Frequently Asked Questions

Is the program accredited?
ECU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges. The Master of Public Health Program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health as of June 2007.

What is the minimum number of courses I must take?
Fourteen courses including eight core courses, six concentration-specific courses, one elective course, and a professional paper.

How many credit hours are required for graduation?
45 semester credit hours.

Are all students required to complete an internship in public health?
Yes.

Are all students required to complete an internship in public health?
The Field Placement is an integral component of the Master of Public Health Program. The field experience may be of variable length depending upon the student’s previous experience, chosen concentration, and career goals. Students with substantial previous field experience may petition to be exempt from the Field Placement requirement or a portion thereof. Exemption is at the discretion of the MPH Program Director.

How long will it take to complete the degree requirements?
It depends on whether you pursue this on a full-time basis. Students should complete the program in 2 to 4 years.

Can I transfer courses from another master of public health program?
With approval of the program and Dean of the Graduate School, up to 12 credit hours, depending on how well they match the courses they would substitute for.

Can I transfer courses from another graduate program?
Yes, same requirement for approval, up to 12 credit hours. The 12-hour limit applies to all transfer or inter-institutional electives.

Are courses offered in the evening?
Most courses are offered in the late afternoon or early evening.

Can I take courses on-line?
Some are now available from either ECU or UNC Chapel Hill School of Public Health; others are being developed to be in a distance-learning format.

How do I apply?
Through an application to the ECU graduate school at http://www.ecu.edu/gradschool

What is the application deadline?
Deadlines for submission of admission applications are April 15 for fall semester and October 15 for spring semester. Prospective students are strongly urged to apply well before the deadline.

What is the program code I should put on the application in item 10?
Program code 159

Are students accepted only for fall admission?
No, students may start in either the fall or spring semester.

What entrance exams and scores are required?
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is used as one gauge of an applicant's ability to complete the program. Acceptance into the program is based on evaluation of the applicant's record of scholarship, standardized test scores, professional experience and accomplishments, the required essay, references, and personal interview (optional). Until the program gains experience sufficient to relate students' successful completion of the program to entrance exam scores, the minimum requirements of the graduate school will be used, which specify a suitable combination of grades and standardized examination scores. The MAT exam is not accepted.

Must I take the Graduate Record Exam if I have already completed a graduate degree?
It depends on what the graduate program was, how recently you completed it, and what your grades in the graduate program were. If you are interested in waiving the GRE, you must receive written consent from the MPH Program Director BEFORE the application deadline.

How do I find more about the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)?
Go to www.gre.com

Website owner:	The Educational Testing Service
Testing Fee:	$115
Format:	Computer-based is designed as an adaptive exam. Paper-based exam available on advanced request
Scoring:	Verbal section normalized scores range from 200 - 800. Quantitative section normalized scores range from 200 - 800. Writing section normalized scores range from 0 - 6.

Where and when can I take the Graduate Record Exam?
Places and times are listed at www.gre.com.

Location:	Prometric Testing Center
Address:	2428 S. Charles Blvd Greenville, NC
Hours of Operation:	8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F; 9 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. Saturdays
Frequency:	Offered daily
Office Phone:	252-756-0342

What is the minimum GPA required?
Until the program has experience upon which to judge the ability of students to successfully complete the MPH program, the minimum standards of the ECU graduate school apply - a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or a senior year GPA of 3.0.

Is there any financial aid?
Yes. See the information at http://www.ecu.edu/financial/