Public Health

Tuition per credit hour

Online mode of study:
$460 for in-state &
$494 for out-of-state residents. Blended mode of study: cost varies. See details and other costs

Credit hours

12 required credit hours. Most courses are equal to 3 credit hours. Browse course list

Program duration

Finish in as little as 1 year. Explore program requirements

Admissions

Apply for fall, spring, or summer term. View application process & deadlines

Program Highlights

Choose a mode of study that is blended (a mix of online and in-person courses) or fully online.
Balance your schedule while completing a degree: Our fully online program option allows you to complete coursework from wherever you are.
Save money with reduced e-tuition for out-of-state students who choose to to study fully online.
Make progress toward a future degree: Apply course credits from your certificate toward our Public Health master’s degree.
Gain a strong introduction and preview to the field of public health prior to committing to a formal master’s program.
Study with research and practice-based faculty who are engaged in applied research, evaluation, and policy and program development at the local, state, and national level.

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Career opportunities

This program offers students the opportunity to pursue interests in evaluation, planning, or quality improvement.

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Program requirements

You’ll gain a solid foundation in public health, health policy, and epidemiology, which can be used to augment previous academic training and facilitate advancement in a variety of private health and service organizations.

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Dedicated faculty

Our research- and practice-based faculty offer strong connections with the community and are engaged in a broad range of externally funded public health and health services projects.

Meet our faculty

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Future degree planning

Interested in earning your Master’s Degree in Public Health in the future? The credits you earn through this certificate program can be applied to our MPH program. Some restrictions may apply.

View program details

Master’s Program

Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety

Certificate of Graduate Study (Online)

Next Steps

Our graduate admissions counselors are here to answer your questions about the admissions process, our academic programs, and student support services.

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Meet us

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Admission information: Certificate of Graduate Study in Public Health

Application deadlines

We accept applications on a rolling basis and review them continuously.

Application deadline	Fall term start	Spring term start	Summer term start
Final	August 1	December 15	April 15

Applicants must have completed their bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Applicants are required to provide the following materials:

General requirements

Application: Online application
Application fee:
- In-state, out-of-state, and Canadian applicants: Free to apply
- International applicants: Submit US $50 fee to apply
Transcripts: Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended, excluding the seven campuses of the University of Maine System (UMS transcripts are accessible to USM). A transcript is official when sent directly from the institution.
- International College transcripts: In addition to an official copy of the transcript, we require an official evaluation of college-level transcripts approved by one of the following transcript analysis agencies
  - National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)
  - Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE)
Resume: Submit a resume or CV that outlines professional, volunteer, and community experience.
Students whose first language is not English may be required to take one of the following: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Pearson Test of English (PTE) or Duolingo. Applicants must submit official scores as part of the application process. See additional information regarding test scores and requirements.

Additional requirements

Personal statement discussing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your professional goals, and how you think this program of study will contribute to these goals.

English proficiency test scores

View test requirements

Where to send application materials

Get our mailing address and email address