Statement of Purpose

General Information

• Maximum: 2 single-spaced pages.
• Use an easily readable 12-point font.
• See How to Add Text Documents On-line for acceptable formats.
• Your statement should discuss or demonstrate the following in detail:
  • Educational & professional background in health-related research or other health-related experience (including mathematics and quantitative social sciences, if applicable).
  • If you have written a public health thesis/dissertation or manuscript, discuss your research in a paragraph.
  • How you became interested in epidemiology
  • Reasons for seeking admission to UW in particular
  • How the curriculum of your selected degree program/track meets your educational & career goals
  • How the research interests of 1-4 Epidemiology core or adjunct (primary appointment in another department with secondary appointment in Epidemiology) faculty members specifically correlate with your interests. See Faculty Research Interests. It is advisable to explore their recent research in PubMed
  • Your short-term & long-term career goals
  • A good understanding of the field of epidemiology and what epidemiologists do
  • If you had a term or year with poor grades, many incompletes, or withdrawals due to health or other problems, explain in one or two sentences
• Additional MCH Questions & Required Interview
• Global Health Track applicants should discuss how his/her research interest could be translated in to programs or policies that would improve health in a developing country/countries.
• Use a professional style with good organization. Avoid generalities, redundant statements, pleas for admission, clever literary devices and cliches.
• You may upload a word-processed document (preferred) or paste a text-only document. See How to Add Text Documents On-line online for upload instructions.

UW Direct Application, or Prospective Students

This page was last updated on February 6, 2012