August 26, 2002

WKU'S Master Of Public Health
Program Accredited

Bowling Green, Ky. - The Master of Public Health program at Western Kentucky University has received accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health, the national accrediting body for graduate public health degree programs.

The accreditation is effective June 1, 2002, and makes Western's program the only accredited MPH program in Kentucky. The program, a part of Western's Department of Public Health in the College of Health and Human Services, has specializations in public health education and environmental health. There are about 95 students currently enrolled.

Since the mid 1970s, the Department of Public Health has offered a master of science degree with emphasis in public health. In 1999, the department was able to convert that to the MPH, according to Richard Wilson, professor of Public Health and MPH program coordinator.

"Since then, the department has been working toward full accreditation," he said. "Due to the hard work of faculty, support of administration and the success of the program's alumni, it has been possible to achieve this national recognition of excellence. The department is proud that the program has reached the highest standards of the discipline, and is pleased that graduates of the program will now have something even more valuable to take to the work world."

Dr. Wilson said challenges in the future include bringing graduate public health coursework to underserved areas in Kentucky and the southeast region via extended campus teaching, interactive television and web-based instruction, and providing resource support to local, state and national public health agencies.

For more information, contact Richard Wilson at (270) 745-6397. More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.


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