How to Apply to Public Health at the University of Maryland, College Park: Public Health Science Is Not a Limited-Enrollment Program, So List It on the Application or Declare It After Enrolling, with Other BS Options Such as Public Health Practice and Global Health, for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The public health bachelor’s programs at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) are in the School of Public Health (course prefix SPHL). The undergraduate degrees page says the school offers “four” Bachelor of Science (BS) programs but actually lists six, so the page is not consistent with itself: Family Health, Global Health, Kinesiology, Public Health Practice and Public Health Science, plus a Social Data Science BS shared with the College of Information and the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. The ones closest to “public health” and covered in depth here are Public Health Science (which the school’s page, citing spring 2020 enrollment of 1,060, calls its largest undergraduate major), Public Health Practice and Global Health; Family Health, Kinesiology and Social Data Science are not expanded. The guide follows the pages for fall 2027 entry, split into U.S. applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. The broader life-sciences picture is covered in our separate overview article.

1. Degrees and options

• Public Health Science (BS, College Park): the school’s page describes an interdisciplinary major that requires the study of life sciences and public health, for students interested in epidemiology, health professions, healthcare administration, environmental health and justice, and health equity. It also lists medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, physician assistant and other allied health professions among the interests it fits. The catalog says the degree is offered at both College Park and Shady Grove.
• Credit structure: at least 120 credits, including 31 credits of scientific foundation courses, 31 credits of public health science foundation courses, 12 credits of public health science option courses, 24+ credits of General Education and 22+ credits of general electives. The catalog says 74 of the 120 credits are specific to the degree and that every major-required course needs a grade of C- or higher. The school notes elective totals vary with incoming transfer credit, including AP/IB credit.
• Internship / practice: Public Health Science does not require an internship or research experience, though they are encouraged, and up to 6 credits of an approved internship or research experience can count toward the degree. The capstone PHSC497 asks students to integrate the five core areas of public health.
• Public Health Practice (BS): the school describes an applied, hands-on program preparing students to plan, develop, implement and evaluate community health education programs. The catalog requires 120 credits, 69 of them major-required, each with C- or higher; the final semester is a full-time community health internship, HLTH491 (12 credits, about 36 hours a week), taken only after all other academic requirements are complete. Graduates are eligible to sit for the CHES exam (with a C or higher in the program’s required courses). The program also has an honors option (rising juniors apply in early June; overall GPA of 3.0 or higher and at least 3 HLTH classes totaling 9 credits with a 3.5 or higher) and an Accelerated BS/MPH program, whose conditions and whether it admits international students were not read; check the website.
• Global Health (BS): described as a highly interdisciplinary program that teaches public health foundations (epidemiology, biostatistics, community and environmental health) in a cross-cultural context; the page says 2024 was its first year at UMD. At least 69 credits of major-specific requirements across more than 12 departments in 6 colleges; world language at intermediate proficiency or higher; the capstone GBHL497 in the final spring semester; and two different global health experiential learning courses (research, internships, project-based virtual global classrooms, field work), pre-approved by program faculty. The page gives 6 credits in one place and 6–9 credits in another; travel abroad is encouraged but not required.
• STEM designation: the pages read do not say; not published there.
• Pre-health: the Public Health Science page points interested students to the Reed-Yorke Health Professions Advising Office; its course recommendations were not read.
• Graduate study: the school’s page mentions graduate study in biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, or health services and policy.

2. How you get into the major

• Public Health Science: the school’s own words are that it is “not a limited enrollment program”, and you can declare the major when first accepted to UMD or once you are enrolled. You may list Public Health Science as your intended major when applying; the page states that School of Public Health advisors do not participate in the admission decision.
• Changing into Public Health Science from within UMD: current College Park students register for a Change of Major workshop (an online asynchronous course with two modules and a draft graduation plan to complete within seven days); advisors review the plan and the major updates about 10–12 business days later. Fall 2026 workshop dates are listed on the page and do not apply to 2027 entry. Student-athletes and students on academic probation or dismissal must meet a School of Public Health advisor first. The page does not state a minimum GPA or prerequisites for changing in; not published there.
• Public Health Practice and Global Health: the school pages read do not say whether these are limited-enrollment programs, how to change into them, or any GPA hurdle; not published there. UMD keeps a list of Limited Enrollment Programs (LEP), so check it and ask a school advisor.
• General application: UMD’s application page says the preferred major you select does not affect whether you are admissible to the university; only limited-enrollment programs are additionally reviewed by the program.

