Certificate in Public Health

Are you are interested in public health, but not ready to commit to a full-time graduate program? Do you want to add public health knowledge to your skill set? Either way, you are ready for the next step.

The Certificate in Public Health is a fully online graduate program for students or working professionals.

The fully online five course certificate covers graduate level instruction in the primary areas of public health: Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Health Policy and Management, and Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Successful completion of the Certificate in Public Health will satisfy one of the requirements to sit for the Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam.

Students interested pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree may use the certificate coursework to satisfy degree requirements; however, they must apply and be accepted into the MPH program. Students can also use certificate coursework to satisfy core public health prerequisite requirements for the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree.

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The Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health (JPHCOPH) Certificate in Public Health is an ONLINE program. International applicants are eligible to apply for the Certificate in Public Health if he/she plans to complete the program from outside the U.S. International applicants are not eligible to apply for a student visa, nor can they maintain their current F-1/J-1 status in a fully online program.

Students who wish to obtain the Certificate in Public Health need not be enrolled in the M.P.H. program but must still apply and be admitted to the certificate program. Admission into the Certificate in Public Health program does not guarantee subsequent admission to a graduate degree program. Applying to a graduate degree program is a separate process and different criteria must be met.

1. Application – Completion of an application in Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS)
2. Degree – Completion of a Bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution.
3. Transcripts – Official transcript(s) from each college or university previously attended. A transcript is required even if the courses from one school appear on the transcript of another school.*
   • All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES). Visit https://www.wes.org/ to view which documents are required for your country and to request an International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP) Course-by-Course Report.*
   • Upload transcript(s) from all institutions attended. (Do NOT send transcripts to SOPHAS Express)*
4. Grade Point Average (GPA) – Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0/4.0 scale in either:
   • Upper-division undergraduate courses; OR
   • Upper-division graduate courses.
5. English Language Proficiency – International applicants and U.S. Citizens whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. Prior to consideration for admission, international applicants whose native language is not English must take and post acceptable scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (https://www.ets.org/toefl) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (https://www.ielts.org) unless they have received a degree from an accredited college or university in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada (except Quebec), Australia, or New Zealand. The TOEFL and IELTS examinations are administered at various times of the year and in many centers throughout the world.
   • A score of at least 75 (internet-based test, IBT) or 537 (paper-based test) on the TOEFL and 6.0 on the IELTS is normally required to be considered for regular admission. The official TOEFL and the official IELTS scores may not be more than two (2) years old. Those who do not meet the minimum proficiency standard may be recommended for enrollment in University English courses or for English courses offered by the English Language Program (ELP) on campus. Successful completion of Intensive English Programs (IEPs) at other English Language Program (ELP) providers will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Request that your official TOEFL scores be sent directly to SOPHAS. Official IELTS scores should be sent to: Georgia Southern University, Office of Graduate Admissions, P.O. Box 8113, Statesboro, GA 30460-8113.
6. Letters of Recommendation – Three (3) letters of recommendation. It is strongly advised that two letters be from individuals who can address your past academic performance and it is encouraged that the third letter is from a work or internship supervisor.
7. Curriculum Vitae/Resume – A CV/Resume that includes the following: a) educational experiences, b) professional goals and objectives, c) work history, d) professional experiences, memberships and/or participation in professional organizations, e) experiences in public health programs.
8. Statement of Purpose – A Statement of Purpose (500-1000 words) that conveys the applicant’s reasons for pursuing graduate study in public health and how admission into the program relates to the applicant’s professional aspirations.

*NOTE: Unofficial documents must be uploaded for review purposes. Official transcripts and TOEFL/IELTS scores are only required if you are offered admission.

Following notification of admission, official transcripts mailed in sealed envelopes directly from each university attended (or directly from WES) and official TOEFL/IELTS scores mailed directly from the testing company are required PRIOR to the first day of classes of the original semester of acceptance. Failure to provide the official transcripts and TOEFL/IELTS scores following notification of admission will result in revocation of the admission offer. Official documents must be mailed to: Georgia Southern University, Office of Graduate Admissions, P.O. Box 8113, Statesboro, GA 30460-8113.

Not all programs are available to residents in all states. Please check the institution's State Authorization and Professional Licensure website(s) to ensure you reside in an authorized state.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Council on Education for Public Health