See Degree Programs for more information.

Yes, the School currently has ten dual-degree programs. Applicants must apply separately to each of the two collaborating schools and must meet the admissions requirements of each. For more detail information about these opportunities, please visit the Dual Degrees section or review the School Handbook.

Those interested in pursuing an MPH can apply for the MPH part-time program which is available in Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Population and Family Health, and Sociomedical Sciences. Applicants should note that the part-time program for the above departments may require some afternoon classes in addition to evening ones. Minimal weekend courses are available.

In addition, Health Policy and Management also offers a part-time program through the MPH: Management Track.

On a full-time basis, the MPH and MS are typically completed in one-and-a-half to two years. The new Accelerated MPH program can be completed within a year. The part-time MPH program can be completed in three years.

For the past two years the Mailman School has engaged in a school-wide effort to renew the MPH curriculum. The result is a revolutionary approach to public health education, utilizing the best practices from across the spectrum of education.  As an incoming student in the Columbia MPH and Accelerated MPH programs, you will take a renewed Core curriculum, receive foundational training in leadership, and apply your training to real-life public health challenges via case-based learning.  You will also receive strong disciplinary training within one of our six departments. 

Why is the Mailman School changing its MPH curriculum?
Like all academic institutions, the Mailman School continually works to improve its students’ educational experience in all of its programs. In consultation with our students, alumni, potential employers, and our faculty, we launched a full review of our MPH program at the beginning of 2010.  This has led to our renewed curriculum.  The 2012 curriculum builds on our departmental strengths and creates an educational experience that captures the depth and breadth in which Mailman operates.

How has the curriculum changed for Columbia MPH and Accelerated MPH students?  
The following are new elements of our MPH curriculum that build on our current strengths:

Core Curriculum:
The 2012 Core curriculum works as an integrated whole; building from foundations of public health, such as ethics and history, to domestic and international policy, environmental and social determinants of health, and public health research methodologies.  The Core curriculum, which is made up of a progression of modules, will encapsulate the core knowledge that MPH students must achieve. 

Certificates:
Students in the 2-year Columbia MPH program will be able to elect one Certificate program from a list of over 20 options to complete as supplementary to his/her disciplinary focus.  The offerings provide either interdisciplinary expertise (for example, public health research methods, health management, chronic disease) that complements the six disciplines or deeper training within a discipline (for example, toxicology, advanced epidemiology, policy analysis). 

Integration of Science and Practice:
The Integration of Science and Practice (ISP) course provides students a small cohort experience.  Utilizing case-based learning, students work in interdisciplinary teams to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-life public health challenges. 

Leadership & Innovation:
Public health challenges demand an interdisciplinary approach. The Leadership & Innovation course instills in all MPH graduates the concepts and skills for effective teamwork and leadership necessary for successful public health research and practice.

Teaching:
The Mailman School’s 2012 curriculum will engage students in the classroom with experiential and participatory teaching methods, such as case-based learning, small group work, role-play, and simulations.

How does this change the student experience?
MPH students will learn public health in the same way that we work in public health: in interdisciplinary teams, drawing on the expertise of colleagues from multiple domains. The new curriculum introduces a small group cohort experience that students will maintain throughout their MPH training. Twenty MPH students, one professor, and one doctoral student comprise each cohort and will meet weekly beginning in semester one through semester three as part of their Integration of Science and Practice course.

Will this new curriculum teach me what I need to know to be a competitive candidate upon graduation?
Yes.  The curriculum renewal effort is focused on giving students the knowledge and skills they need to be successful public health practitioners and has been developed in direct consultation with key employers of MPH graduates.

Beginning in 2012, the School will offer Certificates/Interdisciplinary Tracks to students enrolled in the two-year and part-time MPH programs.

Learn more about the Certificate programs and how to apply for individual ones.

Certificates/Interdisciplinary Tracks are available to students enrolled in the 2-year Columbia MPH program. As some require a number of courses from a specific department, they are only open to students from those departments.