3. Prerequisites and curriculum (from the catalog)

• Public Health Science, scientific foundation (31 credits): MATH120 Elementary Calculus I; BSCI170 Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology plus BSCI180 Principles Biology Laboratory (or BSCI171 Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory); BSCI201 and BSCI202 Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II; CHEM131 and CHEM132 Fundamentals of General Chemistry and laboratory; CHEM231 and CHEM232 Organic Chemistry I and laboratory; BSCI222 Principles of Genetics; BSCI223 General Microbiology. The school page says the chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology and calculus courses are open to students in all majors.
• Public Health Science, public health foundation (31 credits): SPHL100 Foundations of Public Health, HLTH366 Behavioral and Community Issues in Public Health, EPIB301 Epidemiology for Public Health Practice, EPIB315 Biostatistics for Public Health Practice, HLSA300 Introduction to Health Policy and Services, KNES320 Physiological Basis of Physical Activity and Human Health, MIEH300 Introduction to Environmental Health, PHSC450 Addressing Social and Structural Inequities Through Public Health, PHSC415 Essentials of Public Health Biology, and the PHSC497 capstone.
• Options (12 credits): 300- and 400-level courses mostly offered in the School of Public Health, chosen to fit a career goal; see the program website for the approved list.
• Public Health Practice: a public and community health core (SPHL100, HLTH124, EPIB301, EPIB315, HLTH306), foundational science (BSCI170 with a lab, HLTH212 or BSCI201), social and behavioral public health (HLTH200, HLTH230, HLTH364), community public health (HLTH140, HLTH302, HLTH391), 12 credits of health electives, professional preparation HLTH420 and the 12-credit capstone internship.
• High school math, biology and so on: UMD’s minimum course requirements for all freshmen are in section 4; the school pages set no separate high school prerequisite; not published there.
• AP/IB credit: the school page only notes that AP/IB credit changes elective totals; which courses are replaced is not published on the pages read, so check UMD’s exam-credit pages.

4. Rounds, deadlines and materials (first-year, fall 2027)

• Early action (non-binding), November 1: a complete application by this date gets a decision by February 1. UMD encourages all applicants, international students included, to apply early action for priority consideration and invitations to special programs.
• Regular deadline, January 20: decisions by April 1; May 1 is the enrollment confirmation deadline. Applications after the regular deadline are considered on a rolling, space-available basis. Dates marked with an asterisk in the table are for the prior year; the page’s own example is that a freshman applying for fall 2024 had to apply by November 1, 2023.
• Platform: the Common App or UMD’s ApplyWeb; the choice makes no difference to review.
• Application fee: $80, nonrefundable, with fee waivers available.
• Required materials: the online application (essay and an activities and awards list or resume), two letters of recommendation (one from a counselor and one from a teacher, sent directly), an official high school transcript, and official college transcripts if you have college coursework.
• Testing: UMD says it is test-optional through the Spring and Fall 2027 application cycles. To receive credit for AP, IB, A/AS levels and similar exams, submit official scores after an offer.
• Dates: the pages do not clearly print a year beside the dates, so confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry.

Minimum high school coursework (set by the Board of Regents, to be completed by high school graduation): 4 years of English; 2 of a foreign language; 3 of history or social science; 3 of science in at least 2 different areas, with at least 2 lab experiences; and 4 of mathematics including Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II. If you finish Algebra II before your final year, you must complete the fourth year with a course that uses non-trivial algebra, such as trigonometry, precalculus, calculus, statistics or college algebra. The page says the most competitive applicants exceed these minimums, with a strong A-/B+ or better average and several honors, AP or IB courses.

5. The three readers

U.S. applicants

• Apply through the Common App or ApplyWeb with the materials in section 4.
• 2026–27 tuition (Student Financial Services page): for full-time undergraduates, tuition plus mandatory fees per semester is $6,417.50 for Maryland residents and $22,043.00 for non-residents (mandatory fees are $910 for 9 or more credits). The admissions cost page says only students majoring in business, engineering and computer science pay additional credit-hour tuition, so public health is not among them. Residency policy is linked on that page.
• 2025–26 cost estimate (the admissions estimate page, not 2026-27): tuition and fees $12,008 for in-state and $41,974 for out-of-state; on-campus housing and food $16,436; books $1,250, transportation $1,514, miscellaneous $1,200; total $32,408 (in-state) and $62,374 (out-of-state).
• Merit scholarships: students with a complete application by the November 1 early action deadline are automatically reviewed, with no separate application; the page says U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens are considered and spring admits are not.
• Any in-state admission preference is not published on the pages read.

