What is the application deadline?
The application deadline is March 15, 2024 for the Fall 2024 entering class. The Early Action deadline is December 15, 2023. Please note: You must submit all required application materials before the deadline. The online application alone is not enough to meet the required deadlines.
How do I submit an application?
Students should complete an online application.
What materials are required as part of the application?
The following materials are required for admission to the MPH program (click each item for further detail):
- When applying online, you will receive a follow-up email giving you the option of paying this fee with your MasterCard or Discover Card.
- You may send a check or money order made payable to Montclair State University to:
The Graduate School, Admissions
1 Normal Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07043
- Official transcripts are required from each school you have attended.
- It is the responsibility of the applicant to request and arrange for all official transcripts to be sent to The Graduate School.
- An official transcript bears the institution’s raised insignia and is individually sealed by their respective Registrar/Records Office. The transcript must arrive unopened in its original envelope. It is highly recommended that the transcript be sent directly from the institution to The Graduate School. If the envelope is opened prior to arriving at the University, it is no longer considered official.
- If you studied under a different name, your institution must indicate both prior and current names on your transcript.
- Do not request a transcript from the Montclair State University Registrar if Montclair is listed on your application as a previous or current institution. The Graduate School will obtain your Montclair State University transcript directly.
- Including your U.S. social security number on your transcript or transmittal sheet will expedite processing of your application.
- Applicants with non-U.S. degrees need not submit transcripts. Instead, they must submit a course-by-course evaluation of their coursework from any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Please note: Applicants who have an international education may not apply as a last-term senior.
The statement or essay, in which you present your reasons for your proposed graduate studies, is an important component of the admission decision process, and applications will not be reviewed without it. The required personal statement is a response to the prompt below:
The MPH Admissions Committee seeks to admit a diverse cohort of students who are committed to the mission, vision and values of the MPH program. The mission of our program is to prepare culturally competent professionals in public health, with a strong focus on social justice. This interdisciplinary academic and experiential program trains public health practitioners with professional skills for planning, implementing, evaluating and sustaining efforts to enhance population health and eliminate health disparities. Underlying our mission and vision, and informing our competencies and goals, are the foundations of social justice, community engagement, critical thinking and cultural competency.
In a well-written essay of up to 1000 words, please describe how your academic, professional, and/or personal experiences have led you to seek education in public health that embodies the mission, vision and values of the Montclair State University MPH program.
Please submit at least two (but not more than three) academic and/or professional letters of recommendation from former professors who are familiar with your academic work and/or from employers, supervisors or other professionals who can comment on your background, experiences, and motivation to succeed. Friends, family members or fellow students are not appropriate sources for letters of recommendation, and your application will not be considered complete if one of your references is from these sources.
- Prospective students who have earned a cumulative undergraduate GPA higher than 2.75 are not required to submit GRE scores.
- Students who have earned a previous master’s degree (or higher) from an accredited U.S. college or university or students who have earned the equivalent of a U.S. master’s degree (or higher) from an international institution as evaluated by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) member may request a GRE waiver. To request a waiver, you must first apply to the program. Once you have submitted your application, all waiver requests must be submitted using the Standardized Test Waiver Request available in the Forms section of your application status page.
- All other applicants must submit GRE scores. The institutional code for score reporting for the GRE is 2520. You must have taken the exam within the past five years.
- Special note for International Students: The TOEFL is required for applicants who earned their degree in a country where English is not the official language.
Where should I send materials that are not part of the online application?
Unless otherwise indicated, all materials should be sent to:
Montclair State University
The Graduate School
College Hall Room 203
Montclair, NJ 07043
The Graduate School compiles all application materials and forwards the entire completed application packet to the Department Admissions Committee. Please do NOT send materials directly to the Department of Public Health or to the MPH program faculty or director. This will actually delay the completion of your application packet.
When will I receive an admissions decision?
Early Action applicants should receive a response in early February. The admissions committee will not begin to review applications until after March 1. Applicants should receive a response by mid-April.
How will I find out whether or not I have been admitted to the program?
You will receive a letter, via U.S. mail, from The Graduate School informing you of your admission decision. We do not release decisions over the phone.
Can I take courses before I have been admitted to the program?
Students who have already earned a Bachelor’s degree and who earned a minimum GPA of 2.5 may take up to two courses as a non-degree student prior to admission to the MPH program. Registration for MPH coursework prior to admission to the MPH program is by permission of the Graduate Program Coordinator only. These courses will apply to the degree program if the student is ultimately admitted, however, successful completion of courses does not guarantee acceptance to the program. Individuals interested in applying to take courses as a non-degree student should follow these instructions.
