Master of Public Health at The University of Illinois at Springfield
This school appears in our ranking of the Top 10 MPH Programs with No Out-of-State Tuition Fees.
The Department of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Springfield offers a Master of Public Health for students who want to work with or for the general public. This MPH program is available both on its campus in Springfield and online. Both programs require that students take the same classes. Students will also need to show that they completed all required prerequisites. Those who did not take these classes prior to enrolling will need to take them through the university before working on an MPH degree.
UIS offers a general MPH program that features 28 credits of required public health classes and a small number of electives. Students will take classes such as Community Health Research, Foundations of Epidemiology, Public Health Policy and Administration and Biostatistics for the Health Professional. The program requires that students do an internship that is worth four credits also. Prior to graduating, students must take a comprehensive exam that tests them on the knowledge they gained in the MPH program. The university gives students three chances to take and pass the exam within one year of completing all their required classes.
Its MPH program is also available with a concentration in environmental health and as a professional concentration. The professional program is only open to students currently enrolled in a residency program through a medical school and those enrolled in a doctoral program. Those in the environmental health program will need to take classes on toxicology and risk assessment.
Both degree-seeking and non-degree seeking students can earn a public health certificate from the university. UIS offers certificate programs in community health education, epidemiology, environmental risk assessment, environmental health and emergency preparedness and homeland security. The university also offers two joint degree programs that allow students to earn both an MPH and a Master of Public Administration or a Human Services degree. Both joint degree programs require that students do an internship. They’ll need to take classes from two different UIS departments too.
About The University of Illinois at Springfield
The University of Illinois at Springfield is part of the University of Illinois school system, which is a branch of public colleges in the state. Established in 1967 as Sangamon State University, it opened as a senior university that had its own graduate school. As a senior university, it only offered classes for juniors and seniors. Students transferred to the university from other schools in the state. After becoming part of the UI system in 1995, the campus became the University of Illinois at Springfield, though most call it UIS today. UIS is one of the three primary institutions of higher learning in the Springfield area. The university grew even larger after adding traditional four-year degree programs to its curriculum in 2001. Students can now complete entire undergrad degree programs through the university.
U.S. News & World Report ranks UIS as the eighth best public university in the Midwest and as the 36th best college out of all schools in the Midwest. It introduced its first online classes in 1999, which allowed students to take classes while at home during the summer semester. The online system later grew to include full degree programs at undergrad, graduate and doctoral levels. With online students factored in, the University of Illinois at Springfield has an enrollment of more than 5,400 students.
The University of Illinois at Springfield Accreditation Details
UIS has the regional accreditation that allows students to apply for federal financial aid when they use the FAFSA and to use any aid given to them for the coming school year. It has regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and received a renewal of this accreditation in 2017. The HLC does not require that the university renew its accreditation again until 2027. Other accreditation that UIS holds comes from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and other professional organizations.
The University of Illinois at Springfield Application Requirements
UIS recommends that students applying to one of its MPH programs have backgrounds in life and natural sciences. This provides students with a better understanding of the materials and topics they will address later. All students must use the online application system to submit an application and pay the fee charged by the university to process their applications. This application has an essay section that asks students to write about why they want to attend UIS and what they want to do with an MPH degree. It should include information about any professional experience they have too.
The university asks for an official transcript from any college the student attended prior to applying. Those transcripts should show that the student maintained a grade point average of at least 3.0. Students who only have a bachelor’s degree will need to take the GRE and submit an official score from that exam. The university will waive this requirement for students who already have a graduate degree. Students applying to any of the MPH programs, including those available online, must submit three letters of recommendation too. UIS will accept letters from former college professors, employers and supervisors and a student’s peers.
Tuition and Financial Aid
UIS expects that full-time graduate students will take at least eight credits of classes each semester. Illinois students qualify for an in-state resident rate of $5,264 per year while nonresidents pay $10,800 per year. The university estimates that students will pay around $1,900 a year for textbooks and miscellaneous supplies. UIS has its own apartments on campus that offer housing options for graduate students. Those who choose to live on the campus will pay $6,600 a year for room and board.
Students who need help paying for college should use the FAFSA. The information shared on this form determines how much need a student has. UIS will build a financial aid package for each student who submits the FAFSA. The federal work-study program allows students to work for the university each year, but graduate students can also look at research and teaching positions available in Springfield. Many students will also want to use one or more federal student loans. The University of Illinois at Springfield offers loan counseling for incoming students and exit counseling for those about to graduate.
