Well over a couple of hundred universities in the United States have programs for the masters-level study of public health. A lot of these are masters in public health programs in community health/preventive medicine and community health education. When looking through a selection of colleges offering the degree, make sure that the one you choose has been accredited by the CEPH.
Who or what make up the CEPH? How can it benefit you to select exclusively form universities with accreditation? The types of programs the CEPH or Council on Education for Public Health accredits are indicated in its full name.
Accreditation is vital for students of these programs. It is generally the case that specialized schools for the subject have all their programs accredited together. It is necessary to inquire at the academy if you are interested in a higher-level course and are not sure if theirs has been accredited.
It is crucial to understand the difference between regional and CEPH accreditation. A school may be regionally accredited but may not have CEPH accreditation, also known as specialized accreditation, to cover a particular public health field. There is a generalized perspective adopted by the accrediting committees for regional accreditation.
In contrast, the CEPH accreditation is meant to evaluate how well a course can "drill" the needed knowledge for this field into a student. The situation is much the same as what is observed with organizations accrediting other disciplines. When it comes to the public health field, the CEPH is the body to turn to if the academy's authorities wish their programs to be accredited.
There are varying prerequisites for accreditation from the CEPH, and it all depends on whether the subject of evaluation is a university or a program. It is obvious that they differ from each other in that a university poses a selection of programs, as opposed to the individual program which is the only consideration in its case. The expectation is for universities in this discipline to provide the main concentrations in the course as options.
A single degree is the expectation with the program, on the other hand. Still, programs often offer students the choice of specializing in a number of areas. It must be noted that another difference is in the fact that the institutions are asked to have options for those who wish to get a doctorate in the field.
The value of a degree that has CEPH accreditation on it is peerless. Accredited schools have degree programs in each of the five core areas of public health - Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Behavioral Sciences/Health Education, Environmental Health, and Health Services Administration. Those in universities offering doctorate classes even have the option of becoming true experts of their discipline.
It is possible to ask your institution to assist in getting your credits transferred, among other things. This is through the general acceptance of credits between accredited institutions, especially when the student’s performance has been satisfactory and the credits to be transferred are fitting to the receiving institutions. It is possible too to try out for the Public Health Certification exam once you complete your degree.
Some of the best jobs in the field are also given only to those who have masters in public health diplomas from accredited programs or colleges. Keep in mind that this also qualifies you for many fellowships sponsored by the government. Furthermore, with an accredited institution, you get only the best support from the institution's administration.
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