:

Internet exam: 80
Paper exam: 550
Computer exam: 213

The institution code for OHSU for both the TOEFL and GRE exams is 4865. 

All test scores must be no more than 5 years old at the time of application.

Application Process

The following materials should be submitted at the time the online application is completed. Please note that there are TWO MPH tracks at OHSU.  You must choose the correct application for our track:   "OMPH-Epi/Biostatistics."

1. Score reports sent directly to the university from the testing service:
  • Certified report of scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or equivalent (e.g.,MCAT). Our GRE code is 4865. If you send your scores to the wrong code, you are responsible for tracking them down or re-ordering the reports. Our office is unable to do do any investigating of scores sent to anything other than the 4865 code.
  • TOEFL scores for foreign graduates. (The OMPH Program requires a TOEFL score of 550 on the paper test; 213 on the computer-based test; and 79 on the internet-based test.)
2. All of the following items must be sent in one application packet directly to OHSU's Office of Graduate Studies:
  • Three letters of reference from employers, instructors, or persons in the public health or health care field. These individuals should be able to speak to your academic ability and potential for a successful career in public health science. They must be in sealed envelopes. Please use the form below:
  • Official transcripts from each university you have attended (in sealed envelopes). This includes transcripts for coursework taken at PSU, community colleges, study abroad experiences, etc.—even if only one course was taken at an institution or if the transfer credits show up on another transcript. Applications missing transcripts will not be reviewed. ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS OF TRANSCRIPTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.  All international applicants must have their credentials evaluated by World Education Service (details at bottom of page).
  • A CV (optional)
  • If you are applying for the Mitch Greenlick Public Health Scholarship, you should include the scholarship application in your packet.
  • A copy of your GRE or MCAT scores.  Official copies should be ordered from the testing service and sent to the program directly, but you are welcome to include an unofficial copy for review purposes.
  • Personal statement:  The online application has a field into which you can paste your personal statement.  Please address your interest in the program, your public health and/or research background, and why you think the Epi/Biostats program is a good fit for your career goals.

 

Office of Graduate Studies mailing address:

OHSU School of Medicine Graduate Admissions
Oregon Health & Science University
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Mail Code L102-GS
Portland, OR 97239
 

Completed Master of Public Health applications are reviewed starting February 1. Letters offering admission (or regret) are sent out in late March or early April at the latest.  For additional questions about the application process, please contact phpm@ohsu.edu.


Please also note the following:
  • The Graduate Record Exam is not required for applicants with an advanced graduate degree from an accredited American college or university.
  • MCAT scores may be substituted for GRE scores.
  • If you are a foreign national without a graduate degree from an accredited American college or university, OHSU requires that you provide TOEFL scores.
  • The program does not have assistantships for entering students.


Tuition

The Registrar's Office posts the tuition and fees for each department on their website.  This document is typically updated mid-summer.

Fees and Financial Aid

The program uses the OHSU graduate medicine student fee schedule.If you wish to apply for financial aid, contact the OHSU Financial Aid Office at (503) 494-8249. At the present time, there is no financial aid available for foreign students. Additional information is available at the financial aid site.

 

State Residency

Registrar's Office maintains a .PDF file of their residency policy.  We do not offer a tuition discount for neighboring states.  

 

Housing

Apartments are available nearby and within Portland.  At this time, OHSU does not offer direct housing services.  There is a housing bulletin board in Mackenzie Hall, and a resource list and notebook is available for review in Baird Hall, Room 1028, in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs.

 

Transportation and Parking

Since parking is limited on the OHSU campus, students are encouraged to take public transportation. OHSU subsidizes Tri-Met bus passes for students for a substantial discount. Please contact the OHSU Parking Office for more information.

 

Course Scheduling

Many classes are generally scheduled either early or late in the day to accommodate students who are working or enrolled in combined programs. Every attempt is made to avoid conflicts with PSU courses and core courses offered at both PSU and OHSU.  Please review our Courses and Schedules page.  Although each quarter's schedule is not finalized until shortly before the registration period begins, we try very hard to minimize changes to the schedule because we understand how important it is to plan ahead.

 

International Students

Please contact OHSU's Office of International Services for detailed information about immigration advice and services to international students, employees, and visitors.  If you are an international student and are accepted into our program, please do not delay in contacting the PHPM Education Office to begin your visa paperwork. 

At the present time, there is no financial aid available for international students.

Effective Fall 2013: All international student applicants are required to provide World Education Service (WES) International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP) credential evaluations for all foreign colleges attended. International applicants need to consult WES's website for instructions and fees at www.wes.org. The applicant will be responsible for the full cost of this service. International applicants of all countries of origin will need to complete this service.

If international applicants have already completed a similar credential evaluation through WES or another company, the Graduate Studies Office may evaluate on a case-by-case basis whether a WES ICAP will be needed.

Please have WES ICAP Credential Evaluations sent to:

OHSU School of Medicine Graduate Admissions

3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Mail Code L102-GS

Portland, OR 97239-3098