Master of Science in Public Health
Master of Science in Public Health Overview
The Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) degree provides advanced training to prepare public health professionals for careers in research. This includes those who wish to have a more research-oriented training regimen, individuals interested in a research or teaching career, or those seeking to continue their academic careers in doctoral or other terminal degree programs.
The degree requirements are similar to those of the MPH program; however, unlike the MPH degree, the MSPH degree requires a research-based master’s thesis or project.
With additional requirements for the research aspect of this degree, the program takes approximately two years of full-time study to complete the required minimum of 45 semester credit hours. Students who undertake their training on a part-time basis may require more time.
The MSPH program has been continuously accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) since 1978.
Admissions Frequently Asked Questions
Applicants must meet academic minimum requirements for admission. The requirements listed are the minimum set by the Graduate School of the University of Utah and do not guarantee admission to a graduate program. Also, each academic department or program defines additional requirements. Applicants are evaluated with respect to university and departmental requirements and with respect to the pool of available applicants.
The minimum academic requirements for graduate admission are the following:
- A bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited college/university
- Demonstrated quantitative ability, usually with a grade of 'B' or higher in College Algebra or equivalent class
- At least a 3.00 or higher undergraduate weighted mean GPA*
*If the candidate has a GPA below 3.0 they must submit a justification letter. This letter should detail why the candidate's GPA is lower than 3.0 and why they feel that they are prepared to pursue the public health degree in spite of their lower GPA. This letter is different than the Statement of Purpose and will be included with the candidate’s application file. - Meeting the academic department's admission standards and receiving a recommendation for admission to their program.
Application Fees
- Applicants must complete both a SOPHAS application and a Slate (University of Utah) application and upload all required documents to be considered for admission. We cannot waive SOPHAS or Slate application fees. You can apply for a fee waiver for SOPHAS if you feel you qualify.
- SOPHAS
- Official transcripts for US/Canadian applicants
- Unofficial transcripts & WES, ECE, or other accredited transcript evaluation for international applicants
- GRE scores or demonstrated quantitative ability
- Three letters of recommendation
- Statement of purpose
- Current Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Official transcripts for US/Canadian applicants
- Slate
- Unofficial transcripts
- Unofficial transcripts
Required Documents
- Transcripts & Transcript Evaluation: Applicants must upload a transcript from each institution where they earned credit to SOPHAS and Slate.
- Three Letters of Recommendation: Required for each PhD applicant. The recommendation letters should come from persons familiar with the applicant's academic and professional capabilities, achievements, work experience, and/or personal qualities—not family or friends. There is no specific format for these letters.
- Statement of Purpose: The statement, not to exceed 500-1000 words, should include comments relevant to public health degree(s), reasons for choosing public health as a future career area, any previous relevant work experience, and how the training will facilitate your career goals.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae: Resumes and CVs should be professional and up-to-date.
Other Requirements
- College Algebra: Transcripts should reflect completion of College Algebra (1050) or higher (e.g., Algebra II, Calculus, or Statistics) with a grade of B or better. A course in Statistics or Epidemiology is highly recommended but not required.
- General Graduate Record Examination (GRE): The GRE is not required. It is recommended for applicants who have not completed College Algebra (1050) or higher with a grade of B or better or have not earned a terminal degree (MD or PhD). In the US, scores no older than five years will be accepted. Please provide code 4932 (University of Utah Division of Public Health SOPHAS) to ETS so they can send your scores to your SOPHAS application. MCAT scores may be substituted only if the applicant has been accepted into the University of Utah Medical School and plans to seek entry to the MD/MPH or MD/MSPH programs. The medical school letter of acceptance must be attached to MCAT scores.
- English Proficiency for International Students: Please see the Office of Admissions website for details on demonstrating English Proficiency and sending your test scores.
- Personal Interview: May be requested, including international applicants. These are typically done by video conference and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Initial Faculty Mentor: Review the research areas of faculty to identify those working in your area(s) of interest. Please identify these faculty members and describe your research interests in your statement of purpose. Nominated faculty members will review applications as part of the admissions process.
Resident Tuition
Non-Resident Fees
WGRP
The Division of Public Health’s MPH, MSPH, PhD, and Certificate programs are approved for the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP). Students receiving WGRP are eligible for resident tuition rates PLUS 10%. Visit the WGRP website for more information.
The admissions deadlines for the University of Utah's Master of Science in Public Health Program are as follows:
Fall 2026 deadlines: January 15th - priority deadline. March 15th - final deadline.
Late applications will not be accepted.
Applicants are responsible for monitoring the progress of their application to ensure all required documents, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other information are received by the deadline. The SOPHAS and Slate online applications allow applicants to track their application status by logging back into the system with their PIN and password and clicking “check status” in SOPHAS or “check your application” in Slate.
You must submit an official transcript from each institution from which you have earned college credit (except the University of Utah) to the Office of Admissions. Please see the Office of Admissions website for details on how to submit official transcripts. If you fail to submit official transcripts, you will be unable to register for classes.
Check your email for admissions updates and post-admission instructions.