For All Students:
Regular admission criteria for the Graduate School is required for all prospective degree-seeking students in the Department of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems (EDHS) .
You must have an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (converted to a 4.0 scale), with GPAs of 3.2 or higher preferred. GPAs in Master level courses or degrees can be included for GPA considerations. For transcripts from school abroad, the UMBC Graduate School will accept official WES (World Education Services) ICAP course-by-course evaluations.
Candidate’s GRE scores may be submitted with all applications as additional evaluation criteria (optional). Applications with GPAs under the 3.0 (out of a 4.0 scale) threshold will be evaluated by the EDHS Admissions Committee on a case-by-case basis and a GRE (Graduate Record Examination) may be requested for entrance consideration into the Emergency and Disaster Health Systems program.
Those wishing to “test the waters” or to enroll in one or two courses without degree candidacy may register as Non-Degree Students. Consult with a departmental advisor for more information. Applications are available through the graduate school
For additional admissions information, please see the Graduate School Application Requirements page.
Department of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems requires the following additional documents from prospective degree seeking applicants:
Personal Statement
Q: Why are you applying to the UMBC Department of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems graduate program? Tell us what experiences or personal events led to your interest in this field.
Word Count: 300-1000 words
Goal Statement Scores
Q: How do you plan to use the Emergency Health Services Master’s degree in the future?
Word Count: 300-1000 words
Three (3) Letters of Reference
Letters from employers, educational professors, or other instructors in your field are recommended.
[NOT required for Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC) or Non-Degree applications]
OPTIONAL Additional Information
Additional information to address any concerns not covered in the personal statement or goals statement (e.g. GPA concerns, non EMS background, personal challenges/hardships, etc.)
For International Students:
Along with admission criteria listed above and required by the UMBC Graduate School, an English proficiency test is required for most international students.
Minimum Scores Required:
- TOEFL iBT: minimum score of 80 overall (Preferred: 94 overall), with a minimum of 24 in writing and 20 in reading comprehension.
- IELTS: minimum score of 6.5 overall (Preferred: 7.0 overall), with a minimum of 6.5 in both written and reading comprehension.
- Duolingo: minimum score of 105 overall (Preferred: 115 overall), with a minimum of 105 in both Literacy and Production. (Accepted for the current cycle of admissions)
Consult the UMBC Graduate School International Admissions page for further requirements and deadlines.
Application Submission Deadlines:
FALL Semester application deadlines:
- Domestic Students – July 1st
- International Students – March 1st
- approximate August 20th on-campus/in-person requirement
SPRING Semester application deadlines:
- Domestic Students – December 1st
- International Students – November 1st
- approximate January 24th on-campus/in-person requirement
Late applications may be considered on a case-by-case basis