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The MPH at the University of Virginia was approved in the spring of 2003 and is structured as a terminal degree offered individually or jointly with other professional degrees. Created as an interdisciplinary program, it draws upon the strengths of UVA faculty within the the Schools of Medicine, Arts & Sciences, Nursing, Law, Business, Education, and Architecture as well as the larger university community.  

Evolution of the MPH Program:

1999-2001
Public Health Faculty Working Group: Multidisciplinary faculty interest group sponsored by the UVa's Institute for Practical Ethics meets to explore public health ethics, law, and policy, and goals for a potential public health program.   Outcomes: Developed new public health courses; secured grant in collaboration with faculty from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health from Greenwall Foundation to study ethics and public health policy, which resulted in peer-reviewed journal article

Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) Consultation:  Vice President for Research office funds visit by Pat Evans, CEPH Executive Director, in December 2001, to explore requirements of an MPH program (organized by the Institute for Practical Ethics Public Health Working Group)

2002
Public Health Strategic Planning Committee: Dean, School of Medicine (SOM) establishes Public Health Strategic Planning Committee that recommends an MPH degree be developed within the SOM Department of Health Evaluation Sciences and discusses draft mission and goals statement

MPH University-wide Faculty Advisory Committee supports MPH degree program development

Public Health Strategic Planning Committee (subcommittee):  Prepares proposals, including mission and goals,  to University of Virginia and State Council of Higher Education for Virginia for approval of new MPH degree program

2003
University of Virginia Board of Visitors approves establishment of new MPH degree, January 2003

State Council for Higher Education for Virginia approves MPH degree, April 14, 2003

2004
Department of Health Evaluation Sciences (DHES) Chair appoints part-time MPH director, funded by the SOM Dean. (June 2004)

Public Health Strategic Planning Committee recommends that the MPH program begin the application process for MPH degree accreditation by CEPH

2005
DHES Chair and MPH Director establish new MPH Faculty Advisory Committee, MPH Curriculum Committee, MPH Admissions Committee, MPH External Advisory Committee (January 2005)

Department Name Change: Chair and faculty of DHES, in consultation with the SOM Dean, change the department name to the Department of Public Health Sciences (DPHS), with subsequent approval by  the Vice-President and Provost and  UVa Board of Visitors

New Division of Public Health Policy and Practice and Division Director:  The DPHS Chair, in consultation with the SOM Dean, establishes a new Division of Public Health Policy and Practice and appoints a full-time Division Director - by increasing the part-time MPH director position to a new full-time associate professor faculty position funded by SOM Dean- who directs the division and oversees the academic and accreditation aspects of the MPH program. (April 2005)

CEPH Accreditation Self-Study:  The MPH Faculty Advisory Committee completes a program self-study, which includes a new statement of mission, goals, and objectives, and submits first report to CEPH on August 12, 2005.

2006
CEPH Accreditation:  The MPH Program is fully accredited by CEPH through June 2009.

2008
CEPH Accreditation:  The MPH Program accreditation is extended by CEPH through June 2011.

2011
CEPH Accreditation:  The MPH Program accreditation is extended by CEPH through June 2018.*

*accreditation reports available upon request