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Students are required to take and pass the Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam to fulfill the comprehensive exam requirement. We believe these credentials will give our students a competitive edge in the job market by demonstrating their public health knowledge and competencies.

Students can take the exam year-round by registering online for the date of their choosing.

The following courses are prerequisites for the exam: PBHLT 6100 Biostatistics 1, 6300 Epidemiology, 6400 Public Health Management & Practice, 6500 Public Health Systems & Services, 6600 Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health, 6700 Environmental & Biological Science in Public Health, and 6550 Public Health Program Planning, Evaluation, & Implementation.

Students will need to pass the exam to fulfill their graduation requirement and should plan their test date accordingly. Per Graduate School requirements, students will need to be registered for credit hours the semester they take the exam. When you are ready to schedule the exam, contact your graduate student coordinator for a voucher code. MPH students must attempt the CPH exam no later than the set department deadline the semester they plan to graduate. This deadline is in place to allow time for scheduling issues or exam retakes.

    • Prior to obtaining the previously mentioned voucher code, students will need to submit their practice exam results to their graduate student coordinator.
      • A screenshot of this, reflecting the date and time taken is sufficient.
    • Once these results are reviewed, the graduate student advisor will provide a one time voucher code, to take the exam free of charge.
      • Any additional attempts will be considered an out-of-pocket expense for the student.
      • Failure to complete and pass the exam may result in a delay of the student’s graduation.

    To register for the exam, please go to National Board of Public Health Examiners (Apply Now) and complete the Student and Alumni registration. We will need to verify your status in the Division of Public Health as a current student before you can enter your voucher code for payment.

    The National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) website has study resources at National Board of Public Health Examiners (CPH Study Resources) including a content outline, sample exam questions, and practice exam. Additional resources include:

    Students have free access to the ASPPH CPH Study Guide. Students and alumni will need to create a new account with their email address, when they visit ASPPH CPH Study Guide.

    Once you log in with your new credentials, you will be directed to a payment page; to see a zero balance and access the guide, you will need to input the discount code: universityofutah123.