MPH 2020 Canada

[Jill98]

Hey everyone!

I'm looking into MPH programs for the fall of 2020. This seems like a somewhat overwhelming process, so, much like the years before, I thought a thread for everyone in the same boat might be useful!

A bit about me - I'm in Health Studies at Western, going into my last year. I've been specializing in Health Promotion and volunteering as a research assistant for the past year. 

I'm looking to apply to McMaster, Queen's, and Guelph in Ontario, and then SFU and possibly Memorial. I'm considering the MPH at Western, but I'd like to diversify my alumni network and experience a change of scenery. I'm also a little skeptical of the shorter time frame for the degree, as it's only 1 year long compared to most MPH's 16 - 24 months.

I'm still on the fence about applying for MSc programs in Health Promotion, because I'm unsure about remaining in research (I also don't have one specific topic I'd want to commit to for a thesis, and I like the idea of an MPH as it covers a broader array of topics).

I'd love to chat with any current MPH students in those programs (or any others in Canada!) and anyone else going though this process .

[TaraDentist]

Hey!

Thanks for starting his thread! I am too preparing for 2020 and quite anxious about the process, hoping to get some help here.

I am an International applicant and wondering how is the job availability after MPH in Canada?

Would love to talk to people going through a similar path.

[sfu2020]

Hi, another 2020 applicant here! 

My ultimate goal is to work internationally and so far my top choice is McMaster Global Health, and I'm also looking into Western, SFU, and UBC. I'm interested to see how satisfied past students are with the 1 year programs or if they wish they'd had an extra year to consolidate knowledge and skills.

A bit about me:
BSc Honours Biology/Health Science, 3.93 OMSAS cGPA/11.8 for Mac
Some research experience including final year thesis
Studying+volunteering abroad
No professional work experience in health
 

Can't wait to hear from more applicants

 

[jadedNg]

Hello all...I am following this thread to generally gather information. I am an international mature student hoping  to transition to health. My background is business (Accounting to be precise). Looking into programs that encourage diversity and not insistent on experience in the field not undergraduate degree being from related field. So far, Dalhousie's MHA and Memorial's Applied health Services research fit the bill. I am though still looking out for core MPH programs that will allow for such crossover. Definitely tough I know but I can only hope. Best of luck to us all fulfilling our dreams in the fall of 2020. 

[CasOme]

Hello everyone, 

I'm also following this thread to calm my nerves of applications for US/ Canada MPH programs. I am graduating this December with my dual degree in BSc Family and Child Science and BA Psychology from Florida State University in Florida! I'm planning on going international for grad school and so far I have racked together 3 choices for Canada: Univ. of Victoria, Memorial University, and Univ. of Alberta.. thinking about Usask, Western,   and University of Guelph as well.

I have a cumulative GPA of 3.28, research experience, 2+ years of mental health/ suicide counseling experience and internship, and a internship with Marriage and Family Therapy center. I plan on focusing on Behavioral Science aspect of Pub Health

Very nervous about applications but I am very hopeful! Best of luck everyone. Look forward to hearing back from y'all.

Edited September 18, 2019 by COmeke

[CasOme]

On 8/6/2019 at 11:59 AM, TaraDentist said:

Hey!

Thanks for starting his thread! I am too preparing for 2020 and quite anxious about the process, hoping to get some help here.

I am an International applicant and wondering how is the job availability after MPH in Canada?

Would love to talk to people going through a similar path.

Hey Tara! 

May I ask where you are applying from? You mentioned you are an international applicant.

[TaraDentist]

On 9/17/2019 at 11:10 PM, CasOme said:

Hey Tara! 

May I ask where you are applying from? You mentioned you are an international applicant.

 

Hey there! I am applying from India. And you?

[CasOme]

On 9/21/2019 at 2:36 PM, TaraDentist said:

 

Hey there! I am applying from India. And you?

I am applying from the United States!

[TaraDentist]

A lot of colleges such as U of T, UBC etc, require a statistics course. Anyone has any idea which online courses are valid? will Coursera.org ones help?

