Transfer Credit Guide
Public Health Practice programs understand that students coming from other health professional training have likely already completed public health-related coursework. Some of this coursework may be appropriate to transfer toward an MPH. Please read through this guide (link) to understand the basics of transferring credit to an MPH. Connect with a coordinator for Public Health Practice programs with any additional questions by emailing php@umn.edu.
Coursework with a public health focus from other health professional programs may be reviewed by SPH faculty for transfer credit after students have been offered admission to the program. Transfer coursework is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Coursework should include a significant public health focus with an emphasis on population (versus individual patient) health. Transfer coursework must meet at least 75% of content from the UMN course as well as the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) Accreditation competencies.
For comparison, view syllabi from UMN SPH coursework.
Pubh 6250: Foundations of Public Health may be waived if a student provides a transcript reflecting graduation from a CEPH accredited program.
Transfer Credit Evaluation Process
If students wish to transfer credit for one of SPH’s core MPH courses:
- The course must be from an accredited College or University and the student must have earned a B- or higher to qualify.
- The student will submit a Google form with the SPH registrar including syllabus from the course the student has taken and wishes to transfer. Connect with the PHP Coordinator for Enrolled Students to access the form.
- Requests will be routed for review to the course accountable faculty and decisions will be made within 2 weeks from submission.
If students wish to transfer credit for an elective course:
- The student should connect with the PHP Coordinator for Enrolled Students to discuss the possibility of transferring coursework.
- The student will submit a syllabus from the course the student has taken and wishes to transfer.
- Requests will be routed for review to the Program Director to review for substitution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do courses need to be the same amount of credits to transfer?
Content and depth is most important. While specific credits don’t need to match, a 2 credit course may not have as much depth of content as a 4 credit course.
Do you only accept transfer coursework taken within the last 5 years?
Not necessarily. Faculty will review course syllabi to determine if the content is still relevant. More recent coursework may be more likely to be accepted.
Can previous projects transfer as Applied Practice (AP) or Integrated Learning Experience (ILE) requirements?
No, students are expected to complete the appropriate approval processes before completing projects and should be enrolled in credit hours when working on the project.
