Is it not wonderful to get a strong recommendation letter for your public health program? While it is easy to get an average MPH recommendation letter, it is not easy to get one that is truly engaging and perfect on all counts. This is because most referees will be busy and they will mostly rely on templates or ask the students themselves to write the LOR, which they will review and approve later. This guide is to help you write a convincing LOR for a master of public health. In this comprehensive guide, we will give you detailed information on:
- How to write a letter of recommendation for public health program?
- What is the LOR for MPH format and structure?
- How to use sample letter of recommendation for masters in public health for inspiration?
What Is MPH Letter of Recommendation?
MPH letter of recommendation is an official letter handed over to the selection committee of the Master of Public Health program by the applying student. It is sometimes sent to the admission panel directly by the referee. The letter officially introduces the candidate to the hosting college which does not have any background information regarding the candidate.
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Why Is a Letter of Recommendation Public Health So Important?
As we have seen, a letter of recommendation for masters in public health introduces a candidate to the new college or university to which they have applied for their public health program. Is it the only reason that institutes ask it from their candidates? No, the document is important for many other reasons such as:
- It clearly says in which areas the candidate excels and thus is ideal for the public health program.
- It helps the selection panel figure out whether the candidate possesses personal values other than academic excellence.
- LOR contains verifiable information regarding a candidate’s accomplishments, achievements, and skills which are relevant to the public health program.
- Selection committee can determine whether a candidate will be able to contribute to their student’s community and institution from the LOR.
- LOR is proof of the candidate’s own claims and points supplied in the statement of purpose which is another document included in the application.
Five Questions That Require Crystal Clarity in an LOR for MPH
By answering the following questions, you can have unambiguity regarding your letter of recommendation for public health program expectations.
How do you know the applicant?
This is the most important question to address in your LOR. Explain in what role you associated with the MPH applicant and how long it lasted.
Why do you think the applicant is suitable for the MPH program?
If you have noticed anything special in the candidate that aligns with the requirements of a public health professional, talk about that here.
What qualities, skills and strengths will enable the candidate to contribute to the institute?
Pick up a couple of qualities, skills, or strengths, for instance, leadership skills, managerial skills, or interpersonal skills that you think will help him/her contribute to the college or university. Supply supporting details to make it more convincing. You could mention any examples from your association with the candidate.
Can you recall any incident which shows the candidate’s commitment to a responsibility?
Show the level of commitment the candidate showed in doing individual assignments, projects, or any group work in the MPH letter of recommendation.
Are there any positive qualities or factors that made the applicant stand out from his colleagues?
Show in what way the candidate outshined his/her peers. The best way to demonstrate this is to give some quantitative examples. For instance, you could say that this candidate was the only one of the five who were selected to give a presentation at a district-level public health conference.
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Five Questions That Require Crystal Clarity in an LOR for MPH
By answering the following questions, you can have unambiguity regarding your letter of recommendation for public health program expectations.
How do you know the applicant?
This is the most important question to address in your LOR. Explain in what role you associated with the MPH applicant and how long it lasted.
Why do you think the applicant is suitable for the MPH program?
If you have noticed anything special in the candidate that aligns with the requirements of a public health professional, talk about that here.
What qualities, skills and strengths will enable the candidate to contribute to the institute?
Pick up a couple of qualities, skills, or strengths, for instance, leadership skills, managerial skills, or interpersonal skills that you think will help him/her contribute to the college or university. Supply supporting details to make it more convincing. You could mention any examples from your association with the candidate.
Can you recall any incident which shows the candidate’s commitment to a responsibility?
Show the level of commitment the candidate showed in doing individual assignments, projects, or any group work in the MPH letter of recommendation.
Are there any positive qualities or factors that made the applicant stand out from his colleagues?
Show in what way the candidate outshined his/her peers. The best way to demonstrate this is to give some quantitative examples. For instance, you could say that this candidate was the only one of the five who were selected to give a presentation at a district-level public health conference.
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How Do Admission Officers Evaluate A Letter of Recommendation for MPH?
It will be quite useful to know on what condition or criteria the admission officers evaluate your MPH recommendation letter. Here is a list of criteria that they will use to evaluate an LOR and finalize an applicant’s entry into the shortlist.
- Genuineness of the LOR for MPH: An authentic LOR must be printed on the official letterhead and carry the signature or stamp of the referee.
- Clarity of content: The content of the LOR must be clear and easy to understand. It should be written in standard English and should not contain jargon.
- Comprehensiveness of points: The LOR should not only focus on the academic side of the candidate but also the personal values and character.
- Supporting information: No point in the LOR should appear orphan. It means they must be followed by supporting information and examples.
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What Is the Ideal Length for a Recommendation Letter for MPH Program?
We have seen that students or referees sometimes write LOR without really caring about the length. LOR should not be too long. An ideal LOR should comply with the following figures.
Words: 400 to 500
Characters: 2000 to 2500
Pages: 1 to 2
MPH Letter of Recommendation Sample
How about going through some LOR samples for MPH and seeing how a referee would recommend a candidate in a real-life scenario for a Public Health program? Look at the below sample.
Dear Admission Officer,
I am pleased to write this recommendation letter on behalf of Mr XXX who is applying for the Master of Public Health program your institute is hosting. I have been XXX’s professor of Sociology in the first year of his graduation at XXX. XXXX is a hardworking student who consistently exhibited his passion for pursuing a career in the public health domain.
