Graduate Programs
Admissions
Ph.D. Admissions
Application, admission, and degree-granting requirements and regulations shall be applied equitably to all individuals, applicants and students regardless of age, gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or national origin.
Admission into a Department of Public Health PhD Program is based on completion of a baccalaureate degree, although it is anticipated that many applicants will have completed a post baccalaureate degree in public health or other health related discipline.
Fall semester application deadline: December 15
All required application documents must be submitted by the PhD program deadline, with the exception of recommendation letters, which may be submitted up to two weeks past the deadline.
Online Application Process
Online Application: To access the application for Department of Public Health PhD Programs, go to the IUPUI Graduate Office home page http://www.iupui.edu/~gradoff/ , click on Graduate Degree Programs and Admissions, then Online Application.
If you already have an IU account, use your user name and password to log on to the application. If you do not have an IU account, create a guest account with a user name and password. When completing the online application, under "Educational Objectives" select "GRAD SCH-PUBLIC HEALTH-MED", then choose the appropriate PhD Program as the major.
Personal Statement: The candidate’s personal statement should be approximately 750 words and must be uploaded to the online application. Please include the following components in your personal statement:
- Describe experiences that have shaped your interest in the PhD Program area to which you are applying.
- Indicate why you are seeking doctoral training in the PhD Program area.
- List the factors that led you to apply to the program.
- Include any interests you have in specific aspects of the PhD Program area.
- Outline your professional goals, both immediate and long term.
Three Letters of Recommendation: The Department of Public Health expects that at least three letters of recommendations will be submitted with your application to a PhD Program. These letters should be from professional sources that can provide an unbiased, current and critical assessment of your abilities, skills, and strengths and weaknesses related to successfully completing a doctoral program.
Examples of professional sources are academic advisors, professors, preceptors or immediate supervisors. Examples of sources that are not acceptable include coworkers, colleagues, classmates, family acquaintances and relatives.
The Department of Public Health requests that letters of recommendation be submitted electronically through the online application. The online application asks applicants to supply e-mail addresses for their referees. When the applicant submits the application, the system automatically sends recommendation forms to the referees. After completing the form, referees return them to the IUPUI Graduate Office via e-mail.
Submission of Documents
The following documents are required to be submitted directly to the Department of Public Health:
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
- A copy of your current resume or CV.
- Scores on the GRE*, MCAT, LSAT, GMAT, DAT or other graduate entrance exam.
- TOEFL score for applicants whose native language is not English.
- Sample of scholarly writing (Required for the Health Policy and Management PhD Program only) – Applicants to the PhD Program in Health Policy and Management must submit an electronic copy of a course paper or published article in which the applicant is the sole author.
Applicants should request that their test scores be mailed directly to IUPUI from the testing service. The IUPUI code is 1325. If possible, all other documents should be e-mailed to Suzanne Hancock, suehanco@iupui.edu. If e-mail transmission is not possible, hard copies of the documents can be mailed to:
IU Department of Public Health
Attn: Student Services – PhD Programs
714 N. Senate Avenue, Suite EF250
Indianapolis, IN 46202
*NOTE: The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is undergoing a major revision in 2011. After July 31, the old test will no longer be available. The revised test will be offered beginning August 1. Test scores for the new test will not be available until late November. Applicants can take the GRE during the months of August and September for a 50% discount. See the ETS GRE website for further details.
The GRE is in the process of revising the scoring system. Visit the ETS GRE website for more information.
Revised GRE Scoring System
GRE revised General Test (taken on or after August 1, 2011)*
| Measure | Scores Reported |
| Verbal Reasoning | 130 - 170 (1 point increments) |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 130 - 170 (1 point increments) |
| Analytic Writing | 0 - 6 (half point increments) |
*NOTE: GRE® revised General Test Scores will be reported beginning in November 2011. View the detailed score reporting schedule. If no questions are answered for a specific measure (e.g., Verbal Reasoning), then you will receive a No Score (NS) for that measure. Scores are valid for five years.
GRE General Test (taken prior to August 1, 2011)*
| Measure | Scores Reported |
| Verbal Reasoning | 200 - 800 (10 point increments) |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 200 - 800 (10 point increments) |
| Analytic Writing | 0 - 6 (half point increments) |
*NOTE: In November, a newly designed score report will be introduced when score reporting begins for the GRE revised General Test. For individuals who took the GRE® General Test prior to August 1, 2011, the score report will include your Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning scores on the 200 – 800 scale as well as estimated Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning scores on the new 130 – 170 score scale.
If no questions are answered for a specific measure (e.g., Verbal Reasoning), then you will receive a No Score (NS) for that measure.
Review of Application
Applications will be carefully reviewed by the respective Admission Committee after the program deadline, if the application file is complete.
On-site Interview
- In-person interview: Applicants will be invited to participate in an in-person interview with several members of the Admission Committee. Alternative arrangements may be provided for applicants unable to be interviewed in-person.
- Completion of an on-site essay: Applicants participating in the interview process may be asked to write a short essay on a specific topic assigned to them using Microsoft Word. The purpose of this step is to allow the Admissions Committee to assess the applicant's English writing skills.
Pre-requisite Coursework
The Admissions Committee will determine each applicant’s acceptance or non-acceptance into the PhD program by using the following selection criteria:
- Scientific Leadership Potential: Assessed by the applicant’s resume / curriculum vita, personal statement, and personal interview.
- Ability to Engage in Advanced Graduate Work: Assessed by the applicant’s personal interview, evaluation of letters of recommendation, overall grade point average in prior graduate work, and scores from the GRE or other graduate entrance exams.
- Learning Goals and Objectives: Assessed by the applicant’s personal statement and personal interview.
Helpful Websites
• Graduate Record Examination, (GRE) – http://www.gre.org
• Educational Testing Service (ETS) – http://www.ets.org
• IUPUI Office of International Affairs - http://international.iupui.edu
• IUPUI Office of Financial Aid - http://www.iupui.edu/~finaid/