School of Public Health Profile

History and Purpose
The Texas State Legislature authorized a School of Public Health within The University of Texas System in 1947, but funding was delayed until 1967. The first class, admitted in the fall of 1969, occupied rented and borrowed space. The mission of the school is to improve and sustain the health of people by providing the highest quality graduate education, research and community service for Texas, the nation and internationally. The school’s first responsibility is to provide present and future practitioners, teachers and scientists the highest quality graduate education in the theory and practice of public health. The school continues to build dynamic partnerships between its research programs and community agencies and groups to translate research knowledge to effective community health programs. To address the need for graduate public health education in other geographic areas of the state the School of Public Health established Regional Campus programs in Brownsville, Dallas, El Paso, and San Antonio and an office in Austin to provide a certificate program for UT Austin students and public health workers.

Instructional Programs
Master of Public Health
The master of public health (MPH) degree is the basic professional degree in the field. It is required for many supervisory and managerial positions in public health and is recommended for many others. Students are admitted to one of the Divisions (Biostatistics, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences; Epidemiology & Disease Control; Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences; or Management, Policy, & Community Health) or Regional Campuses (Brownsville, Dallas, El Paso, or San Antonio) through which they complete a series of courses that cover the breadth of public health and develop competencies appropriate for their elected discipline.

Master of Science
The master of science in public health (MS) degree is offered within the following fields of study: Biostatistics and Epidemiology. These are research fields, each with a theory, a body of knowledge, and a set of methods that define it. They interrelate substantially, however, and constitute much of the broad field of public health. Since preparation in depth in such a multiplicity of fields is impossible, the student is expected to focus in one or a few areas and gain an understanding of the interrelations within the array. A student elects one of these fields as a major and selects another public health discipline as a minor area of study.

Doctor of Public Health
The doctor of public health (DrPH) degree signifies distin­guished scholarly accomplishment in the professional field and is designed for those who plan careers involving profes­sional practice, teaching or research. Students will affiliate with one of the Divisions (Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences; Epidemiology & Disease Control; Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences; or Management, Policy, & Community Health), but may also select courses in other Divisions. Students elect to concentrate in one of the public health disciplines or in a special topic area. While the primary course of study for doctoral programs is located at the Houston campus, doctoral candidates may engage in research at one of the four Regional Campuses.

Optional Concentration for both MPH and DPH
Global Health (Interdivisional)

Doctor of Philosophy
The doctor of philosophy in public health (PhD) degree requires scholarly attainment and a capacity for indepen­dent research. It is primarily a research and teaching degree. Curricula leading to the degree are offered in behavioral sciences, biostatistics, environmental sci­ences, epidemiology and management & policy sciences.

Dual Degree Programs
Dual degree programs include the MD/MPH in collaboration with The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, the JD/MPH in collaboration with the University of Houston Law Center, the MSN/MPH in collaboration with The University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston, the MSW/MPH in collaboration with the University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work, and the MS or PHD/MPH in collaboration with The UT School of Health Information Sciences at Houston. In addition, the Registered Dietetics program is available in combination with all four public health degrees.

Certificate in Public Health
The certificate program is intended for public health practitioners and individuals considering a graduate degree in the field. The five courses in this non-degree program cover the core content of the basic public health disciplines and are available at all campuses. A certificate is awarded to students who perform at a satisfactory level in all five courses.

Facilities
The main campus of the school is in the Reuel A. Stallones building, named for the founding dean who served from 1967 until 1986. The 10-story, 220,000 gross-square-foot building is located in a park setting with outstanding library, computer and research laboratory facilities. The school established regional campus programs in San Antonio (1979), El Paso (1992), Dallas (1998), and Brownsville (2001). In addition, the school has established an office in Austin to provide a certificate program for UT Austin students and public health workers.

Organization Chart

See larger image.