Public Health Degree Programs at University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst appears in our ranking of the Top 10 MPH in Health Policy and Management Degrees Online.
The School of Public Health and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs for public health majors. Students in the undergrad program must take classes to show that they are component in four key areas: foundations of public health, math, public health itself and the concentrations they pick that relate to the major. The university asks students to take these courses in their first year before declaring a major in public health.
Since changing the degree requirements in 2016, the program now features 35 credits of public health core classes, including Principles of Community Health, Applied Public Health Practice, Epidemiology in Public Health and Introduction to Environmental Health Sciences. Students must also take 12 courses from within a focus area, and each class must be at or above the 300 level. The university allows majors to take courses in African American studies, women’s studies and other fields. They can also major in both public health and another subject area.
The university’s graduate programs in public health and related fields are open to all online students except for those who reside in Arkansas or Alabama. A Master of Public Health in Public Health Practice is the most common of those programs. It includes three research classes and five core classes, including Application of Social and Behavioral Theory, Introduction to Biostatistics and Principles of Epidemiology. Students will also do 200 hours of fieldwork during a practicum and several hundred more hours in a capstone class. A similar online program is available through the university’s Worcester campus. It requires that students attend some classes on that campus.
Other online programs are available for students who want to earn certificates. The university offers certificates in aging, policy and public health, public health ethics, and global health. Another online program serves as a continuing education option for adult students who have some college credits. The university will accept some or all of their credits and let them finish their studies in two to three years or less. Students can also earn graduate degrees in epidemiology and biostatistics, communication disorders, environmental health sciences, and kinesiology through the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
About the University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts, Amherst is the flagship university in the University of Massachusetts system. As the largest public university school system in the state, it provides programs and opportunities for students at any level. Founded in 1863 as the Massachusetts Agricultural College, it became the Massachusetts State College in 1931 after switching its focus from agricultural programs to more traditional programs. Often called UMass, it also uses the UMass Amherst name to separate it from other schools in the system. U.S. News and World Report ranked it as the nation’s 70th best college and ranked its public health program among the top 25 graduate programs in the subject in the country. UMass Amherst now has an enrollment of 30,000 students and ranks as one of the top colleges in the world, according to ARWU, U.S. News and World Report and others.
University of Massachusetts Amherst Accreditation Details
UMass Amherst has accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) for both its undergraduate and graduate programs in public health and related fields. Students who need to transfer credits into one of these programs can do so because the university has accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). As this also serves as regional accreditation, students can use any of the financial aid available from the federal government to cover their tuition and expenses.
University of Massachusetts Amherst Application Requirements
The deadline for undergrads applying to UMass Amherst is near the middle or beginning of February, though it varies across programs. Students have until the end of March or the beginning of April to submit applications by the university’s standard deadline. The university asks that students use the Common Application and that they retain their login information to receive an application decision. UMass Amherst will accept transfer students who use the transfer application. All students must pay an application fee and submit their transcripts from high school and their test scores.
Any student who wants to enroll in a public health program at UMass Amherst must submit an application through the SOPAS website. This site has an account creation feature that allows students to create accounts and submit their applications in an hour or less. They can also use the site to search for other graduate public health programs. The university has a priority deadline for applications of December 15 but will accept applications submitted through the beginning of January. Graduate students must have both a bachelor’s degree and a minimum undergrad GPA of 3.0. Though students can submit writing samples or samples of their past work, the university does not require a sample. It does require a GRE score though. The public health programs require official transcripts too.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Room and board at UMass Amherst come in at more than $13,500 a year for undergrads. Undergrads also pay $16,278 in tuition if they are Massachusetts residents. Nonresidents pay $35,599 per year. A tuition break program reduces the costs for nonresidents who live in New England. They pay roughly half of what the university charges for nonresidents. With tuition and fees, Massachusetts residents pay $2,344 per credit hour for graduate classes. If they live in a different state, they pay $4,171 per credit hour. The university’s tuition break program reduces the rate for New England residents down to $3,949 per credit hour.
The financial aid packages designed for its students vary between undergrads and grad students. Graduate assistantship jobs are available for both research and teaching assistants. These jobs give students a tuition stipend and a stipend that covers some of their living expenses. Graduate students can apply for fellowships and scholarships too. UMass Amherst offers some scholarships for its undergrads too. Many students will also apply for the standard financial aid available from the federal and state government, which go to those who complete the FAFSA. Any student majoring in a public health program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst can use government financial aid and any aid given to them by the university.