Sacred Heart's Master of Public Health Program Begins Accreditation Process

Sacred Heart University has received approval from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the nationally recognized accrediting body for schools and programs in public health—to begin the accreditation process for its master of public health (MPH) program, with a concentration in community health.

Sacred Heart applied to CEPH for accreditation in October 2018. With approval to proceed, the MPH program will begin a self-study and undertake a site visit by a team of peer reviewers, which usually takes place about five months after delivery of the self-study results.

Although the self-study deadline is March 2, 2021, Anna Greer, associate professor and director of the MPH program, said she hopes to have all required materials submitted by fall of 2020.

Greer noted that the MPH program will initiate membership with the separate, prestigious Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), which only allows membership to institutions that have been accredited by or are an accepted applicant to CEPH.

“The CEPH accreditation is the stamp of approval you want,” she said. “When you earn accreditation, people know that you have a rigorous and well-respected program, which is exactly what we’re building.”

Students in the MPH program can attend full-time (two academic years) or part-time to complete the 48-credit program. Among their achievements upon completing the program, students will be able to demonstrate advanced knowledge in public health’s mission and core functions, epidemiology, biostatistics, social ecological determinants of health, health promotion, public health administration, research methods, health systems and health policy.

Students also will be expected to implement public health programs and policies appropriately to support and promote population health and wellness; lead and manage in various environments, such as worksites, healthcare, and community settings; and contribute to research activities in public health settings.

Greer noted that the first class of 14 is stating work on their capstone experience, which will be either a master’s research thesis study, or an applied practice experience with an external community partner.

“We try to maintain a cohort smaller than most public health programs so we can focus on mentorship, providing consistent guidance and support for our students,” she said. “Another key feature of our program is community engagement; all of our students have the opportunity to work closely with a community partner, providing them with quality experience they need to succeed.”

For more information on the MPH program, visit Sacred Heart's public health webpage.