[mphhopeful2020]

Hi all,

I've been lurking these forums for the past 2 years and I can't believe it's finally time to start applying!

I finished my BSc in 2014 with very poor grades (many circumstances contributing to this- long story) and worked for a few years before returning back to school. I am currently completing the final course of an accelerated Bachelor of Health Studies (my electives were written off and I am able to complete this second degree in 2 years time). My GPA for the last 2 years (the BHS overall) is 3.94 on a 4.0 scale. Notably, I somehow (probably thanks to a generous curve) finished Statistics with an A+. I am pretty confident in my more recent grades (which admissions should be based off) but am obviously nervous that I need to send my old transcripts as well. 

In the last two years I have TA'ed a course, won an undergraduate research fair, and was invited to present my poster at a "Celebration for Research Excellence". I have volunteered for a harm reduction outreach group and worked as a personal aide for a gentleman with cerebral palsy. I am not overly confident in the volunteer/working part of my application but hopeful that it will suffice!

My programs of interest are:

- UofT MPH in Health Promotion

- University of Guelph MPH

- University of Victoria (online) MPH

- Simon Fraser MPH

 

For those interested in UofT, in case you aren't already aware, their open house is this Saturday! I'll be there

Cheers!

 

[mphhopeful2020]

So after attending UoT's MPH Open House yesterday I thought I'd pop on here and give you all some key points I took away from it! I went to the presentation on Health Promotion so this is regarding that program:

- Over 500 applicants for 45 seats

- They score all applicant profiles out of 50; 10 points for each of the 5 major areas they assess (grades, social science background, volunteer/work experience, references, LOI)

- Only applicants with 41/50 or higher are considered

- First round offers are sent to 80 applicants and they wait list from there (they said wait listed people rarely get into the actual program however...)

- You need an A- or A average. The program is becoming more and more competitive and they are making less exceptions for the grades.

- They have updated the Statistics requirement! You now need a MINIMUM of a B+ (76%) to get in. This is now a HARD cut off and they absolutely will not be accepting less. They said this is what takes down the majority of their applicants- you can have a fantastic package but none of it will make up for the Stats grade. When they announced this there were some people that actually got up and left the presentation...

- ^^ That changed because now first year HP students are required to take Biostatistics or Epidemiology 

They had graduated students on a panel discussing their experiences with the program and one major take away was from a young man who said he was rejected 2x before finally getting in so he was encouraging people that if this is your dream and you really want it- don't give up! 

Hope this helps

[MPH_Hopeful_2020]

6 hours ago, mphhopeful2020 said:

So after attending UoT's MPH Open House yesterday I thought I'd pop on here and give you all some key points I took away from it! I went to the presentation on Health Promotion so this is regarding that program:

- Over 500 applicants for 45 seats

- They score all applicant profiles out of 50; 10 points for each of the 5 major areas they assess (grades, social science background, volunteer/work experience, references, LOI)

- Only applicants with 41/50 or higher are considered

- First round offers are sent to 80 applicants and they wait list from there (they said wait listed people rarely get into the actual program however...)

- You need an A- or A average. The program is becoming more and more competitive and they are making less exceptions for the grades.

- They have updated the Statistics requirement! You now need a MINIMUM of a B+ (76%) to get in. This is now a HARD cut off and they absolutely will not be accepting less. They said this is what takes down the majority of their applicants- you can have a fantastic package but none of it will make up for the Stats grade. When they announced this there were some people that actually got up and left the presentation...

- ^^ That changed because now first year HP students are required to take Biostatistics or Epidemiology 

They had graduated students on a panel discussing their experiences with the program and one major take away was from a young man who said he was rejected 2x before finally getting in so he was encouraging people that if this is your dream and you really want it- don't give up! 

Hope this helps

Hi there, thank you so much for posting this, it's really helpful! I'm not personally applying to UofT's program, but I imagine most programs have a similar ranking system.

Did they by chance talk about the typical profile of a successful applicant, especially in regards to volunteer/work experience? For myself, I feel very strong everywhere but there. I have volunteered on a distress line, as a fundraising and education volunteer, as a research assistant, and at shelter for individuals impacted by homelessness, but these experiences are not directly related to public health ? 

