Program Description

Application Requirements

Program-Specific Instructions

Applications for this program must be submitted through SOPHAS.

Special Note: The priority application deadline for Fall is March 1 and Spring is November 1. Applications submitted after the priority deadline will be considered on a rolling, space-available basis. The classes required to complete this certificate are offered both online and in-person.

Students who earn a "B" or better in all required courses can transition into the MPH program.

Program Description: The 18-credit hour Public Health Graduate Certificate, Generalist concentration at George Mason University provides working professionals an opportunity to advance their career and education in public health at their own pace.

Admission Requirements

• A bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution
• Minimum 3.0 GPA is recommended

Application Requirements:

• Official U.S./Canadian transcripts from ALL schools attended (if applicable)
• Resume/CV
• Statement of Purpose and Objectives
• Two letters of recommendation
• Supplemental application
  • As part of the admissions process, George Mason University requires a supplemental application for graduate programs in the Department of Global and Community Health. Applicants will receive a link via email to the supplemental application after their completed SOPHAS application is verified. There is no additional fee.

In addition to the general application, international students must submit:

• World Education Services (WES) Course-by-Course (CxC) Evaluation of academic records from all institutions attended outside of the U.S. and English-speaking Canada.
• English proficiency test scores for applicants who attended post-secondary institutions outside of the U.S. and waiver-eligible countries.
  • TOEFL: send scores to SOPHAS
    • Tests taken before January 21, 2026: minimum score 88 overall with 20 in each subsection
    • Tests taken after January 21, 2026: minimum score 5.0 overall with 4.5 in each subsection
  • IELTS: send scores to SOPHAS
    • minimum score 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each subsection
  • Duolingo: send scores to George Mason University Graduate Admissions
    • minimum score 120 overall
  • Pearson: send scores to George Mason University Graduate Admissions
    • minimum score 67 overall

Goal Statement: In 750-1,000 words, state your reasons for applying to the certificate program in public health at George Mason University, including but not limited to: your academic background, professional work experience, and career goals. Your statement should be original.

English Proficiency Requirements

All Mason students must have a full command of academic English to be successful in their studies. For this reason, Mason requires applicants to demonstrate English proficiency for admission consideration, regardless of citizenship. Click here to view the requirements.

International Transcript Requirements

All transcripts from colleges or universities outside the United States must be translated into English, if applicable, and submitted for evaluation to the Mason Office of Admissions. Mason will provide evaluation service free of charge for all international transcripts, however, some programs may request an outside evaluation be completed. Because of volume, more time may be needed to process applications requiring a Mason evaluation. You should submit your application 6 weeks prior to the deadline if you plan to utilize Mason’s free evaluation service. For expedited service, students may submit their documents to any NACES member organization at their own expense. If you decide to use an external evaluation service or if your program requires an outside evaluation, GPA and Degree equivalences must be included with your course-by-course evaluation. Mason evaluations are used for internal purposes and are not released to applicants. For information on international transcript requirements, go here.