In other cases, while the certificates may be open to all students, the number of required courses really makes those certificates most feasible for students from specific departments.

As members of the Columbia community, Mailman School students can choose from more than 1,000 graduate courses offered throughout the University, drawing on the resources of the schools of International and Public Affairs, Social Work, Business, Law, and Journalism, to name just a few. Students should check with their department to confirm that course credits from other graduate programs can be applied to their degree.

Mailman School of Public Health works directly with the University’s Office of Disability Services (ODS) to help make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities.

The Office of Career Services is committed to supporting Mailman School students and alumni with the career education process.  Our services and resources are designed to help you develop and refine your career exploration and career management strategies and provide infrastructure to support successful job searches, both while you are attending school and after graduating.

For a comprehensive look at career services at the Mailman School, please visit the web pages of the Office of Career Services.

• Online application
• Application fee
• 3 letters of recommendation
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (School Code 2159; Department Code 0616)
• 500 word personal statement
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended
• Resume or CV
• International students must also submit TOEFL scores (School Code 2159; Department Code 50)
• Some departments have additional academic pre-requisites and/or minimum work experience requirements

See Applications Components for more information.

View our current application deadlines.

We require the (GRE) Graduate Record Examination General Test but will consider GMAT, MCAT, LSAT, or DAT. A written request for a waiver of test scores will be reviewed but is only appropriate if your transcripts provide clear evidence of strong quantitative and analytical writing ability. When reporting GRE scores from ETS, students should use Institutional Code 2159 and Department Code 0616. The Admissions Committee does not exclude GREs based on test date. However, the Admissions Committee does reserve the right to ask an applicant to retake the GRE exam.

Because public health is a broad multi-disciplinary field, applicants to the School come from a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs including the social sciences, humanities, business, sciences, and clinical programs. All applicants must have a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Graduate program degrees will also be considered.

Admitted Student Profile for Academic Terms Summer/Fall 2010

Application Process

Accepts

Student Body Profile

You may check the status of your application for admission at any time by logging back into SOPHAS. In order to protect confidentiality, we cannot accept status check requests over the phone.

The MPH degree at the Mailman School of Public Health requires a total of 45 points of academic credit. Transfer points from an accredited school may be granted toward MPH degree requirements for graduate courses not counted toward another degree. Courses must be appropriate to the student’s degree program, meet Mailman School academic standards and be approved by the student’s department. The grading should be letter grade and the grade earned should be B+ or higher. No more than 15 points may be transferred. Note that transfer credits are not accepted for the School's core curriculum courses.

Requests for transfer credit must be made in writing by the student and approved by an academic advisor in the student’s department or program and by the Dean of Students. Requests must be accompanied by adequate documentation (official transcript showing successful completion of course, course syllabus, etc.).

If you have questions after reviewing our website, you may call the admissions office at 212-342-5127 to make an appointment or email your question to ph-admit@columbia.edu.

You may decide to do either depending on your particular interests and goals.

The School does not offer Spring semester admissions to new students.

Decisions on applications for Fall semester enrollment will be sent in early March.

Students in graduate programs at other schools and universities are considered for admission for select courses when space allows.

Students must complete the following:

o    Application cover sheet

o    Application fee of $65.00

o    Personal statement indicating desired course(s) (500 words)

o    Transcript from their present university indicating they are a student in good standing

o    Copy of their undergraduate transcript

o    Letter from their advisor showing approval for the course(s) 

Deadlines dates must be observed. Note that some classes, especially those related to our MPH core curriculum may be closed to non-Mailman School students.

File an admissions application to the School as a "special student" (non-degree), and submit all regularly required supporting documents (GRE scores are not required). You have to submit only two letters of recommendation, instead of the normal three, and you must specify in your personal statement (500 words) which course(s) you are interested in taking. A maximum of 12 credits are allowed as a special student. Note that some classes, especially those related to our MPH core curriculum may be closed to non-Mailman School students.