XXX is a well-organized student. He can work on multiple academic projects simultaneously and bring results. Also, he is extremely hardworking. He is willing to go to the extreme for success. He maintained good academic scores for all subjects and was the top scorer in sociology. I would consider his sociology assignment titled ‘The Impact of social media on mental health and Well-being’ as one of his remarkable academic achievements. Although there were many reference sources available on the internet to write an impactful assignment on this topic, XXX chose to do actual research to write it. During a meeting, I asked him about his motivation for choosing this specific topic, and he pointed out several examples where social media left a negative impact on the youths as the reason. XXX is a student who thinks he can contribute to society through his profession. I am strongly convinced that his choice of public health as the specialization for his master’s program will help him lay a strong foundation for his aspiring career.
XXX has excellent leadership skills. He can take up serious responsibilities and make sure that the job is done. One of the key strengths of him as a leader is his communication skills. He is a polyglot who can communicate effectively in multiple languages and is passionate about learning new languages. He is cheerful and socializes with everyone.
I am happy to act as a referee for XXX. He will not only complete this postgraduation program in public health successfully but also will do 100% justice to the purpose of this program by becoming a responsible public health officer.
If you have any questions regarding XXX’s candidacy, please feel free to contact me at the below-mentioned contact details.
Sincerely
Name
Designation
Contact Details
How To Use MPH Letter Of Recommendation Samples To Get Inspired?
Do not just read the samples casually. If you want to get inspired while reviewing it, keep the following points in mind.
- Note down how many points the referee has used in the sample and how he has supported them with examples.
- Get familiar with the LOR writing format from the sample letter of recommendation for MPH program. Salutation, paragraph structure, and the starting and closing.
- Learn how to combine a formal writing style with engagement and a friendly tone from the sample and apply that while writing your letter.
- After completing your own LOR writing, compare it with a letter of recommendation for masters in public health sample shared here. Identify the areas in which you could still improve.
Write Your Recommendation Letter For Masters In Public Health Program In 5 Steps
Here is a simple strategy to write an MPH recommendation letter in five easy steps. The steps here are written as if the referee is a teacher/professor/HOD. If you are a colleague, employer, or supervisor, talk about the specific area where the candidate excelled in the third step.
Salute the recipient: Find out to whom the MPH LOR needs to be addressed and use a proper salutation to address him or her. E.g.: Dear Admission Officer.
Write an introduction: Start your letter on a positive note saying how excited you are to recommend the candidate. Then, explain how you are related to the candidate and the duration of your association. Say how likely you recommend the candidate for the public health program based on your overall assessment.
Show the candidate’s academic excellence: In this paragraph, talk about the academic excellence of the candidate (if you are a professor or HOD or teacher) and how much potential and responsibility he or she showed in the studies. Provide measurable examples, for instance, the candidate’s rank in the whole class, for clarity.
Talk about personal values, skills, strengths and achievements: Next, pick a few most relevant skills, strengths, personal qualities or achievements that you observed in the candidate and how that is going to make him a different person when he chooses to pursue his/her passion in Public Health.
Conclude the letter: Conclude the letter of recommendation for MPH program by strongly recommending the candidate to the public health program. Share your contact details and say how you can be contacted if the referee requires any clarification from your end later.
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Whom Should You Contact for Getting LOR for MPH?
Determining whom to get your LOR from depends on a few things like how many LORs are asked, whether your hosting institute has specified from whom you should get it etc. If you are only required to produce just a single LOR, you may get it from a person in a higher authority, for instance, an HOD or Professor. Here is a list of people you can consider for writing your reference letter.
- Professor: A professor who taught you a relevant subject in your graduation.
- HOD: The head of the department (HOD) can write your letter of recommendation for public health program if he or she knows you personally.
- Employer: If you have work experience, your employer can know about your potential, personal values etc. So, they can be considered for the LOR.
- Supervisor/team leader: Your team leader or supervisor is someone who closely observed your performance at your workplace. So, they are apt to write your MPH LOR.
Five Pro Tips to Write An Impactful MPH Letter Of Recommendation
Additionally, keep in mind the following pro tips to make your LOR even better and more appealing to the reader.
- Aim to write the recommendation letter for masters in public health in about 400 to 500 words.
- Find out the exact mode of LOR submission and adhere to that without failure.
- Provide your contact details – email address and a phone number that is reachable at the end of the letter.
- Mention that you are okay to be contacted in case the admission panel wishes to verify any point mentioned in the LOR.
- Ensure to express your hope, enthusiasm and support for the candidate in it
Five Mistakes That Could Ruin LOR for MPH
From choosing the wrong referee to ignoring minor spelling errors, there are several mistakes that you should strictly avoid in your LOR. Here is a list of them.
- Do not choose a referee who does not know you well or who is not happy about recommending you to the public health program.
- Do not praise the candidate. Selection officers expect an unbiased, natural, and balanced LOR.
- Do not write as if you are writing a research paper. Use simple vocabulary that easily conveys the message and is understood without ambiguity.
- Do not plagiarize your LOR by copying from a sample letter of recommendation for masters in public health or any other online sources.
- Do not attempt to write the LOR at the last minute. If you are left with limited time to write, have an expert write it instead.
Checklist to Validate Your MPH Recommendation Letter Before Submitting
Use the following checklist to validate your LOR before submitting it.
- Have you proofread your LOR at least four times and made sure that it contains no mistakes?
- Have you made sure that the LOR is customized to the university and the public health program?
- Is your LOR easy to read and understand just as the LOR samples for MPH?
- Have you made sure that the LOR is not left with any confusing point which calls for further clarification?
- Have you verified that your LOR is written in the recommended format, adhering to the recommended word count?
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Conclusion
With a customized LOR that clearly pinpoints that you deserve admission to the public health program, you can have better chances of impressing the selectors.
Have you already written your MPH recommendation letter?
How helpful were the tips and strategies we shared in this blog?
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