Master of Public Health
National Accreditation
The University of Tennessee MPH program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), which is the nationally recognized accrediting body for this discipline. The Council in late June 2008 officially notified the MPH Program that accreditation has been extended for seven years, which is the maximum term possible. The next CEPH review of the program will be scheduled to occur prior to July 1, 2015.
Accreditation was first achieved in 1969 with the Tennessee MPH program becoming the first outside a school of public health to receive this recognition. Since 1969, the program has been successful in securing extensions of accreditation through a self-study and review process that requires approximately two years to complete.
Program accreditation offers substantial value to students, alumni, faculty and the University because of the distinction offered. This recognition of quality, consistent with that of other accredited MPH programs, indicates that the professional preparation offered at UT, Knoxville has met the criteria defined by the Council. These criteria have become more rigorous over time, requiring extensive documentation.
Partnerships
The MPH program seeks to foster working relationships between academicians and practitioners and to participate in leadership development. In 1995, these efforts were formalized by co-establishing the East Tennessee Public Health and Preventive Medicine Forum. Other member organizations are: the Knox County Health Department, the East Tennessee Regional Office of the Tennessee Department of Health, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, and the UT Department of Family Medicine.
The MPH program since 1985 has been an institutional member of the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR), formerly the Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine. Within the APTR organization is a Council of Graduate Programs in Public Health. The Council includes more than 75 MPH programs which are located outside schools of public health. Directors of MPH programs assemble as a Council twice each year to exchange information and work on mutual issues of interest.
The Tennessee Public Health Workforce Development Consortium is a collaborative effort to offer certificate programs for employees of the Tennessee Department of Health. It was conceptualized in 2003 in response to the events of September 11, 2001, when the Tennessee Department of Health recognized the need to enhance its workforce to meet the challenges of the threats of bioterrorism and newly emerging diseases. Additionally, there was recognition of the need for succession planning for managers and leaders in the Public Health workforce who are nearing retirement. The Consortium is comprised of the Tennessee Department of Health, East Tennessee State University (ETSU), the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). The University of Tennessee, Knoxville offers certificate programs in Applied Epidemiology and Public Health Leadership. Each program requires fifteen hours of graduate level coursework. Health department personnel from across the state may apply for the certificate programs through UTK, or may apply to have their certificate awarded through ETSU or UTHSC. Once admitted, students may take designated courses offered by any of the three institutions and receive credit at their home institution.
Contact the Department of Nutrition
1215 W. Cumberland Ave.
229 Jessie Harris Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-1920
Brenda Hart
bhart57@utk.edu
Phone: (865) 974-5445
Fax: (865) 974-3491