• Applications Open: Aug. 1, 2024
• Early Action Deadline: Nov. 1, 2024 (Applications submitted by the Early Action Deadline will receive priority consideration when scholarships are awarded.)
  Rolling Admission: Decisions are released approximately two weeks after all application materials have been received.
• Application Closes for Summer Start: April 1, 2025 (Applications submitted after April 1 will be reviewed on a rolling basis if space is available in the program. Please contact the School of Public Health recruiter at publichealth@samford.edu if this applies to you.)
• Application Closes for Fall Start: June 1, 2025 (Applications submitted after June 1 will be reviewed on a rolling basis if space is available in the program. Please contact the School of Public Health recruiter at publichealth@samford.edu if this applies to you.)
• Entry Month for Summer: May 2025
• Entry Month for Fall: August 2025

• Possess a baccalaureate degree or higher from a college or university that holds institutional accreditation (degree in any field)
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
  • If the applicant’s cumulative GPA is below a 3.0, scores from a GRE taken in the last five years may be submitted for possible conditional admission.
    
    • GRE minimum scores: Verbal, 153; Quantitative, 144; Analytical, 4.0
• Submit three letters of reference through the application system. The three required references should be from 1) current or previous professor, 2) work supervisor and 3) professional colleague.
• International applicants must score at least a 550 (paper), 213 (computer) or 80 (internet) on the TOEFL or a 6.5 on the IELTS Academic test. This may also apply to American citizens who learned English as a second language.
• International applicants may be required to submit a WES/ECE transcript review. The School of Public Health Admission Office will contact you at the time of application review if this is necessary.
• We cannot issue an I-20 for this program at this time.
• If accepted, a nonrefundable fee of $500 is required to secure admission into the program. The fee is applied to the first semester’s tuition.
• Exceptions to any of the admission requirements may be considered on an individual basis.

Students and applicants with disabilities who seek accommodations must make a request by contacting Section 504/Disability Access and Accommodation Coordinator, 205-726-4078 or disability@samford.edu.

Personalize your Master of Public Health by pursuing one of three concentrations, designed to align your education with your career goals and aspiration.

Community Public Health

A concentration in community public health will support your experience in gaining a foundational understanding of public health and how it impacts communities and populations here at home and around the world. The courses associated with this concentration focus on social determinants and their impact on the collective well-being of community members, like socioeconomic status, medical and education resources, physical environments and social context.

Public Health Management

The demand for public health professionals is growing exponentially, so naturally, the need for individuals who can lead and manage these public health entities is at an all-time high. By adding a concentration in public health management, you will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to manage people, data and programs designed to champion health, wellness and prevention in a variety of specialties.

Public Health Nutrition

A concentration in public health nutrition applies the principles of these individuals fields (nutrition and public health) to design programs, systems, policies and environments that aim to improve or maintain the optimal health of populations and targeted groups. While the study of clinical nutrition focuses on the impact of food within the body, public health nutrition studies the influential factors of nutrition outside the body.

When you’ve completed the Master of Public Health program, you will be able to demonstrate a broad knowledge and skills base in the core areas of public health and will be able to:

• Apply epidemiologic methods to the measurement of disease rates, prevention of infectious diseases, and the development and evaluation of health programs and policies
• Apply statistical methods of estimation and hypothesis testing and explain the basics of correlation and regression for the purpose of analyzing the health of populations
• Analyze how environmental contaminants (chemical, physical and other exposures) interact with biological systems and their effect on human populations for the purpose of evaluating risk reduction strategies
• Assess the impact on health policy options of social, political, technological, economic and cultural forces, and apply basic management techniques to address organizational challenges to providing health care
• Examine public health issues and responses from a social and behavioral sciences perspective and explain social, cultural, political, economic, and behavioral determinants of disparities in health status among population sub-groups
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills for effective practice in their selected field of study

• Summer Start - Master of Public Health Plan of Study
• Fall Start - Master of Public Health Plan of Study