UA Zuckerman College of Public Health Launches New MPH in Public Health Practice in Phoenix, Tucson
The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (MEZCOPH) is expanding its Master of Public Health Program, offering a new concentration area in Public Health Practice which will be offered in Phoenix and Tucson.
Applications for the new concentration area will be accepted beginning this fall for classes in fall 2010. The Public Health Practice program will complement the college’s two existing programs in Phoenix — the MD-MPH and the Graduate Certificate in Public Health — and enhance the MPH program in Tucson, which has been in existence since 1993.
“We are thrilled to see the continued development of the Phoenix Biomedical Campus with the addition of the UA Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health expanding into downtown Phoenix. This program complements the offerings for students pursuing the health field in downtown and helps to meet the needs of our state for more health-care professionals. It puts us closer to our goal of having training for all areas of health care in the heart of our city,” said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon.
“The increasing ease of international travel during the past 50 years has led to significant challenges in protecting the public health. Thus, it is good to see The University of Arizona expanding its efforts to add to the workforce in Arizona by creating the Arizona MPH Program in Phoenix,” said William M. Crist, MD, UA vice president for health affairs.
The Master of Public Health in Public Health Practice is an interdisciplinary program that helps students acquire a wide set of public health competencies and emphasizes skills in preparation for public health practice – including management and leadership positions. Students learn to work effectively as part of multidisciplinary teams to develop, manage and evaluate public health programs for decreasing health disparities among and within diverse populations.
The Public Health Practice program is geared toward students who are able to enroll in courses in Phoenix or Tucson. An internship that integrates classroom work into a practice setting serves as the culminating experience of the curriculum. Course work includes subject matter in the core areas of public health: epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, public health policy and management, and socio-cultural and behavioral aspects of public health. Students obtain additional skills in the administration and fiscal management of programs that address the health beliefs in a variety of cultures. Students will be able to get practical experience by completing field-based courses and internships with various local, state, national and international agencies.
Iman Hakim, MD, PhD, MPH, dean of the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, said, “The Public Health Practice program will ensure a properly trained and improved public-health workforce for the state of Arizona. There is an acknowledged public health workforce shortage, and education can help us bridge the gap. I look forward to collaborating and strengthening our linkages with our local and state public health officials.”
As alumni of the only accredited college of public health in the Rocky Mountain time zone, UA Zuckerman College of Public Health graduates are eligible to take the national examination to become Certified in Public Health (CPH) by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.
For more information about the college, visit the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health Web site at http://www.publichealth.arizona.edu
For Information about the Public Health Practice Program: Douglas Taren, PhD at (520) 626-8375, e-mail taren@email.arizona.edu
For Information about Application Procedures: Becky Corran at (520) 626-3201, e-mail bcorran@email.arizona.edu