International applicants

• International applicants are non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents; they meet the freshman or transfer requirements plus international ones: English proficiency and third-party evaluation of non-U.S. university-level credentials. The committee also considers the national education system, the types of institutions attended and English proficiency. Questions: international-admissions@umd.edu.
• International freshman materials: the same $80 fee, essay, activities list and two recommendations; an official high school transcript listing results for each year equivalent to U.S. grades 9–12, with a certified English translation if not in English; national secondary exam certificates such as GCSE/GCE, CBSE, CXC/CSEC or WAEC where appropriate; testing is optional.
• English proficiency (scores under two years old; UMD reporting code 5814): UMD’s passing scores are Duolingo 120, IELTS 7 and TOEFL iBT 95 (5 on the 1–6 scale). The page also lists Maryland English Institute (MEI) score bands of Duolingo 115 or lower, IELTS 6.5 or lower and TOEFL 94 or lower (4.5 or lower on the 1–6 scale) without explaining what they mean, so ask the admissions office. TOEFL MyBest superscores are not accepted. Possible waivers include four years at a U.S. high school without ESL coursework; a U.S. regionally accredited associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree; 55+ semester credits at a U.S. regionally accredited institution including English Composition 1 and 2 equivalents; or English as a first language with citizenship or a degree from a listed English-speaking country. The admissions office decides.
• International deadlines: the same as for U.S. freshmen, early action November 1 and regular January 20; for spring entry, international freshmen and transfers apply by August 1 (marked as a prior-year date).
• Financial certification: if you are admitted, confirm enrollment and hold or intend to seek an F-1 or J-1 visa, you must show funds for one year of tuition, fees, books, insurance and living expenses; this is only required after admission and confirmation. The documents to submit are on the International Student & Scholar Services “Acceptable Funding” page, which was not read. The page also says medical insurance is required for all international students and each semester’s tuition and fees must be paid in full before the first day of classes.
• Scholarships and aid: as a publicly funded institution UMD says it is unable to provide financial assistance to international students; the merit scholarship page says U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens are considered. Students requiring an I-20 or DS-2019 pay a $125 fee each semester.
• Internship or work limits in public health: not published on the pages read. Public Health Practice has a required full-time internship, so ask International Student & Scholar Services and the school how it works for international students.

Applicants from China (separate section)

• Whether the Gaokao is considered: the pages read do not say; not published there. Ask the international admissions office (international-admissions@umd.edu).
• Transcripts and exit-exam materials: the stated requirement is an official high school transcript listing results for each year equivalent to U.S. grades 9–12, with a certified English translation if needed. The pages read have no China-specific entry, so whether senior-high exit exam results are required separately is not published there.
• English scores: Duolingo, IELTS or TOEFL as above; whether other tests such as TOEFL ITP+ China are accepted is not published on the pages read.
• Any school note for Chinese applicants: none on the pages read; check the international applicants page and ask the office.

6. Costs and scholarships, a note

Costs and aid are in section 5. The school’s Tuition and Aid page points to undergraduate and graduate tuition and aid pages; school-level scholarship lists were not read, so check the website.

7. Transfer

• Who counts as a transfer applicant: a high school graduate (or equivalent) who has completed at least 12 semester hours (18 quarter hours) at a regionally accredited college or university. AP/IB credits and placement tests cannot be used toward the 12 credits. The page expects an English composition course and a college-level mathematics course.
• Deadlines: fall, early action March 1 and regular June 1; spring, August 1 (early action) and November 15 (regular). Transfer students can currently apply only through ApplyWeb.
• Maryland public institutions: the page says certain applicants from Maryland public institutions are given special consideration and admitted when space is available under state transfer policies; there is also a Maryland Transfer Advantage Program, which was not read.
• Minimum GPA: the transfer page gives no number and speaks of a holistic review of overall academic strength; not published there.
• Entering Public Health Science: transfer applicants can also list Public Health Science as an intended major, advisors do not take part in the admission decision, and the major is not limited enrollment.
• International transfer: the same dates; non-U.S. university-level credentials need a third-party evaluation from ECE or Josef Silny & Associates (course-by-course evaluation, original transcripts with a certified English translation, GPA calculation, upper-division designation).

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Common App or ApplyWeb; early action November 1, regular January 20; $80 fee; two recommendations; testing optional
• Listing Public Health Science as your intended major does not affect admission, and the major is not limited enrollment; high school math 4 years, science 3 years with 2 labs
• After enrolling, the science sequence is calculus, biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, genetics and microbiology, with a C- or better in every major course

International applicants (including China):

• English within two years: Duolingo 120, IELTS 7 or TOEFL iBT 95; proof of one year of funds after admission and confirmation
• UMD says it cannot provide financial assistance to international students; the Gaokao and China-specific notes are not published

Transfer students:

• At least 12 semester hours (AP/IB not counted); fall early action March 1 or regular June 1; third-party evaluation for non-U.S. university credentials

Sources: University of Maryland, College Park, School of Public Health: Undergraduate Degrees; BS, Public Health Science; BS, Public Health Practice; BS, Global Health; Become a Public Health Science Major; Future Undergraduate Students; Catalog: Public Health Science; Catalog: Public Health Practice; Freshman Applicants; Application Deadlines; International Applicants; English Language Proficiency; Financial Certification; Transfer Applicants; Cost of Attendance; 2026-27 Undergraduate Tuition; Freshman Merit Scholarships. Information is for fall 2027 entry (tuition is the 2026-27 rate; the cost-of-attendance page is the 2025-26 estimate). Some pages print dates without a year, so confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry; check UMD’s website for the latest.