We welcome your application for the St. Catherine University MPH in Global Health. Students start once each year, in the Fall semester (beginning late August).
Admission procedures are different for Entry-Level students seeking to begin the MPH in Global Health program after completing their bachelor's degrees, and 3+2 Dual Degree students. See below for more information.
If you have questions along the way, don’t hesitate to contact your admission counselor. They’re here to help!
Entry-Level Applicants
Applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree, or will have completed a bachelor's degree at the time they begin the MPH in Global Health program, apply as entry-level graduate students through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS). There is no supplemental application that needs to be submitted to St. Kate's; only the SOPHAS application will be reviewed.
3+2 Dual Degree applicants
St. Catherine University offers a fast track, 3+2 dual degree option for a limited number of St. Kate's students enrolled as bachelor's degree-seeking students in the following majors: Biology, Communication Studies, Economics, Exercise and Sport Science, Nutrition, Philosophy, Psychology, Public Health, Women in International Development, and Women's Studies. Qualifying students will complete their undergraduate majors in three years. In their senior year — while still enrolled at the undergraduate level — students will begin taking MPH courses while completing remaining undergraduate courses. Dual degree applicants must meet all admission requirements listed on this page. Interested students should consult with their advisors early, and should apply for admission in their junior year (see deadlines below). Dual degree applicants will use the St. Catherine online application form.
Timelines and deadlines
We are currently accepting applications to start in Fall 2024.
The priority deadline for all applicants is March 1 (11:59 p.m. EST) for fall enrollment. Applications received after the deadline will be considered on a space-available basis. Entry-Level applicants: for best consideration for scholarships we recommend applying as soon as possible, and no later than the priority deadline.
The final deadline for all applicants is June 1 (11:59 p.m. EST). All application materials MUST be submitted by this deadline for fall consideration.
We strongly encourage candidates to complete the application process at least one month prior to the deadline to ensure that all materials are received.
To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following requirements:
-
A completed bachelor's or graduate degree from an institution that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting organizations (e.g. Higher Learning Commission), or an approved dual degree plan* for completing the bachelor's degree during the MPH program.
-
A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) or higher on a 4.0 scale. If the applicant's GPA is less than 3.0, please respond to the additional prompt in the Admission Essay section addressing any factors that influenced previous academic performance, and how you plan to ensure future academic success.
-
Specific prerequisite courses are required for the MPH program; review the next section for details.
*Dual degree students must have attained senior status and completed 96 undergraduate credits toward their St. Kate's bachelor's degree by the time they begin MPH courses. Interested students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisors regularly to ensure they are on track for MPH dual degree eligibility.
Prerequisite coursework must be completed with a grade of C or above (pass/fail or S/U grading is not acceptable), with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
The following college-level prerequisite courses must be completed (with grades posted) at the time of application to the MPH program:
- Statistics (3-4 semester credits)
- Course content should include: reliability, validity, experimental control and design, statistical inference and comparison of group means, correlation and regression.
- St. Kate’s equivalent: ECON 1080, ECON 1090, HLTH 1090, PSYC 1090, STAT 1090
- Health-related science course (4 semester credits)
- This course may be completed through Biology, Chemistry or other departments that offer content related to biological impacts on human health and disease.
- Some examples from St. Kate's include: BIOL 1120, BIOL 1710, BIOL 2200, BIOL 2400, BIOL 2410, BIOL 2420, CHEM 1110. Other courses will be reviewed for relevant content upon application for admission.
We strongly recommend that the courses are completed within 10 years of beginning the MPH program.
Applicants must achieve a grade of C or higher in each required prerequisite course, with a cumulative prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or above. Only one prerequisite course may be repeated one time; this includes withdrawals (older courses may be repeated if originally taken over the time limit with a grade of C or better).
**COVID-19 Exception: We strongly recommend that prerequisite courses (especially the health-related science course) be completed for a letter grade. However, in light of many institutions mandating all Spring 2020 courses be Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (or Pass/Fail) or allowed students the choice, we will accept a Satisfactory or Pass designation for any prerequisite course completed in the Spring 2020 term only.
Use the online Transfer Evaluation System (TES) resource to determine if a specific course you have taken (or plan to take) will fulfill an MPH in Global Health prerequisite requirement. All St. Catherine course equivalencies listed in TES are fully verified by our Registrar's Office.
How to use TES:
- Make note of the St. Catherine department abbreviation
(BIOL, CHEM, MATH, etc.) and course numbers for the "St. Kate's equivalent" course list. - Connect to TES
- Identify the institution from which you have completed courses (or plan to complete courses). You may search for institutions using the “Find Transfer College by Name” search box, or use the alphabetical index provided.
- Enter the course code for one of our MPH in Global Health prerequisites (e.g., MATH 1080). Select “Home Course” and click on Search. This will identify any courses from the institution that are equivalent to the St. Catherine prerequisite course. You could also enter the code for the other institution’s course, and select “Transfer Course” and Search. This will identify any St. Catherine courses that might be equivalent to the other institution’s course.
If you have searched via TES and can’t find a specific school or course listing, contact your admission counselor for assistance. Please include the institution, course name and number, and course description in your email.
How do I apply?
Entry-Level applicants apply using the "Begin SOPHAS Application" link at the bottom of this page. See below for instructions on how to complete your admission file:
Admission essay
The admission essay should be 800-1000 words in length using 12-point font and double spacing. The admission committee considers both the quality of content and written communication skills.
The Master of Public Health in Global Health program has a vision of health equity for all communities, locally and abroad. In your essay, please discuss your experience and goals with the following key aspects of the MPH program mission at St. Kate’s:
- Advancing health equity and social justice
- Engaging and collaborating with communities both locally and abroad
In addition, please address why St. Kate’s MPH in Global Health is a good fit for you.