Thanks again! 

[mphhopeful2020]

15 hours ago, AliMPH2020 said:

Did they by chance talk about the typical profile of a successful applicant, especially in regards to volunteer/work experience? For myself, I feel very strong everywhere but there. I have volunteered on a distress line, as a fundraising and education volunteer, as a research assistant, and at shelter for individuals impacted by homelessness, but these experiences are not directly related to public health ? 

They briefly went over it. It seemed most of the panel of graduated students had experience in some type of community group focused around health or social equity. Since UoT focuses heavily on having a strong social science background I think any experience within that field is relevant. Your volunteer/work experience can definitely be directed towards an MPH program IMO- it's all how you speak to it in your letter of intent!

[mphhopeful2020]

On 10/9/2019 at 6:53 PM, TaraDentist said:

A lot of colleges such as U of T, UBC etc, require a statistics course. Anyone has any idea which online courses are valid? will Coursera.org ones help?

The websites generally list what courses will be accepted for the Statistics requirement so double check there. I don't know anything about that ^ particular website but a popular option for students looking to complete a Stats course is to take it through Athabasca University's online class. 

[TaraDentist]

Thanks for the Info, will definitely check it out! 

Also, Queens and McMaster's MPH is only 16 months long. Anyone has any idea how different that will be from the 2 years one in terms of future employment?

[epistemic]

On 10/20/2019 at 6:23 PM, AliMPH2020 said:

Hi there, thank you so much for posting this, it's really helpful! I'm not personally applying to UofT's program, but I imagine most programs have a similar ranking system.

Did they by chance talk about the typical profile of a successful applicant, especially in regards to volunteer/work experience? For myself, I feel very strong everywhere but there. I have volunteered on a distress line, as a fundraising and education volunteer, as a research assistant, and at shelter for individuals impacted by homelessness, but these experiences are not directly related to public health ? 

Thanks again! 

Hi, U of T MPH (health promo) grad here. Those volunteer experiences are 100% related to public health, and similar to my background applying. I came from a psychology degree, did some volunteering at a homeless/underhoused men's club and a centre for families with HIV but I mostly worked in the clothing room handing stuff out. They don't expect you to have direct experience with public health teams since you often need a master's to do that kind of work anyway. Just highlight what you learned from those experiences and how they relate to the social determinants of health (which is a great buzzword to throw in for a health promo application btw) and you'll be totally fine. 

As for work experience, I'm not on the admissions committee but I'd consider anything related to health/healthcare, working for community centres, activism, research experience, education, social work, etc. relevant (and that is not an exhaustive list). For epi, definitely emphasize research in any form, or stats/data work, whether it's related to health or not (though health research is better). 

[jamy01]

Hello everyone!

International applicant here, currently doing MSc in Health Behaviors and Community Sciences NTU Taiwan (CEPH Accredited)

But I am currently applying for MSc U of A, MPH UVic, and MSc Simon Fraser 

I was doing my bachelor in Agriculture Economics, which is completely irrelevant to Public Health ? But I made it to NTU's MSc in Health Behaviors. 

Here's my profile:

1. Can speak 3 languages fluently: English, Indonesian, and Chinese

2. GPA 3.2, but I got A+ in public health-related classes (Global Health, Multicultural Health in Urban settings, Health Psychology, and A- in Biostatistics

3. I have participated in 2 research projects; biomedical related (2017) and another one is public health-related (migration and health), both served as research assistant and interpreter. Working with qualitative research

4. Currently joining a research lab working with mental health and suicide prevention

5. Teaching Assistant experience in Public Health related class.

6. Internship at a non-governmental organization in Taiwan that focuses on Southeast Asian migrant workers' empowerment in the research team and social media promotion divison.

7. Active in participating human rights forum, volunteer activities, and diplomacy seminar.

I'm quite nervous since my background is irrelevant to public health and I haven't published any paper at all. Moreover, I feel like my experiences are not directly relevant to public health. 

Does my profile competitive enough for MSc/MPH program?

