Home > Admissions > Degree Programs > MPH in Epidemiology – Hybrid > FAQ and Policies

FAQ and Policies

What is the residential requirement of this degree program?
Students enrolled in the MPH-EPI program are required to be on-campus for two, three-week sessions during the month of June. Students are required to begin the MPH-EPI program with a three-week, all-day intensive introduction to Epidemiology and Biostatistics during the month of June. This course involves lectures, small-group projects, and computer workshops. Students attend a second three-week, all-day intensive program the following June at Harvard that targets the other core areas of public health.

Each on-campus session is mandatory and students are required to be on campus for the full three-weeks. It is not possible to begin the program in the Fall semester or be present for only one or two weeks during June.
Back to top

What is the weekly time commitment during the online component of this degree program?
Online courses cover the same material in a rigorous manner as similar courses offered to students in other MPH and MS degree programs at the Harvard Chan School. One can expect to spend on average 10–12 hours per week engaged with the coursework. Students will be expected to keep up with the weekly pace of the course, but will have the flexibility of selecting the time for coursework, allowing for full-time professional work.
Back to top

Can I switch to another field of study in the MPH Program after enrolling in the Harvard MPH in Epidemiology Program?
The MPH-EPI program is a unique student cohort-based experience and therefore does not allow students to switch into another program or to transfer credits into another degree program at the School.
Back to top

If I have earned credits at the Harvard Chan School as a non-degree student, will these credits apply to the Harvard MPH in Epidemiology?
No, credits previously taken at the school cannot be transferred into this degree. The Harvard MPH in Epidemiology is a cohort-based experience and therefore all students will take required courses and electives in a sequenced format.
Back to top

Do you accept transfer credits from other institutions?
Consistent with the Harvard Chan School policy, transfer credits are not accepted for this field of study. While other MPH fields of study provide the opportunity to waive courses, this is not an option for the Harvard MPH in Epidemiology.
Back to top

Medical and dental students are eligible for many of the fields of study in the residential MPH degree.  Are they eligible for the Harvard MPH in Epidemiology?
Current medical and dental student are NOT eligible to apply for the MPH-EPI program. This degree is designed for part-time study across two years for individuals who have been the degree and experience qualifications (please see admission eligibility).
Back to top

How do students complete a MPH Practicum within this degree program?
The practicum for the MPH-EPI program is student-selected and Harvard mentored. The practicum can be based on a project related to a student’s current position or based on one of the multiple public-use databases that are available for students to use.  A member of the MPH-EPI Practicum Committee helps each student develop a Practicum proposal during the first year of the program. Once developed, this committee identifies the Harvard faculty member who will mentor the student for the remaining part of the program. Students are allowed to recommend potential mentors for the practicum. Students return to Harvard for a 1-2 day “Practicum Symposium” prior to graduation at the end of the second year of this program.
Back to top

Are MPH degrees in other fields of study available in this part-time, online format?
At this time, the Harvard MPH in Epidemiology Program is the only degree program available in a part-time, online format.
Back to top

What is the language of instruction for this degree program?
All courses at Harvard and online will be held in English. All applicants must meet the same required TOEFL scores as students who are accepted into similar traditional degree programs at Harvard.
Back to top

When is the application deadline?
The application deadline for this program is December 1st.  Information about the application process can be found here.
Back to top