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College of Life Sciences Public Health
Master of Public Health
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Admission Requirements & Application

Students from a variety of backgrounds and fields of study are encouraged to apply to the MPH program. Students come to public health from diverse academic disciplines including biology, political science, nursing, economics, statistics, environmental science, anthropology, social work, nutrition, food science, psychology, sociology, geography, and business management. As such, no prerequisite courses are required for admission.

Application & Admission Information

  • Graduate applications are submitted online through the BYU Graduate Studies office. The application deadline is February 1. Interested applicants may apply here.
  • Application Deadline - Submit a complete application before February 1.

    Honor Code - Agree to live BYU"s standards of personal conduct as stated in the Honor Code. Obtain an Ecclesiastical Endorsement at endorse.byu.edu.

    Bachelor's Degree - Earn a bachelor's or higher-level degree from an accredited U.S. university or the equivalent from a university outside the United States. An undergraduate degree in public health is not a requirement.

    Language Standard - All applicants who have not received a bachelor's degree (or higher) from an educational institution in the United States or from one of the exempt countries (Canada, the U.K., the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, or Australia) are required to submit official E3PT, IELTS, or TOEFL scores in order to be considered for admission. Visit the Graduate Studies English Proficiency page for more details. Please note: The degree must not be older than 2 years at the time of enrollment to qualify for the exemption.
    • E3PT - Overall minimum score of 79 (with minimum speaking, reading, and listening scores of 21, and a minimum writing score of 16). Information regarding the E3PT is available here.
    • IELTS - Overall band score of 7.0 (minimum band score of 6.0 in each module). Information regarding the IELTS is available here.
    • TOEFL (Computer-based) - 237
    • TOEFL (Paper-based) - 580
    • TOEFL IBT - Total score of 85 (minimum score of 22 in Speaking and minimum score of 21 in Listening, Reading, and Writing). Information regarding the TOEFL is available here. BYU does not accept the TOEFL ITP test as an English proficiency exam for graduate school.
  • Statement of Professional Intent - Four short essays; each essay should be separate, but please submit essays in one document and label each essay.
    • Essay 1 (no more than 500 words): In your own words, explain your understanding of the public health profession. Explain why you want to study public health. Describe at least one of your public health interest areas (e.g., topics or skills), what you hope to do with an MPH, and life or personal experiences that have led to your interest in public health and that equip you for working in this field.
    • Essay 2 (no more than 400 words): How would the BYU MPH program advance your career and personal goals? Be specific about why you are interested in coming to BYU for your MPH training. In your response, we encourage you to explain how the mission of the BYU MPH program, coursework, certificates, faculty research interests, the unique environment at BYU, and so forth align with your goals for your MPH experience. Please note: your explanation for why you are pursuing a public health graduate degree generally should be articulated in your answer to essay 1. (You may find more information about the BYU MPH mission, courses, certificates, and field work expectations on the MPH website or in the MPH Student Handbook.)
    • Essay 3 (no more than 400 words): The BYU Department of Public Health has a stated priority to create an environment that honors diversity and belonging for all people. How can you support or enhance our ability to achieve that priority? What could you uniquely contribute to the cohort? Applicants are encouraged to share their experiences relating to cultural background, special skill sets, academic perspectives, linguistic and international background, socioeconomic background, adversity, first-generation college student, life experiences or anything else that you feel you uniquely bring to the program. We do not make decisions based on gender or race.
    • Essay 4 (no more than 300 words): List up to three courses you have taken (with course #'s) on your transcript that demonstrate your experience with qualitative or quantitative data. Discuss specific details and examples of relevant coursework, employment, research, volunteer, or other professional experiences that involved analyzing quantitative data; you can also discuss experiences working with qualitative data. If you do not have data analysis experience, explain your aptitude for working with quantitative data.


    Bachelor's Degree - Earn a bachelor's or higher-level degree from an accredited U.S. university or the equivalent from a university outside the United States. An undergraduate degree in public health is not a requirement.

    GPA - Minimum overall baccalaureate GPA of 3.0.

    Resume - Upload your resume to your online application.

    Letters of Recommendation - Applicants must provide TWO letters of recommendation from those who can attest to your academic and/or work ability. Applicants are encouraged to ask their letter writers to discuss the following in their letter: leadership skills, ability to work well with others, grit, dependability, writing, and academic ability. Professional references related to public health (professors, employers, etc.) are encouraged.

    Seat Deposit - In order to confirm the intent to enroll in the MPH program, MPH admitted students must submit a $400 seat deposit. Seat deposits are non-refundable and will be applied as a payment toward your first semester's tuition/fees.

    Personal Laptop - Students are expected to have a quality personal laptop throughout the program to ensure they can effectively complete coursework and other academic responsibilities.
  • Applicants who have completed or are in the process of completing BYU's ACEND accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics who are interested in completing the Dietetic Internship with an MPH must complete the same above requirements by January 15th AND complete the Dietetic Internship requirements. For more details, please visit the Dietetic Internship and Masters Admission Requirements and Process page.