Required Application Documentation
Applicants to the DrPH degree are required to complete both a SOPHAS application and a USF Office of Graduate Studies application. Required Documentation:
- Completed SOPHAS application (requires the following):
- Transcripts
- GRE taken within five years preceding application. This requirement can be waived if the student has at least a 3.5 GPA, or has a terminal degree (PhD, ScD, or EdD) from an accredited institution, or an advanced professional degree (MD, DDS, DO, DVM, JD, PharmD, DPT) from an accredited institution with licensure in the United States. Any student seeking a waiver must submit a GRE waiver request.
- Minimum of three letters of recommendation
- Detailed personal statement of less than five pages that describes why you wish to obtain a DrPHdegree in Public Health and your area of interest
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Applicants whose native language is not English or who have not earned a degree in the United States must also submit TOEFL scores earned within two (2) years of the desired term of entry. A minimum total of 79 on the internet-based test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 550 on the paper-based test are requried. Applications submitted with TOEFL scores that do not meet the minimum requirements will be denied with no exceptions. (Section 6.2 Admissions Tests Information for more information)
- Completed USF Office of Graduate Studies application (student will be notified to complete this step after the SOPHAS application has been verified)
Program Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting the University requirements for admissions (see section 4 of the Graduate Catalog), applications to the DrPH program must meet the following minimum criteria in order to be considered for admission. However, the meeting of these criteria shall not be the only basis for admission.
- Applicants must have an MPH, MSPH, or MHA degree from an accredited institution. Those who hold other graduate degrees will be considered, but as a pre-requisite to the DrPH program of study, they must complete the equivalent of the MPH core courses.
- Applicants must have a minimum of two years advanced work experience in public health or as a health professional, and must demonstrate public health leadership potential in their statement of purpose and letters of recommendation.
- Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA in their masters degree.
- Applicants must take the GRE unless they are eligible for a waiver (see Required Application Documentation above). The GRE score will be compared to the applicant pool and the national GRE norms when admission is considered.
- Applicants must identify an interest area in their statement of purpose, and will be admitted only if a faculty advisor is identified who agrees to serve as the student's major professor, based on the applicant's qualifications and the fit between the applicant and the faculty advisor. The final decision on admission is made by the faculty of the College.
- In order to be considered for admission to the DrPH Program in Public Health, applicants must be fully prepared to attend three DrPH Institutes on-campus.
Contact Us:
To learn more about the DrPH program or the admissions process, please contact an Academic Advisor at (813) 974-6505 or email us preadmissions@health.usf.edu.
