LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville School of Public Health & Information Sciences has received reaccreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The reaccreditation period of seven years is the maximum length of time the CEPH will reaccredit schools of public health.
“This speaks to the dedication of our faculty and staff, and I commend them for their efforts,” said Craig Blakely, PhD, dean of the UofL School of Public Health & Information Sciences. “The university and its administration have made a commitment to building the school. We are well positioned to become a leader in our community; we are developing new and exciting instructional programs; and we are planning to make some signature contributions to global public health initiatives, which will further expand our teaching and research opportunities.”
The School of Public Health and Information Sciences has five departments that offer nine graduate degree programs. In Fall 2014, SPHIS plans to expand its program offerings by adding both bachelor of science and bachelor of arts degrees in public health.
Since its establishment in 2002, SPHIS has been awarded more than $40 million in grants and contracts from entities including the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Science Foundation. Last year, SPHIS researchers generated over 75 publications in peer-reviewed, professional journals.
In addition to its research activities, the school has a service component that ranges from the Gray Street Farmers Market to international initiatives with Ghana and China. In 2009, the school participated in a mass immunization effort involving its Center for Health Hazards Preparedness and the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness to vaccinate almost 20,000 people against swine flu at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
The Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics offers consulting services through its Statistical Consulting Center (StCC), which provides statistical expertise in support of research. The center’s services are available to health researchers at the university, health care and research centers, businesses and nonprofit organizations.
The school’s CEPH accreditation continues through July 1, 2020.