MISSION of the MPH PROGRAM
The mission of the MPH Program at Virginia Commonwealth University is to promote health and well-being through commitment to public health education, excellence in research, and dedication to community service.
The values, concepts and ethics of the Program are:
a. A strong commitment to training students who are prepared
to enter or re-enter the
workforce as competent public health practitioners who effectively
contribute to promoting,
preserving, and restoring health in the community in which they
work. This value is
operationalized through the MPH Program Competencies, course offerings,
the Public
Health Internship, and the MPH Research Project.
b. A strong emphasis placed on collaborative models of program
planning, teaching,
research, and service in public health. This value is demonstrated
through the composition
of the Program core and adjunct faculty, a student body with diverse
backgrounds and
interests, the maintenance of strong ties with diverse University
and community public health
practitioners, and models presented in MPH courses.
c. A strong community orientation, maintained through strong
links with state and local
public health agencies, including recruitment of public health
directors as Program faculty,
research preceptors, and guest lecturers in the Program.
d. An emphasis on understanding and working to meet the needs
of underserved
populations. This is evidenced by means of course objectives,
recruitment of Program
faculty who demonstrate a strong commitment to service in their
professional practice, and
program support for student interest in service. Until 2005, the
Program had a 20-hour
service requirement for students, and most placements were in
organizations serving
underserved populations. The newly developed Public Health Internship
will continue to
familiarize students with the needs of all populations.
This program is one of three Council on Education for Public Health
accredited programs in Virginia. Click
here for information on the population perspective in public
health, provided by the Association of Schools of Public Health.
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requires Virginia
Commonwealth University to provide a "reasonable accommodation" to
any individual who advises us of a physical or mental disability.
If you have a physical or mental limitation that requires an accommodation
or an academic adjustment, please go to the Americans
with Disabilities web site.
For a list of the MPH Program's goals and objectives, click here.
