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 schools abroad, the UMBC Graduate School will accept official WES (World Education Services) ICAP course-by-course evaluations.
Candidate’s GRE (Graduate Record Examination) 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 may be requested for entrance consideration into the Emergency and Disaster Health Systems graduate program.
Those wishing to “test the waters” or to enroll in one or two courses without degree candidacy may apply 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:
Statement of Purpose
Please submit a Statement of Purpose that answers the following questions:
(2-3 pages MAX/ ~800-1350 words at 11pt font minimum, using 1.5-line spacing)
- What motivates your academic and professional interests?
- What are your specific research or career goals?
- Why do you want to study in the Department of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems
at the University of Maryland Baltimore County? - What key strengths—such as relevant skills, experiences, or perspectives—will you
contribute to the program, and which areas do you aim to improve? How do you plan to
develop these areas during your studies?
***We really want to hear your voice, your story. Not the computerized ChatGPT version of what it thinks and sounds like every other application. Let us get to know the real you in these submissions***
Three (3) Letters of Reference*
Letters from educational professors, employers or other instructors in your field are acceptable. At least one letter must be from an academia source and a written recommendation letter (in addition to the scoring sheet) are strongly recommended.
*[NOT required for Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC) or Non-Degree applications]
OPTIONAL Documents
CV/Resume only (2-3 page MAX)
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