Admission Requirements
Students may apply for admission as matriculated (Master of Science degree) students. Matriculated students may be enrolled as full-time (9 or more credits per semester) or part-time (less than 9 credits per semester) students. The maximum length of time students will be permitted to complete all coursework and capstone project work leading to degree conferral is five years, although most full time students will be expected to complete all requirements leading to the MS degree in two years.
For students who obtained an undergraduate degree in a country other than the US or Canada, a course-by-course evaluation of their transcripts is required unless an advanced degree has been earned in the US. Among agencies providing this service is the World Education Services Inc. (WES). It is the responsibility of the student to obtain this evaluation.
Admission Requirements for the MS-HOPE Degree Program
| UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE (all transcripts must be official and sent directly from accredited institution) |
Required from an accredited school in the US or Canada; GPA of 3.0 or higher; for applicants with a professional degree see “waivers for undergraduate degree transcript” |
| GRADUATE RECORD EXAM (GRE) | General Exam. Use GRE code 2567 to forward your GRE standardized test scores to the Rutgers School of Public Health (New Brunswick campus) |
| ESSAY ON STATEMENT OF GOALS | Required |
| LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION | Two letters are required for Master's degree applicants. (At least one of these letters should be from a university/college faculty member if the applicant completed their undergraduate education, or equivalent, within the past five years.) |
| WAIVERS FOR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE TRANSCRIPT (documentation of professional degree must be sent directly from accredited institution) |
MD, DO, PhD, DDS, DMD, DVM, EdD, DrPH, ScD, PharmD or MPH from an accredited US or Canadian school |
| TOEFL (must be official copy) |
Required for students educated outside the US in Non-English speaking countries, or a passing score in the English Portion of the ECFMG |
| WORK EXPERIENCE | Relevant health sector work experience is preferred |
Non-Degree Seeking Students
Non-Degree Seeking Students, such as Visiting Students, interested in applying to take one or two courses at the Rutgers School of Public Health and/or enrolling for a single semester at the Rutgers School of Public Health should complete the Non-Degree Seeking Student Registration Form at the following link: http://sph.rutgers.edu/admissions/docs/NonDegreeStudentRegForm.pdf.
Deferred Entrance
Once a student has been accepted as a matriculated student, a deferment for one semester may be requested. If deferment is sought beyond one semester, the student’s application will be reevaluated in competition with new applicants and it will be necessary to reapply. To seek deferment, students must describe the reason(s) for the deferment request, in writing, to the admissions committee before the beginning of the semester in which they were to have enrolled.
Full-Time and Part-Time Status for Matriculated Students
Matriculated students may be enrolled as full time (9 or more credits per semester) or part time (less than 9 credits per semester) students. Students who have completed all coursework and have completed 6 credits of capstone project research will be required to maintain continuous enrollment of a minimum of 3 credits per semester until completion of the capstone project.
Time to Program Completion
The maximum length of time students will be permitted to complete all coursework and capstone project work leading to degree conferral is five years.
Transfer Credits
Students who have taken either core courses or required courses in the curriculum within 3 years of matriculation may be permitted to transfer up to 12 credits toward the total number of credits needed to complete the MS degree.
Leave of Absence
In some circumstances, a Leave of Absence may be warranted. Students who re-enter the program after an absence of more than one year may apply all previous credits earned within the last three years to their degree.