FAQ

Admissions
Program
Costs and Funding
1. What will it cost to attend the UW's graduate program in public health genetics?
2. Do you fund graduate students with teaching positions or fellowships?
Other

Admissions

How do I apply?

Applicants to the Master of Public Health (MPH) in Public Health Genetics submit both a SOPHAS and a UW Graduate School application.

Applicants to the Master of Science (MS) in Genetic Epidemiology apply through UW Graduate School Application.

Applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Health Genetics apply through UW Graduate School Application.

Admissions information for all programs is available on the Apply page.

Can I apply to both the MPH and MS?

Applying for both programs is strongly discouraged, as fit for an academic program is an admission consideration.

The core courses for the MS and MPH differ sufficiently to make completing them concurrently difficult.

Our general advice is that if you are looking for community work, public health, etc., apply for the MPH. If you want to focus on research, then the MS may be a better fit.

Are applicants required to submit GRE scores?

Submitting GRE scores is no longer a required part of the application process.

Are applicants allowed to submit GRE scores?

If official GRE scores are reported to the University of Washington for the applicant, they will appear in the UW Graduate School Application and show as received on the Application Status Page (applicant dashboard). However, consideration of GRE scores is no longer part of the review or decision process for the Institute for Public Health Genetics degrees.

Do I need to have a bachelor's degree in a specific subject in order to apply?

No. Our students have very diverse backgrounds, with degrees in classics, anthropology, nursing, nutrition, psychology, biology, public health, and many others. See the Eligibility Requirements and Prerequisites sections of the website for additional information.

Does my foreign degree qualify me to apply to your graduate school?

The Minimum Admissions Requirements section of the UW Graduate School website outlines the degree requirements for prospective graduate students.

As the degree requirements come from the UW Graduate School, questions should be directed to their office at uwgrad@uw.edu.

I haven't finished my prerequisites. Can I still apply?

Applicants may still apply with a few prerequisites outstanding, if they can be finished before the start of autumn quarter. (All prerequisites should be completed before the program starts in late September.)

Applicants with missing prerequisites should clearly detail their plan for finishing the remaining courses in their application. Review the Prerequisite Guidelines section of the website for additional information.

Is the graduate program competitive?

Each year the program receives approximately 80 applications. On average, we offer acceptance to approximately 40%. Our incoming class is typically 16 – 20 students, comprised of 8-10 positions available in the MPH, and the remaining class varies in number between the MS and PhD students.

Is there a minimum GPA required for admission?

A cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater for the final 90 quarter credits or 60 semester hours is an expectation for graduate study at the UW. This is a requirement of the UW Graduate School and the policy is outlined on the Minimum Admissions Requirements page.

Volunteering can be a great way to learn more about the field and may help you prepare more impactful application materials. However, our admissions committee values “real-world” employment/work experience, regardless of whether or not it is related to the genetics field. Some of our strongest students have come from different fields including communications, public affairs, marketing, aquatics, research, food and event services and fundraising.

I've submitted my materials online. Do I need to also send them via mail?

All application materials (including transcripts and recommendations) are submitted online. Applicants are asked to refrain from mailing or emailing materials, unless specifically instructed to do so.

Applicants who are admitted to the program and accept the offer of admission will be required to submit official transcripts (paper or digital) to the UW Graduate School. Instructions will be provided at the time of admission.

Program

What degrees and programs do you offer?

The Institute for Public Health Genetics offers a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Public Health Genetics, a Master of Science (MS) in Genetic Epidemiology, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Health Genetics.

Does the UW offer an undergraduate degree in public health genetics?

The Institute does not have an undergraduate major or minor, however it does offer a growing number of undergraduate courses in genetic epidemiology and public health genetics. A list of undergraduate IPHG courses is available on the courses page.

Do you offer an online distance learning program?

No. Our graduate programs are full-time and in-person on the UW Seattle campus.

What is a common work load for graduate students?

A full-time load is 10 credits. MPH students usually take around 15 credits, which means 15 hours of class-time during the week. If you estimate at least 2 hours of outside work per hour of in-class work, you will have a full schedule.

A lot of our students do work part-time. Though it is possible to hold down a full-time job, those students complete their respective degree on a less than full-time schedule. Applicants interested in completing a degree in a longer timeframe should contact phgadmit@uw.edu.

Costs and Funding

What will it cost to attend the UW's graduate program in public health genetics?

Tuition and fees are established by the University of Washington. You may review the residency website for more information on residency classification.

Though financial assistance through the Institute for Public Health Genetics is limited, students who have already been accepted to the program may be eligible for assistantships, scholarships, or other financial assistance. International students, who are requesting an F1 student visa, must show proof of financial ability.

Do you fund graduate students with teaching positions or fellowships?

Current master’s and doctoral students are eligible to apply for teaching assistantships across the University, including several offered by the Institute for Public Health Genetics. IPHG students also successfully secure research assistantships with faculty and partner institutions to support their studies.

Our students are also eligible to apply for and have been successful in obtaining support from training grants and fellowships offered within the School of Public Health and the University of Washington. Additionally, our students have been successful in obtaining scholarships from outside organizations. Funding opportunities are publicized to all enrolled students as they become available each year. See Costs & Funding for more information.

Other

What kind of jobs are available for public health genetics graduates?

Graduates from the Institutes degrees continue on to roles as researchers, policy analysts and advisors, etc. at academic and research institutions, local, state and federal governments and private research institutions.

Who may I contact with questions?

Questions can be directed to phgadmit@uw.edu and our application page lists dates for information sessions.

Can I take public health genetics courses as a non-degree seeking student?

Students can request to take classes with non-matriculated (NM) status. The process is outlined here: Register as a NM Student | University of Washington Non-Degree Enrollment – Seattle (uw.edu). Keep in mind, credits earned with NM status are not able to be applied to a graduate-level degree.

The UW Graduate School does allow for students to have Graduate Non-Matriculated status. If you are interested in pursuing this option through public health genetics, please contact our office at phgadmit@uw.edu.