Frequently Asked Questions

The College of Integrated Health Sciences (CIHS) includes the School of Social Welfare and the former School of Public Health.

CIHS offers MPH, MS, MSW, MSN, PhD, DrPH degrees, as well as several certificate programs. Areas of study include public health, biomedical sciences, biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology, health policy and management, social behavior and community health, social welfare, maternal and child health, global health, health disparities, public health surveillance and preparedness, HIV studies, and nursing.

The difference between the MPH and the MS degree is breadth versus depth. MPH students learn the full spectrum of public health while specializing in a specific area of interest. MPH students apply the skills and competencies learned in a hands-on practice-based setting through internship work. The MS degree is a research-based degree which is much more narrowly focused on the student’s area of interest.  MS students take the majority of their course work within their department to become well versed in their chosen field and complete a major research project with a written thesis.

The MPH is not a STEM designated degree. The MS degree is a STEM designated degree.

A certificate is a 12 to 15-credit program of study that can be earned as a standalone credential or added on to another degree program at CIHS. CIHS offers certificates in Public Health Fundamentals and Principles (fully online), Global Health Students (fully online), Public Health Surveillance & Preparedness (fully online), Maternal and Child Health, Health Disparities and HIV Studies. The application requires transcripts and a personal statement. Letters of recommendation vary as a requirement per certificate.

Yes, you can complete any of our graduate certificate programs with many (if not all) of the credits in the certificate counting as electives toward the MPH degree. Students pursuing MS, PhD, or DrPH degrees should consult with their advisor to determine whether certificate courses will count as electives.

Yes, you can complete a certificate before completing a graduate degree, although some of the courses do have prerequisites. If your plan is to apply to the MPH at a later date, our recommendation is to complete the 18 credit Certificate in Public Health Fundamentals and Principles. This is a great option for students with lower GPAs who may need to demonstrate success at the graduate level to strengthen their application; those who missed the fall application deadline; or those who want to start their program of study in the spring or summer. All 18 credits transfer directly to the MPH, providing advanced standing.

A full-time course load requires at least 9 credits per semester. Generally, MPH students take 24 credits in the first year of their degree (12 credits per semester), a 6-credit internship in the summer and 21 credits in the second year of their degree, completing the degree in two years. All other students generally take 9 credits per semester. Part-time study is permitted.  Doctoral students must be continuously registered with a minimum of 3 credits per semester. In accordance with university policy, all degree requirements for master's students must be completed within 6 years, and 8 years for doctoral students. Part-time students (less than 9 credits) are not eligible to be hired as a graduate, research or student assistant. Part-time students are not eligible for scholarships.

You do not need to reach out to faculty in order to apply for the PhD or DrPH. Upon admittance to the PhD or DrPH program, your specific research interests will be evaluated in order to best match you with a faculty mentor and their research. However, please review our professor profiles to ensure your research interests align with those of our faculty.

All degrees are appropriate. Some examples are, but not limited to: Human Biology, Health Sciences, Sociology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Ecology, Anthropology, Health and Wellness, Nursing, Communications, Business, and Psychology.

The College of Integrated Health Sciences uses an external application service (SOPHAS) for most degree programs, but some degree programs use the University at Albany application system. You should carefully review the Admissions section for your program of choice on our Programs page to determine the application pathway and requirements.

Applicants for the School of Social Welfare can find detailed information on deadlines and requirements at School of Social Welfare.

Yes, you must have your official UAlbany transcript sent to SOPHAS. When selecting the recipient in Parchment through the SOPHAS application, select Third Party Application Service SOPHAS.

Yes, you can submit your application before your recommendations and/or transcripts are received by SOPHAS or the University at Albany. Submitting early will expedite the processing of your application.

The GRE is not required for any graduate program at the College of Integrated Health Sciences.

The application requirements vary depending on the program you are applying to. Refer to the specific Degree Program page to see prerequisites, required documents, minimum required GPA, and more. 

Each program has their own deadline for when applications are due. Please refer to the specific Degree Programto find your specific application deadline. 

A priority deadline is the deadline where MS and MPH students will be given first consideration for CIHS scholarships and PhD students will be given first consideration for teaching and graduate assistantships. Applications received after that deadline will only be considered for CIHS scholarships and assistantships should funding become available after should additional funding become available. This deadline does not apply to Dean’s Merit Awards provided by The Graduate School.

MPH applications are reviewed on a biweekly basis. Starting in January, applications received by the 1st of the month will receive a decision by the end of the month. MS applicants typically receive a decision within four weeks. PhD and DrPH applicants typically receive decisions by the end of February. Some programs require interviews, which contributes to the timeline for decision making.

Shortly after submitting the SOPHAS application, you will receive notification to log into your University at Albany student application account, which has been created for you. All decisions are posted in your UAlbany student application portal, and you will be notified by email when an update has been posted.

