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Application Instructions

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mailing Address:

Institute for Public Health Genetics
University of Washington
Box 357236
Seattle, WA 98195-7236

Or by Courier:

If you send any application materials within a few days of the deadline, we advise you to use an express courier service. You will need the street address:

Institute for Public Health Genetics
Room F363, Health Sciences
1959 NE Pacific Street
University of Washington 98195-7236

Phone: (206) 616-9286
FAX: (206) 685-9651
phgen@u.washington.edu

ENTRY QUARTERS

MS, MPH and PhD: The admissions committee reviews applications during the winter quarter for admission to the program in the following autumn quarter. Students are not accepted for other quarters due to the sequencing of the Public Health Genetics core courses.

DEADLINES

MS, MPH and PhD: Admission is based on committee review of each applicant's academic and professional qualifications, including previous degrees and grades, work experience, applicable test scores, statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation.

Domestic Applicants: All materials, including the online Graduate School application must be in our office by close of business on January 15. (Although the Graduate School application indicates it is due May 15 or July 1, please be sure to return it by January 15, otherwise we will not receive the Graduate School materials in a timely manner for admissions committee meetings.)

International Applicants: You must submit the online Graduate School application, application fee and official transcripts to the central UW Graduate Admissions Office by November 1. All other application materials must be in our office by close of business on January 15.

PUBLIC HEALTH GENETICS APPLICATION ITEMS

The following items must be sent to the address above:

  1. Applicants must submit the University of Washington online Graduate School Application. A printed copy of your completed online application must be included with the items listed below.

    2. Applicants who apply through SOPHAS (Schools of Public Health Application Service) also must submit the UW online application. Your statement of purpose and resume may be submitted through SOPHAS. Please read comments below regarding letters of recommendation. Transcripts must be mailed to the Institute for Public Health Genetics.

  2. Statement of purpose.

    MPH and PhD:

    A one- to two-page typed statement of purpose in which you describe your reasons for seeking admission to the IPHG MPH or PhD program. Although there are no specific guidelines, consider including your relevant past experience and educational background, which core knowledge areas are of most interest to you, your personal strengths and how they will contribute to the program, your perspective on the field of public health genetics, and your long term career goals. The admissions committee will use your essay to evaluate your writing, thinking, and editing skills, as well as to understand your intellectual priorities and your ability to think across disciplines. Your statement should be a maximum of 2 typewritten or word processed pages in 12-point font, single-spaced.

    MS:

    Please discuss your educational and professional background, reasons for seeking admission, career goals and how a degree in genetic epidemiology would contribute to these goals. Your statement should reflect your understanding of the field of genetic epidemiology and the training you will receive in our program. The admissions committee will use your essay to evaluate your writing, thinking, and editing skills, as well as to understand your intellectual priorities. Your statement should be a maximum of 2 typewritten or word processed pages in 12-point font, single-spaced.

    MPH, MS and PhD

    Public Health Genetics believes that students with varied cultural experiences and/or disadvantaged social backgrounds contribute to the intellectual and social enrichment of our program. If you wish to have these factors included in the review of your application, please include information in your statement of purpose concerning your personal history, family background, and influences on your intellectual development.

  3. Official sealed transcripts including courses, grades and degrees from all institutions attended after secondary school. (You may send good quality photocopies to speed initial processing of your application, but official sealed transcripts must follow.)

  4. Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Public Health Genetics requires GRE scores from all applicants, except those who hold a U.S. doctorate (neither the MCAT nor ECFMG are acceptable substitutes for the GRE.) The UW code is R4854. No department code is necessary. ETS will eventually send your score electronically to UW Graduate Admissions. Applicants should take the examination at least one month before the application deadline to ensure timely receipt of official scores. Official GRE score reports must be received by the UW Graduate Admissions Office by January 15th. Please include a photocopy of the unofficial score report with your application or fax us a copy when you receive your GRE score. This will expedite the review of your application.
    GREs must have been taken within the last 5 years. For a registration booklet and information, contact ETS-GRE, P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000, (609) 771-7670, fax (609) 771-7906, email gre-info@ets.org. Information is also available at http://www.gre.org

  5. Three recent letters of recommendation from professors, supervisors, or others who know your work reasonably well. No standard format is required for these letters, but the recommendations should comment in detail on your qualifications for training in public health genetics or genetic epidemiology. At least two of these letters must focus on your academic performance.

    Letters of recommendation for the MPH and PhD should be addressed to Melissa Austin, Ph.D., Chair.

    Letters of recommendation for the MS in Genetic Epidemiology should be addressed to Karen L. Edwards, Ph.D., Chair.

    We strongly encourage all applicants to request email references through the online system described in the UW online application. Alert your recommenders that they will receive an email requesting a reference and inform them of our January 15 deadline.

    If the recommender requests to send a letter of recommendation by postal mail, you are allowed to change a reference from email to postal mail by going back into your online application and deleting the recommender and re-adding him/her with the correct delivery method. If letters are going to be sent by postal mail, provide your recommender with the IPHG contact information.

    Note: If you are applying through SOPHAS, we will receive "generic" letters of recommendation. These letters will be accepted but may not carry the weight of letters that specifically address your fit within our unique interdisciplinary program. Let recommenders know that an email request will come from SOPHAS. Select e-recommender if possible to avoid mail delays. If you select paper reference letters, provide your recommenders the SOPHAS mailing address. SOPHAS does not allow you to change the method of delivery once selected. In the UW online Graduate School application select "by mail" so the UW system will not send an electronic request for a letter (unless your recommender is willing to write an additional letter specifically addressed to our program).

    6. In all cases, it is your responsibility to check with your references to ensure that we receive your letters on time.

  6. A recent copy of your resume or curriculum vitae.

  7. MPH/JD Concurrent Degree Applicants need to apply separately to both the Public Health Genetics MPH Program and to the Law School. The applications to both schools should state the applicant is seeking concurrent degrees.

  8. INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

    We must receive an official copy of your TOEFL score before the application deadline. (The ECFMG is not an acceptable substitute.) Important: You must carefully review the information at the following website: https://www.grad.washington.edu/admissions/adminfo.html#International

  9. We advise you to make a copy of your application packet in case items are lost in the mail.


ADMISSIONS DECISIONS

All applications for IPHG programs are reviewed and evaluated by the Academic Program Committee (APC). Decisions to admit or deny admission are based on a simple majority vote of APC faculty members. Applicants will be notified of the admissions committee’s decision by April 15.

MINORITY APPLICANTS

The School of Public Health and Community Medicine (SPHCM) is committed to increasing the enrollment of students from groups traditionally underrepresented in public health professions. Toward this goal, the Office for Student Services provides various services to minority applicants. For further information, please contact Christine Edgar, Director, Office for Student Services, SPHCM, University of Washington, Box 357230, Seattle, WA, 98195-7230; Her email is cedgar@u.washington.edu and her phone is (206) 685-3057.

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"The University of Washington is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation contact the Disability Resources for Students Office at least ten days in advance at: 206-543-8924/V, 206-543-8925/TTY, 206-616-8379 (FAX), or dso@u.washington.edu."