Public health programs earn accreditation
Undergraduate and master’s degrees get approval from the Council on Education for Public Health
Central Michigan University’s public health programs have received five-year accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health.
“Having our undergraduate public health education major and Master of Public Health programs accredited for five years assures students that their education has met the high standards of quality that will separate them from other programs in Michigan and across the nation,” said Tom Masterson, dean of The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions.
The Council on Education for Public Health is the only U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting body for public health schools and programs. To be accredited, schools must show they provide the highest quality of education possible and can ensure academic excellence so students will achieve solid employment upon graduation.
The undergraduate major is designed to prepare students for a number of health careers, from community-based organizations to private health agencies, hospitals and government. The master’s program equips graduates to be leaders in such areas as public health policy, planning, management and research.
Statistics show that graduates will have jobs awaiting them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of health educators and community health workers is projected to grow 11 percent from 2018 to 2028.
The timing of the accreditation couldn’t be better because it followed the Board of Trustees adoption in September of a 10-year strategy called “Rigor, Relevance and Excellence,” said Dr. Jeff Inungu, director of the MPH program.
One of the pillars of the strategy is to enhance CMU's academic quality and environment with renewed commitment to rigor, relevance and excellence in curricular and cocurricular activities.
“We were confident that those who started in the MPH program would graduate from an accredited program, and they have. It is so exciting to see what we’ve accomplished in such a short time,” said Jodi Brookins-Fisher, public health division director in the School of Health Sciences.