At present, roughly 300 academies in the country offer the masters course for public health. The concern with these masters in public health programs is the well-being of communities from a medical standpoint. Of course, those seeking one should be certain to look for a program that has CEPH accreditation.
What is the meaning of "CEPH"? Why should students look for accredited courses? The types of programs the CEPH or Council on Education for Public Health accredits are indicated in its full name.
When considering a school offering a master of public health program, be sure that the degree you are looking for is included in the accreditation. For schools of public health, all degrees offered by the school must be accredited as a single entity. It is wise to be certain if other levels of the course have also received accreditation.
It is necessary to note that there are different types of 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. Regional accreditation is concerned with a more general view of the body to be accredited.
In contrast, the CEPH accreditation is meant to evaluate how well a course can "drill" the needed knowledge for this field into a student. It can be compared to how there are accrediting institutions for other areas of specialization, like nursing. CEPH is the sole organization identified by the US Department of Education to perform accreditation on public health schools and programs, including masters of public health programs.
The organization can accredit either a college or its courses, with different guidelines on how to go about it. 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. Your average public health academy will give you the choice of any of the primary focus areas for public health.
In contrast, a program up for accreditation need not offer more than one degree. Still, programs often offer students the choice of specializing in a number of areas. In addition, schools should offer doctoral programs, while MPH programs are not obliged to.
Once you have enrolled in a CEPH-accredited program or school, you can rest assured of receiving a well-rounded public health education. 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. You can also go on to get a PhD for the field if you wish, should you enter a college with it.
These universities offer a great deal of assistance to their students when needed. Students who have performed well in their academies benefit a great deal from the aid of their academies later on. Graduates are also qualified to sit for the Public Health Certification examination, conducted by the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE).
There are certain occupations that actually demand CEPH accreditation of their applicants' masters in public health programs. State bodies tend to prefer interns from such courses as well. They are also eligible to student assistance resources that are offered only through accredited schools.
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