PhD in Public Health Application Instructions

Transcription

1 PhD in Public Health Application Instructions General Information Thank you for your interest in the PhD in Public Health offered by the New York University Global Institute of Public Health. We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to apply to our program using SOPHAS, the centralized application service for public health schools and programs. Only applications that are complete will be reviewed for admission. For an application to be considered complete, the following application materials must be submitted by the applicable deadline: The completed SOPHAS application, including fee Personal statement Resume or CV Official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended Three letters of recommendation Writing sample of 5 to 15 pages Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) from all applicants whose native language is not English and who did not receive the equivalent of a US bachelor's degree at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. Applicants holding or completing only a graduate or professional degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction are still required to submit a TOEFL score unless the graduate program was four or more years in duration. (NYU GIPH Institution Code: 8752) Official GRE scores (NYU GIPH Institution Code: 8752) All official transcripts and other application documents should be addressed to: SOPHAS P.O. Box 9111 Watertown, MA NOTE: All supporting materials are processed by SOPHAS and in no circumstances should application documents be mailed directly to the NYU Global Institute of Public Health unless specifically requested by the Office of Admissions. Please refer to the SOPHAS application instructions for details on how to complete and submit the SOPHAS application.

2 Eligibility & Review Minimum Academic Qualifications All applicants to the PhD in Public Health must hold an undergraduate or first professional degree from an accredited institution. The NYU PhD in Public Health suggests, but does not require, that applicants hold either a Master of Public Health degree or equivalent graduate coursework to apply. Applicants without an MPH or equivalent coursework can complete the required coursework in the first year of the PhD program. If you are unsure if your academic credentials qualify you to apply for admission, please contact the NYU GIPH admission office. Previous Work and Research Experience The program strongly recommends that applicants have some amount of applicable work and/or research experience related to public health. Although this is not a formal requirement for admission, successful applicants will usually have completed at least 2-3 years of work or research in a relevant area. Assessment Criteria The NYU PhD in Public Health reviews the overall potential of applications in order to determine which students show potential for success in doctoral public health studies and future careers. The review process is holistic, meaning it takes into account all factors and experiences in a prospective student s application and no single indicator determines the admission decision. Our review of applications examines the following characteristics: Prior academic performance, including undergraduate and graduate GPA and performance in relevant coursework. Successful applicants will usually have at least a cumulative 3.3 GPA in prior undergraduate and graduate programs and have received A or A- grades in quantitative courses. Work and research experience (professional, research, publications, internships or volunteer). Successful applicants will usually have 2-3 years of relevant experience. Statement of purpose. Statements will be evaluated for evidence that the applicant understands the program and the field, can clearly articulate professional and academic goals, and has carefully considered how the program will help them achieve those goals. Please see the instructions in this document on how to complete the personal statement. Writing sample. The writing sample will help the admissions committee understand the applicant s critical and analytical skills, facility in writing, and potential as a future researcher. Recommendations will be evaluated for the extent to which recommenders indicate the applicant s potential for advanced graduate training and career in public health. Graduate Record Examination performance. Successful applicants will usually have scored in at least the 50th percentile or greater in both the verbal and quantitative sections. Personal interview, if requested by the committee. TOEFL examination performance for those required to submit a TOEFL score. Successful applicants will usually have scored at least 100 on the internet-based test.

