Four accredited public health degree programs in Tennessee have met the standards of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). With over 6.5 million residents, Tennessee lies between the Mississippi River and Appalachian Mountains as the nation's 17th most populous state. Although it's best known for its country and rockabilly music, Tennessee has a diverse economy making a gross state product of $233 billion. Public health has been a growing sector in Tennessee since it's now ranked the fifth least healthy state in America. Public health professionals will be hired to help combat the Volunteer State's high rates of obesity, physical inactivity, violent crime, and child poverty. Tennessee is well-known for housing the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), the world's largest operator of healthcare facilities. If you're interested in studying in a Master in Public Health degree program, the following are the four accredited master's degrees in Tennessee.

East Tennessee State University

College of Public Health

Located on a scenic 366-acre urban campus in Johnson City within the Appalachians near Roan Mountain, East Tennessee State University is an accredited four-year public state research institution enrolling more than 14,900 students each year. Forbes magazine has ranked ETSU as the 170th best college in the South and 240th top research university nationwide. East Tennessee State is also consistently named in the Princeton Review's list for "America's Best Value Colleges." According to the U.S. News, the College of Public Health is distinguished for offering the 31st best graduate public health degrees in the United States.

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Continuously accredited by the CEPH since 2000, the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at East Tennessee State is focused on providing high-quality educational experiences for grad students seeking careers in public health practice and/or research. Students select from five specialization areas in Biostatistics, Community Health, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, and Health Services Administration. The competency-based curriculum can be completed full-time or part-time for total of 42 credits. In addition to the on-ground program, there's a flexible online alternative with live streaming or video archiving lectures for working professionals. MPH students must complete an internship with one of ETSU's over 175 affiliated agencies. Applicants must have an accredited bachelor's degree and minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.

Accreditations

  • Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

Contact

1276 Gilbreath Drive
Johnson City, TN 37604
(423) 439-4243
[email protected]
http://www.etsu.edu/cph/academics/graduate.php#tab-3-1

University of Memphis

School of Public Health

As the premier flagship senior public research institution governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents system, the University of Memphis is home for over 21,400 students on its sprawling 1,160-acre urban campus in Memphis' Normal Station neighborhood near the Wolf River. Honored as America's 40th best master's-level institution for civic engagement in Washington Monthly, U of M is ranked the 162nd best college in the South by Forbes magazine. Featuring dual CEPH and CAHME accreditation, the School of Public Health aims to prepare tomorrow's generation of leaders addressing community health concerns, including AIDS, obesity, heart disease, and smoking.

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Integrating academic rigor and real-world applied practice, the Master of Public Health (MPH) program is designed for Memphis students who wish to follow their passion for improving health and wellness on a community level. The program often attracts mid-career healthcare professionals thanks to the convenient evening or online courses. Requiring 42 credits, the curriculum allows for concentration in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Health Systems Management, or Social and Behavioral Science. A 240-clock hour practicum experience is built within the program. MPH students have the freedom to complete a master's project or master's thesis. Graduates will have the in-depth knowledge to promote disease prevention, especially in underserved urban or rural areas.

Accreditations

  • Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
  • Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

Contact

3720 Alumni Avenue
Memphis, TN 38152
(901) 678-1710
[email protected]
http://www.memphis.edu/sph/programs/mphadmissions.php

University of Tennessee

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

Established over two centuries ago in 1794, the University of Tennessee is a major public sun-grant and land-grant research institution serving more than 27,400 students from its 560-acre urban campus in the state's third largest city of Knoxville. Named among Princeton Review's list for "Colleges That Pay You Back," UTK is currently crowned the 103rd best national university, 47th top public school, and 84th best college for veterans in America by the USNWR. Also ranked the nation's 52nd best education school, the College of Education, Health, and Human Services houses the CEPH-accredited Department of Public Health.

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Consisting of 42 semester credits, the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at UTK follows a non-thesis track to provide graduate students with the applied professional preparation needed to make a lasting difference on the health of our world's diverse communities. All students will complete a core of knowledge in epidemiology, biostatistics, societal health, public health policy, and environmental health science. From there, MPH students select a concentration in Community Health Education, Health Policy and Management, or Veterinary Public Health. The part-time program is structured for working practitioners with late afternoon and evening classes for two to three years. The university has ties with over 200 agencies in 32 states for students to complete the required 360-hour internship.

Accreditations

  • Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

Contact

1914 Andy Holt Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37996
(865) 974-1104
[email protected]
http://publichealth.utk.edu/mph/

Vanderbilt University

School of Medicine

Enrolling a selective community of around 12,600 students, Vanderbilt University is an elite comprehensive private non-profit institution with high research activity on its tree-lined 330-acre urban campus in Nashville within north-central Tennessee. Recognized by the Times Higher Education as the 87th best university globally, Vanderbilt is ranked the 15th best college, 12th top value university, and 13rd best school for veterans in America by the U.S. News. As the country's 14th best medical research school, the School of Medicine has over $300 million in total funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Since 1996, the two-year Master of Public Health (MPH) program at Vanderbilt has used an interdisciplinary approach to train future public health practitioners and researchers for improving well-being in today's diverse communities. Three specialized tracks are available for Epidemiology, Global Health, and Health Policy. The program admits a new cohort of students with a strong clinical background each fall. Within the 42-credit curriculum, MPH students will explore everything from biostatistics and health economics to public policy evaluation and health behavior. Students will devote 20 hours to field practicum per week for 12 continuous weeks in their second year. Completing a master's thesis project studying a current public health trend is required.

Accreditations

  • Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

Contact

2215 Garland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37232
(615) 322-0470
[email protected]
https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/mph/

A Master of Public Health (MPH) is the chosen professional degree for anyone interested in building a rewarding career in public health practice, research, or teaching. There's never been a better time to head back to graduate school and study public health. According to the ASPH, America will need to hire more than 250,000 public health practitioners before 2020 to avoid a national shortage. Practice settings can range from local non-profits to federal government agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Public health graduates can find high-paying careers as health administrators, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, nutritionists, health educators, and environmental health specialists. Consider following your passion for community service into one of these accredited public health degree programs in Tennessee.