Prospective DrPH Students

• The letter of intent is one of the several documents that need to be submitted in order for the registration package to be considered complete.
• Each applicant should submit a letter of intent to enroll in the Doctor of Public Health ( DrPH ) Degree Program at CSULB to the director of the DrPH program:
• The letter should be sent to:

• The letter should specify the following:

1. Reason/(s) for selecting CSULB HSC's DrPH program.
2. The year of enrollment in the DrPH program.
3. The selection of concentration.

Candidates seeking admission to the DrPH Program must meet CSULB’s requirements, and the Department of Health Science’s requirement for admission.  More information on university admission requirements can be found here: CSULB Admissions

Applicant seeking admission to the DrPH program must have:

• Students should have an MPH or equivalent from an accredited institution OR Prospective students without an MPH must complete our six foundational courses PRIOR to applying OR show completion of equivalent courses. Please inquire about opportunities to complete these foundational courses through our CPACE program.
• A Minimum graduate school GPA of 3.0 or above, in work completed in highest degree completed.
• A minimum of one year of field experience in the field of public health

Documents to be submitted for DrPH application

1. Official transcripts from all institutions (including community college and graduate coursework).
2. TOEFL scores form all applicants whose native language is not English and who did not receive the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s or master’s degree at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. Minimum TOEFL 90
3. Completed CSU application
4. Completed Supplemental DrPH Application Form (PDF)
5. Submitted Curriculum Vitae
6. Three recommendation (e.g., letters, interviews, rating sheets) which addresses the candidate’s suitability for doctoral level study and leadership abilities.
7. Statement of purpose and personal history statement describing the applicant’s background and experiences, rationale for seeking degree and intentions for applying the newly obtained knowledge and skills to meet the needs of underserved populations.
8. A personal interview may be scheduled at the discretion of the admissions committee. 

Admission by Special Action
An applicant who does not qualify for admission under the provisions of Article 2.1 may be admitted with conditionally classified graduate standing with the appropriate authorities' approval and recommendation. Students with deficiencies in prerequisite preparation or GPA may be rectified by specified additional preparation, including examinations and if the applicant is judged by the appropriate campus authority to possess sufficient academic and professional potential pertinent to public health leadership, may be admitted with conditionally classified graduate standing. The number of applicants admitted by special action shall not exceed fifteen percent of the applicants regularly admitted to the program in any one academic year.
 

Admission with Conditionally Classified Graduate Standing
Classified standing is normally granted when all prerequisites have been satisfactorily completed, the official study plan formulated, recommendation made by the appropriate Graduate Advisor to the Associate Vice President, and the Academic Programs Office gives final approval.

A student is not officially classified until an approved study plan is on file in Office of Graduate Studies. The student will be sent a copy of the approved study plan. Copies will be filed in the academic unit, university records, and Office of Graduate Studies.

Advanced Standing & Transfer Credit Policy

You can earn up to 6 units of DrPH courses through credit for prior learning through standardized examination. Please contact the DrPH Program Director with your inquiry.

At least 42 semester units shall be completed in residence at the campus or campuses awarding the degree. The appropriate campus authority may authorize the substitution of credit earned by alternate means for part of this residence requirement. The campus may establish a transfer policy allowing application to degree requirements of relevant coursework and credits completed as a matriculated student in another graduate program, on the condition that the other program is appropriately accredited.

Foreign Language

The DrPH will not have a foreign language requirement. However, students with language skills other than English are highly encouraged to apply, including those for whom English is a second language. Language skills such as Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Armenian, and other languages relevant to underserved populations in Southern California are highly desired.
 

Tuition and Fees

For a full list of fees please refer to Tuition/Fees on the Student Records website. 

Financial Aid

Financial assistance is available from the university. Students are referred to the Office of Financial Aid to explore opportunities for support of graduate education.  Among the listed opportunities are the following:

• Perkins Federal Loans
• Graduate Equity Fellowship
• University Scholarships
• State Graduate Fellowships
• Federal Staff Loans (GSL)
• Student Part-time Employment

In addition, there are several scholarships and employment opportunities within the Health Science Department. These include:

• Employment on faculty research projects. (Note: These are often hourly positions)
• The university scholarship website is:  https://www.csulb.edu/divisions/students/scholarships/ 

The Director of the DrPH program will hold information sessions both in person and/or via zoom for prospective DrPH applicants. 

DrPH Information Session - Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 5:00pm-6:00pm. 

Zoom link

Meeting ID: 874 4309 8231

The information session will cover the following topics:

1. Application process
2. Admission criteria and requirements
3. Overview of the program and progression of study
4. Overview of the advisement process
5. Tuition, fees and financial aid
6. Any other pertinent information as appropriate at the time (e.g. Covid, etc.)
7. Participant questions