College of Public Health

Box 70623
Phone: (423) 439-4243

Vision

The ETSU College of Public Health is the school of choice for students who want to improve the health of people from the state, the region, the nation, and the world.

Mission Statement

Provide public health students and practitioners with the academic, professional, and practical skills necessary to meet the health needs of the region, the state, the nation, and the world.
Advance the science of public health through research focused on identifying practical solutions to leading health challenges.
Collaborate with public and private partners to identify and meet public health priorities.
Improve the health status of all people including those in under-served communities through education, evidence-based advocacy, and partnerships.
Contribute to the quality of life at East Tennessee State University through instruction, research, and service.

Departments and Programs
College of Public Health

Department	Major	Concentrations	Degrees
Biostatistics and Epidemiology	PUBH	Biostatistics	M.P.H.
		Epidemiology	M.P.H.
		Epidemiology	Dr.P.H
Community and Behavioral Health	PHBS	Community Health	B.S.
	PUBH	Community Health	M.P.H.
		Community Health	Dr.P.H.
Environmental Health	ENVH	Environmental Health Practice	B.S.E.H.
		Occupational Health and Safety
	ENVH		M.P.H.
		Administrative Program Specialist Program	M.S.E.H.
		Environmental Health Sciences	Ph.D.
Health Sciences	HSCI	Microbiology	B.S.
			*M.B.I.M.
		Microbiology	*M.S.
		Human Health	B.S.
Health Services Management and Policy	PHBS	Health Administration	B.S.
	PUBH	Public Health Administration	M.P.H.

*Offered in conjunction with Biological Science.

Admission Requirements

Refer to admission requirements in the ETSU undergraduate catalog and appropriate departmental literature regarding separate admission/progression policies.

Criminal Background Investigation

In Tennessee and nationally, due to legislative and accreditation requirements, many schools, childcare, and health care facilities require that students in health-related professions be required to submit to a Criminal Background Investigation (CBI) before participating in any educational/patient care activities at their sites. These educational/clinical activities are an essential requirement for graduation or subsequent licensure and the inability to complete this requirement may result in a student’s failure to meet the graduation requirements of certain ETSU College of Public Health programs. Students must be aware that they will be required to do the following:

Truthfully answer all questions, including those pertaining to felony convictions, on the student undergraduate or graduate application. Students who do not answer the questions truthfully and completely shall not be eligible for acceptance or enrollment. Discovery that the section dealing with felony convictions was not completely or truthfully answered by an enrolled student may result in dismissal.
Complete a CBI prior to participating in internship, field placement, or cooperative experiences at an affiliated institution that requires a CBI, as determined by the academic department.
Notify the program chair of any criminal charges within five (5) working days of their occurrence during enrollment in the program. Failure to notify the chair of such events may result in immediate dismissal.
Check departmental guidelines for procedures for obtaining the CBI.

Policy Statement on Criminal Background and Sex Offender Registry Checks

Criminal Background checks: If an affiliate organization requires or requests a criminal background check as a condition of the field experience or other opportunity, our students are required to comply at their personal expense.

Sex Offender checks: If an affiliate organization requires or requests a sex offender registry check (in the context of children, adult or elderly sexual abuse) as a condition of a field experience or other opportunity, our students are required to comply at their personal expense.

What does this mean to you: An unsatisfactory criminal background and/or sex offender check might preclude students from fulfilling their mandatory field experience/practicum requirement, which in turn could preclude meeting graduation requirements.

Graduate Study Offered

The Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology offers the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in two concentrations (biostatistics and epidemiology) and the Doctor of Public Health (Dr.P.H.) in epidemiology. The department also offers two graduate certificates in biostatistics and epidemiology.
The Department of Community and Behavioral Health offers the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in community health and the Doctor of Public Health (Dr.P.H.) degree in community health. The department also offers a graduate certificate in rural health and an interdisciplinary graduate certificate in gerontology in conjunction with the colleges of Nursing, Business and Technology, Medicine, Arts and Sciences,and Education.
The Department of Environmental Health offers the Master of Science in Environmental Health (M.S.E.H.) degree and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Environmental Health Sciences. The student may choose the administrative concentration or the specialist concentration within the M.S.E.H. The department also offers the M.P.H. degree in environmental health.
The Department of Health Sciences, in conjunction with Biological Sciences, offers the Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Microbiology.
The Department of Health Services Management and Policy offers the M.P.H. degree in public health administration and the interdisciplinary graduate certificate in health care management in conjunction with the College of Nursing and the College of Business and Technology.