Graduate Admissions in Environmental Health Sciences

The Environmental Health Sciences department utilizes the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) for receiving applications to our graduate degree programs.

Application process for Ph.D., M.S., and M.P.H. programs:

Your application must be completed through SOPHAS. During or after completing the SOPHAS application, you must also submit the UMass Supplemental Application, which can only be found through this link: https://www.spire.umass.edu/html/grad_add_info_heproda.html. There is a $60 fee associated with the UMass Supplemental Application. If you find that you are submitting duplicate information between SOPHAS and the UMass supplement, please STOP and contact sphhsgradapply [at] umass [dot] edu for help. DO NOT apply through the full UMass Graduate School Application found on the Graduate School website.

Instructions for UMass Supplemental Application:

For the first question “Application type,” please respond “SOPHAS”. For the second question, “SOPHAS ID,” please respond using the “CAS ID” number found in the top right corner of your SOPHAS application.

Please visit the SOPHAS website for a complete list of application procedures and instructions.

After you complete the SOPHAS application, you will be directed to a required, brief supplemental application for the University of Massachusetts Graduate School. There is a supplemental application fee of $60. Please note that the Admissions Committee will not receive your application until both the SOPHAS application and the UMass supplemental application have been completed and all fees paid. 

Admissions is a process shared by the University of Massachusetts Graduate School and the Environmental Health Sciences program. To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must meet the requirements of the Graduate School.

NOTE: All Environmental Health Sciences degree programs are STEM designated programs.

Admissions Requirements

• Transcripts: Although no specific undergraduate courses are required for admission, successful applicants must have adequate undergraduate preparation in the basic sciences. 
• Personal statement: Applicants’ personal statements are evaluated to assess not just their academic maturity and performance in the classroom, but also prior engagement with research projects and service to their community.
• Letters of recommendation (minimum of two)
• Résumé/CV

Please note, Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are not required and will not be considered or reviewed by our admissions committee.

International Applicants

We encourage international applicants to apply to continue their educational journey with us!  All international applicants should visit the University of Massachusetts Graduate School’s website for international applicants for important information on:

• English language proficiency requirement
• Prerequisite degrees and international transcripts
• Estimated expenses
• Receiving the I-20

Application Deadlines

We begin accepting applications in August. Prospective students are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Fall Admission

PhD priority deadline: Dec. 15
MS, MPH, and PhD, deadline: Feb. 1

Spring Admission

We consider applications for the spring semester on a case-by-case basis only. Please contact us at sphhsgradapply [at] umass [dot] edu if you are considering applying for spring. The spring admission deadline is Oct. 1.

Funding

We have traditionally been very successful in providing funding for PhD students (including first-year students) in the form of research assistantships (RAs), teaching assistantships (TAs), and traineeships. First-year students who receive funding typically receive a 10-hour-per-week position that includes a tuition waiver as well as a competitive paid stipend. The level of funding is dependent upon the availability of faculty-held grants and TA openings as well as the ranking of the student applicant in the context of the entire pool of applications. There is no separate application for funding; you will automatically be considered when you apply and are accepted for admission. Detailed information about funding will be communicated at the time of admission.  

Master’s students can also be considered for available RA and TA positions with priority given to second-year students.