Public Health, Graduate Certificate

The Public Health Graduate Certificate (Generalist concentration) allows students to take up to six core classes required of the MPH program without committing to a full degree program. Students pursuing the certificate program develop foundational competencies for public health practice. 

The classes required to complete the Public Health Graduate Certificate (Generalist concentration) are offered both online and in-person. 

Students who earn a “B” or better in all Public Health Graduate Certificate (Generalist concentration) courses can transition into the MPH program without a full SOPHAS application. Learn more about the transition from the certificate to the MPH

View the program requirements in the University Catalog for the Public Health Graduate Certificate
Note: We are not currently accepting applications for the Leadership and Management concentration of the Public Health Graduate certificate. 

Frequently Asked Questions about the Public Health Graduate Certificate

Is the Public Health Graduate Certificate (Generalist concentration) the right program for me?

Different types of students enroll in the Public Health Graduate Certificate (Generalist concentration), including: 

  • Individuals working in public health or another health-related field (e.g., nurses, federal contractors, health department employees) who do not have a prior degree in public health but who wish to advance their career or stay current on the best practices in the field of public health. 

  • Individuals working in fields outside of health who wish to make a career change. 

  • Graduate students at Mason in other disciplines (e.g., communications, sociology, anthropology, health administration) who are interested in taking additional public health courses. 

Should I apply to the MPH or the certificate?

If you are confident that you want an MPH, we advise you to apply to the MPH. If you want to develop general knowledge of best practices of a public health degree without committing to a full degree, apply to the certificate program. 

 

Is the GRE required?

The GRE is not required to apply to the certificate program or any Master’s or Doctoral programs in the Department of Global and Community Health. 

Read more about admissions in the Department of Global and Community Health

How do I apply for the certificate program?

If you are not a current Mason graduate student: The application for the Public Health Graduate Certificate (Generalist concentration) is in SOPHAS. Review the Graduate Admissions webpage for more information on the application process. 

If you are a current Mason graduate student: Email gch@gmu.edu to inquire about how to add the Public Health Graduate Certificate (Generalist concentration) onto your current degree program. Refer to University Policy 6.8.1 for more information. 

 

Can I get federal financial aid (i.e., student loans) while in the certificate program?

Federal student loans are not available to students enrolled solely in the public health graduate certificate program. Students in degree programs (e.g., the MPH program) have access to federal financial aid. Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid for more information. This is a list of graduate certificate programs that allow federal financial aid.