Explanatory statement
If you are an applicant who does not meet one or more of the following requirements, please include an explanation of factors that affected previous academic performance, as well as your plan to ensure academic success in a graduate program. This essay should be limited to 400 words and is in addition to the admission essay described above.
- Cumulative GPA
- Prerequisite GPA
- Completion of prerequisite courses
Recommendations
Two recommendations should be completed by individuals who can attest to the intellectual ability, professional competence and leadership ability of the applicant. Only professional or academic references will be considered; personal references are not acceptable.
Transcripts
All transcripts must be submitted to SOPHAS. Please submit from every post-secondary institution attended, even if courses are recorded on another transcript and regardless of the number of credits earned.
TOEFL Scores
Applicants whose native language is not English are required to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based test or 80 on the iBT. This requirement is waived for students who have completed a baccalaureate or graduate degree in the United States. Candidates must report official TOEFL scores in SOPHAS. If admitted into the MPH program, official test scores must also be submitted to St. Catherine University directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
Credential Evaluation
Applicants with a college or university degree completed outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation from World Education Services (WES). All costs related to document evaluation are the applicant’s responsibility. Official evaluation results must be reported in SOPHAS. If admitted into the MPH program, an official evaluation must also be submitted to St. Catherine University directly from WES.
3+2 Dual Degree applicants apply to the St. Kate's application system using the link listed in the next paragraph. See below for instructions on how to complete your admission file:
Graduate Application
To apply for this program, log in as a returning user* and select "Start New Application." Select "Graduate" from the list of application options and complete the application.
*If you have forgotten your password, follow the prompts to reset it.
Admission essay
The admission essay should be 800-1000 words in length using 12-point font and double spacing. The admission committee considers both the quality of content and written communication skills.
The Master of Public Health in Global Health program has a vision of health equity for all communities, locally and abroad. In your essay, please discuss your experience and goals with the following key aspects of the MPH program mission at St. Kate’s:
- Advancing health equity and social justice
- Engaging and collaborating with communities both locally and abroad
In addition, please address why St. Kate’s MPH in Global Health is a good fit for you.
Explanatory statement
If you are an applicant who does not meet one or more of the following requirements, please include an explanation of factors that affected previous academic performance, as well as your plan to ensure academic success in a graduate program. This essay should be limited to 400 words and is in addition to the admission essay described above.
- Cumulative GPA
- Prerequisite GPA
- Completion of prerequisite courses
Résumé
Submit a current résumé. Please differentiate between paid work experience and volunteer activities. Indicate whether the experience/activity was part-time or full-time in nature, specify the dates of employment/volunteering and list the responsibilities involved.
If you have already submitted the MPH application form, you may upload your résumé via your Application Status page (instructions for accessing the status page were provided at the time you submitted the application).
If you wish to submit the résumé prior to the MPH application, or if you are unable to upload the document to your Application Status page, you may send the résumé as an attachment via email to graduateadmission@stkate.edu with “MPH Résumé” in the subject line.
Recommendation Forms
Two recommendations are required for MPH applicants.
MPH recommendation forms must be completed by individuals who can attest to the intellectual ability, professional competence and leadership ability of the applicant. Only professional or academic references will be considered; personal references are not acceptable.
A link to the recommendation form will be sent when the Recommendations section of the MPH application form has been completed. Please alert your references in advance to expect an email from St. Catherine University. These are confidential recommendations submitted directly from the references to the Office of Graduate Admission; applicants who wish to view the recommendations are responsible for making the appropriate arrangements with their references.
Transcripts
On the application form, list all post-secondary schools you have attended, including St. Catherine University. The Graduate Admission Office will obtain any transcripts currently on file with St. Kate’s Registrar; if any prerequisite courses were taken outside of St. Catherine and the transcript(s) is not currently on file, it is the applicant’s responsibility to have an official transcript submitted to the Graduate Admission office.
Submitting Materials
Entry-Level Applicants: All supporting documents must be submitted directly to SOPHAS.
Dual Degree Applicants: Students pursuing the Dual Degree process do not apply through the SOPHAS system, and instead apply through St. Kate's application system (see "3+2 Dual Degree Application Process" above). Once you’ve submitted your online application form, you will have access to your Application Status page to upload any supporting documents (instructions for accessing the status page were emailed at the time you submitted the application). If you are unable to upload electronic documents to your Application Status page, you may send items as an attachment via email to graduateadmission@stkate.edu. Paper documents may be mailed to:
St. Catherine University
Graduate Admission #4027
2004 Randolph Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that their application is completed by the deadline. The Admission Committee will not review your application until we have received all required documents. Fulfillment of the admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. No credentials will be returned to the applicant.
Questions about the application process?
Email your admission counselor at any time, or call us during office hours (8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.).
International Applicants
The following information pertains to applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Please review the information below regarding other application materials that may be required for international applicants.
Deadlines
Earlier deadlines may apply for international applicants to ensure that all immigration requirements can be met in time for you to enroll in the desired term. Contact your admission counselor with questions.
International Student Forms
International applicants for graduate study must complete the International Information section of the application.
The U.S. government requires international applicants to provide proof of ability to pay tuition and living expenses before the University can issue forms necessary to obtain a visa. International applicants must submit a Certification of Finances form.
Additional Documentation
Some international applicants may be required to submit additional documentation, such as a credential evaluation, language test scores, etc. Please review the application instructions for your graduate program for more information.
Please note that international students must be enrolled at full-time status (6 or more credits per term) in the MPH program. In addition, at least 3 credits per term must be completed in an in-person course format on our St. Paul campus.