Best of luck for everyone!!!!

 

[MPH_Hopeful_2020]

On 10/28/2019 at 4:18 PM, epistemic said:

Hi, U of T MPH (health promo) grad here. Those volunteer experiences are 100% related to public health, and similar to my background applying. I came from a psychology degree, did some volunteering at a homeless/underhoused men's club and a centre for families with HIV but I mostly worked in the clothing room handing stuff out. They don't expect you to have direct experience with public health teams since you often need a master's to do that kind of work anyway. Just highlight what you learned from those experiences and how they relate to the social determinants of health (which is a great buzzword to throw in for a health promo application btw) and you'll be totally fine. 

As for work experience, I'm not on the admissions committee but I'd consider anything related to health/healthcare, working for community centres, activism, research experience, education, social work, etc. relevant (and that is not an exhaustive list). For epi, definitely emphasize research in any form, or stats/data work, whether it's related to health or not (though health research is better). 

Thank you so much! This process is really anxiety provoking, but it's really comforting getting feedback from those who have been through it :) 

[2020_rab]

Was wondering if anyone knew people that applied to uoft’s epi program with a low gre score below the population median, but still got in?

Just took the GRE and didn’t do as great and was debating to take it again..

Edited November 12, 2019 by stressed__

[111111111111111]

 

On 7/23/2019 at 1:43 PM, Jill98 said:

Hey everyone!

I'm looking into MPH programs for the fall of 2020. This seems like a somewhat overwhelming process, so, much like the years before, I thought a thread for everyone in the same boat might be useful!

A bit about me - I'm in Health Studies at Western, going into my last year. I've been specializing in Health Promotion and volunteering as a research assistant for the past year. 

I'm looking to apply to McMaster, Queen's, and Guelph in Ontario, and then SFU and possibly Memorial. I'm considering the MPH at Western, but I'd like to diversify my alumni network and experience a change of scenery. I'm also a little skeptical of the shorter time frame for the degree, as it's only 1 year long compared to most MPH's 16 - 24 months.

I'm still on the fence about applying for MSc programs in Health Promotion, because I'm unsure about remaining in research (I also don't have one specific topic I'd want to commit to for a thesis, and I like the idea of an MPH as it covers a broader array of topics).

I'd love to chat with any current MPH students in those programs (or any others in Canada!) and anyone else going though this process .

I'm applying to Queen's too! Just finishing my letter of interest, the 4000 character limit is killing me.. 

[Janak Harish Kumar]

On 10/9/2019 at 6:53 PM, TaraDentist said:

A lot of colleges such as U of T, UBC etc, require a statistics course. Anyone has any idea which online courses are valid? will Coursera.org ones help?

I personally did a course from Coursera but not sure how much importance they gave to it. Schools generally accept Athabasca's stat course if you don't have a stat background. But do note that for 50% of schools a stat background is recommended but not mandatory. For example, Western MPH gives more importance to your SOP than your grades or stat percentage.

[klesis7]

Just submitted my application a couple weeks ago to UofA MPH - HP stream. 

I don't have a high GPA, but public health has been my passion and I'm very excited to apply for the program

I currently volunteer at a lab that does research on childhood immunizations, and have done some work in Indigenous communities up north in community public health related to health advocacy, and initiating health promo programs/initiatives. 

I wonder how much importance schools place on grades. 

Wishing everyone all the best on their applications :) 

[SheeBella]

Hello everyone, glad to hear from y'all. 

International student here. Applied to the University of Alberta, Global Health concentration. I'm honestly so nervous, but I'm praying and hoping for the best since it's the only uni I've applied to. 

Good luck to everyone on here. 

[Miday]

Hello everyone.

I am an international student. Applied to University of Alberta, MPH Food Safety specialization. I see that most people don't really apply for Food Safety specialization. I am a bit nervous abt this whole process. I hope it ends well. 

[SamuelSR]

Hello, when can we expect an reply from UA for sep 2020 admission? 

Does CEPH accreditation carry any value/significance? 

Bigger univ such as UT, McGill, etc, do not have it..any thoughts guys?