If you have a school-based account (i.e., .edu), be aware that some schools may disable your account after graduation. We recommend using an email address in your application that you will be able to use after graduation so that you don’t miss important email notifications about your application status. If you did not receive notification of the decision, contact us at [email protected].

The College of Integrated Health Sciences will host Accepted Student Days each year. These events are typically scheduled in late March/early April. Students who are unable to attend an Accepted Students Day can also arrange an individual visit by contacting the CIHS Office of Admissions at [email protected] or via phone at 518-402-0361.

Master’s degree students receive electronic notification of Dean’s Merit awards shortly after admission. CIHS scholarships are released by the end of February and students who receive one of these scholarships will receive notification that an update has been posted to your UAlbany application account and you can log into view the scholarship. This notification will not include federal students loans you apply for. Doctoral students who receive a graduate or teaching assistantship will receive notification of their award via their UAlbany application account.

Students accept or decline offers of admission and funding in their University at Albany student application account. To accept the offer of admission a student must both Reply Yes to the offer of admission and submit the $250 enrollment deposit. The enrollment deposit is non-refundable and is applied as a credit to your first tuition bill.

The deadline to accept or decline an offer of admission and funding for Fall entry is April 15 and will be noted in your acceptance letter. The deadline to reply at other times will vary and will also be noted in your acceptance letter.

International students must submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores to prove English proficiency.  Scores older than two years are expired and not acceptable. Duolingo scores for all programs must be submitted directly to the University at Albany. See Information for International Applicants for more details on university requirements for English proficiency.

The College of Integrated Health Sciences accepts TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo. The following scores are required:

MPH and DrPH programs: 98 TOEFL; 7.0 IELTS; 125 Duolingo  
MS and PhD programs: 100 TOEFL; 7.0 IELTS; 125 Duolingo

This requirement can be waived if the student has completed at least four full-time semesters with a B average from a US institution or a country from an approved list, within four years of the time of application. Contact [email protected] for questions about waivers for the English Proficiency test. 

A WES evaluation of foreign credentials is required for all international applicants applying through SOPHAS. Biomedical Sciences does not require a WES evaluation from international students applying to the MS or PhD program.

CIHS does not provide SOPHAS application fee waivers. Only Biomedical Sciences PhD applicants receive an application fee waiver as the Department of Biomedical Sciences pays for those directly.

SOPHAS provides a limited number of fee waivers on a first come, first served basis. Visit SOPHAS Fee Waivers for more information on eligibility criteria.

International applicants to a master’s degree program who have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 qualify for an annual scholarship of $5,000, renewable for a second year. Another financial option to be considered for all international students is applying for a part-time graduate or student assistant position during the academic year. A limited number of positions are made available for accepted students to apply to in March of each year. We are not able to provide funding to cover the full cost of attendance.

International PhD students are eligible for teaching or graduate assistantships provided by the department; MS students are not. Additional information about funding for international students, including loans, can be found at Graduate Admissions.

All students may apply for open assistantship positions. The type of assistantship, time commitment, and funding vary per year, therefore CIHS cannot provide more specific information until after the admissions cycle has ended. Accepted students will be notified of open positions via email as they become available. Once the academic year starts, students are given access to a SharePoint site managed by the CIHS Office of Internships and Career Services, where open positions are posted.

International students must provide proof of finances to obtain their I-20, the document needed to get their student visa. International students must submit a Financial Affidavit to The Graduate School, along with proof of funding in the amount of approximately $31,000, with an additional $4,000 per dependent required.  Information on this process is provided in the admission letter and the Graduate School international admissions counselor will work closely with the student on this process. Information can be found at Information for International Applicants.

Internships are an integral part of the College of Integrated Health Sciences’ mission. Each semester MPH internship opportunities at the New York State Department of Health, community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, county health departments, and private sector businesses are made exclusively available to the College’s student body. Students also have the option to find other professionally fulfilling opportunities through the College’s long-standing relationships with many other organizations, alumni, and the Center for Global Health.

9 credits (720 hours) of internship are required for the MPH program, and 24 credits of coursework must be completed before a student can register for an internship.  Transfer students and students who have completed the Certificate in Public Health Fundamentals and Principles must complete one semester in the MPH program before they can register for an internship.  Exceptions to this policy are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Faculty Advisor and the Director of Internships and Career Services.

MPH students typically register for and complete 6 credits of internship during the summer after the first year of study.

Internships can be completed in many different settings, e.g. New York State Department Health, other state agencies, county and local health departments, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, health care organizations, or internationally.

An internship waiver of up to 6 credits may be granted based on public health experience gained prior to entering into the MPH program.  Waiver applications must be submitted to the Internship Waiver Review Committee prior to the start of the student’s last semester at SPH, the earlier the better.