3 Application Requirements 1. The SOPHAS application, completed as instructed. The application is available at 2. One official transcript from each academic institution attended, indicating courses completed, grades/evaluations received and degree awarded (where applicable). Official transcripts must be submitted for any postsecondary work undertaken, regardless of whether or not a degree was awarded. Please note that current transcripts must be submitted for any degrees currently in progress. An official transcript is an original version issued directly by the institution in a sealed envelope with the stamp of the institution s registrar across the back seal. If your transcripts do not indicate the degree awarded or qualification attained, you must submit a copy of your diploma along with your official transcript. Faxes, scanned copies, ed copies, or any other reproduction of transcripts will not be accepted. Please note that official transcripts should be sent directly to SOPHAS, and not to the NYU GIPH Office of Admissions. For international applicants or those attending foreign institutions: SOPHAS requires that transcripts from colleges and universities outside the U.S. be evaluated by World Education Services (WES). Please see for instructions. 3. Statement of purpose. In a clearly-written statement of no more than 1500 words, please provide the following: A brief description of the formation of your academic interests and present concerns. The special area(s) of interest or particular problems, theories, movements, periods, etc., upon which your studies might focus. A brief description of any tentative plans for research, either specific problems or general areas in which you hope to work. A brief description of your research experience, including your role and the extent to which you were independently involved in the research. An explanation of how your past experience, academic training or research experience has prepared you to pursue doctoral studies in your area of interest. Which NYU GIPH faculty members, if any, you have identified who share your research interests or who you would like to work with. You are not required to answer these questions individually and separately within your statement, although you may choose to do so. You may also weave the answers to these questions into a single narrative statement. Either approach is acceptable. 3. Three letters of recommendation. Recommendations must be submitted by your references electronically through the SOPHAS Recommenders Portal located within the SOPHAS online application. SOPHAS does not accept any paper, faxed or ed letters of recommendation under any circumstances. Any recommendations that are mailed, faxed or ed to SOPHAS will not be attached

4 to your application and will be discarded. SOPHAS also cannot accept any letters of recommendation that have been kept on file with a previously attended institution's letter service. 4. A writing sample of a minimum of 5 pages and a maximum of 15 pages in length. The writing sample should be an individually-authored sample of your writing that the admission committee can use to evaluate your ability as a writer and potential success in the doctoral program. Examples of possible writing samples include, but are not limited to, journal articles, a paper submitted for a course, or some written work product such as a manual or report. 5. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required from all applicants whose native language is not English and who did not receive the equivalent of a US bachelor's degree at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. Applicants holding or completing only a graduate or professional degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction are still required to submit a TOEFL score unless the graduate program was four or more years in duration. When ordering test reports from ETS, you must include the proper institution code for the NYU GIPH (8752). Copies of score reports will not be accepted under any circumstances. 6. An official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score report for an exam taken within the past 5 years. The GRE must be taken again if your GRE scores are older than 5 years. When ordering test reports from ETS, you must include the proper institution code for the NYU GIPH (8752) The Admission Timeline September 3 December 2 April 15 SOPHAS application opens for Fall 2014 applicants. Applications to the PhD program are due. All candidates who meet the above deadline will be notified of Admissions Committee decisions by this date. Application Tips Listed below are some helpful tips to consider during the application process. 1. Apply early! Submitting your materials early helps ensure timely processing and avoids costly delays. Depending on volume, it can take up to 10 business days for items such as transcripts or money order payments to be marked as received by SOPHAS from the date they are mailed. Remember, once your application is considered COMPLETE, it can take up to FOUR WEEKS for it to be processed and mailed to your programs. Therefore, to ensure your application is mailed on time, ALL MATERIALS should arrive at SOPHAS at least four weeks prior to your earliest deadline. 2. Don t wait to submit your application. Do not wait for your standardized test scores, recommendations or other documents to be received by SOPHAS before submitting your application. Submit your application as soon as you have entered all required information. Documents, recommendations and test scores will be added to your application after they are received. We will be able to access your application as soon as you e-submit it and may wish to begin processing your application right away. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents have been received by the appropriate deadlines.

5 3. Do not send any copies of application documents, as they will not be accepted as part of your application. SOPHAS will not accept faxes, photocopies, or unofficial documents. SOPHAS cannot accept student copies of transcripts. You should notify your registrar that you need an official copy sent to SOPHAS. A request form can be found in SOPHAS in the Colleges and Universities section. 4. After you have submitted your application, remember to use the SOPHAS application system to check the status of your application. Once you submit, you should monitor your status in the my status section often to ensure all required documents are received and your application is being processed. SOPHAS will you if there is an issue with documents or coursework verification but about missing documents. Check your status often until you application is complete. Checking your status online is a much quicker way of determining your status than calling or ing the admissions office. Please note that during certain times of year, due to extremely heavy inquiry volume it may take up to 1 week for or phone inquiries to be responded to. Good luck!