(JACKSON, Miss.) - Jackson State University's College of Public Service is expecting tremendous growth now that its Public Health Program has received accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health. The council's action makes the program the only one of its kind in Mississippi to offer accredited degrees at the both the master's and the doctoral level.
"This means two things for us," said Mario Acevedo, interim associate dean for Jackson State's School of Health Sciences. "First, it means we have the resources to sustain both degrees. Our faculty is well-trained and sufficient in the three concentrations. Secondly, it means we meet the standards of other public health programs as specified by the council."
The accredited concentrations include epidemiology, behavioral health promotion and education, and health policy and management. The accreditation is effective October 2008 through December 2013.
"A master's or doctorate degree in public health from Jackson State is as good as one from other nationally accredited programs and schools across the country," Acevedo said.
To announce the accreditation and celebrate this significant accomplishment, the Jackson State University College of Public Service will hold a reception at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at the center stage of the Jackson Medical Mall Thad Cochran Center, 350 W. Woodrow Wilson Drive in Jackson, Miss.
"The national accreditation of the Public Health Program is a milestone for the College of Public Service, and my congratulations are extended to the faculty, the students, the staff, and the advisory councils of both the school and the college, as well as to others who, in one way or the other, contributed to this significant outcome," said Gwendolyn Spencer Prater, dean of JSU's College of Public Service.
For more information, please contact the College of Public Service, Public Health Program, at 601-979-8806. The deadline for fall admission is March 1. Financial Assistance is available for qualifying students.
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About Jackson State University: Challenging Minds, Changing Lives
Jackson State University, founded in 1877, is a historically black, high research activity university located in Jackson, the capital city of the state of Mississippi. Jackson State's nurturing academic environment challenges individuals to change lives through teaching, research and service. Officially designated as Mississippi's Urban University, Jackson State continues to enhance the state, nation and world through comprehensive economic development, health-care, technological and educational initiatives. The only university in the Jackson metropolitan area, Jackson State is located near downtown, with three satellite campuses throughout the city. For more information, visit www.jsums.edu.
