Graduate Admissions: Health Policy and Management

The Health Policy and Management 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:

We follow a two-step application process:

1. Complete your application in SOPHAS. You will pay $150 for the first application; if you are applying to more than one school or program, the fee is $60 for each additional application. (Note: SOPHAS application fees are paid to SOPHAS, not UMass)
2. Complete your UMass Supplemental Application in Slate. After your SOPHAS application has been submitted and verified, it will be transferred into Slate within 72 hours. You will receive an email from UMass to create an account in Slate, submit the UMass Supplemental Application, and pay the associated $60 UMass Supplemental Application fee.

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

Admissions Requirements:

• Transcripts: Successful applicants typically earn at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in their baccalaureate degree. No specific undergraduate courses are required for admission, although some familiarity with social scientific theories is helpful.
• Personal statement/Essays: Applicants’ personal statement (MS & MPH) or responses to essay questions (PhD) 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

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

Preference will be given to applicants with an advanced professional degree (MD, DDS, DVM) or other graduate degree, or applicants who have two or more years' work experience in the field of public health.

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 — successful Health Policy and Management candidates typically earn a TOEFL score of 100 or higher, or the equivalent on other approved tests
• 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. 1
MS, MPH, PhD deadline: Feb. 1

Spring Admission

We no longer consider spring admission candidates.

STEM Designation

Health Policy and Management is not considered a STEM designated program.

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.