FLORIDA A&M INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH (IPH)

CONTACT

Professor, Director for Public Health Florida A&M University Science Research Center Rm 207-D Tallahassee, FL 32307 http://www.famu.edu/

History

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, founded on October 3, 1887, as the State Normal College for Colored Students, began classes with fifteen students and two instructors. Today, Florida A&M University (FAMU) is a four-year, public, co-educational and fully accredited institution of higher learning and one of nine institutions in Florida's State University System.  

Program Overview

FAMU’s Institute of Public Health (IPH) was created by the Florida Legislature in 1995.  The IPH was created as the result of strong grassroots advocacy to address disproportionately affected populations experiencing adverse health outcomes such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, infant mortality, HIV/AIDS, and environmentally-related conditions.   The MPH Degree Program was initiated in the Spring of 1997 and the first cohort of seven students was admitted in the Fall of 1997. 

Due to the substantial health disparities in the state of Florida and the Nation, and the need for trained culturally competent public health leaders in research and service, the FAMU IPH has included in its strategic plan the development of new degree programs (i.e., Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) and the Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH)).  The first DrPH students began matriculation in January of 2005.

The Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University (FAMU) Institute of Public Health (IPH) in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences currently offer two tracts in the Doctorate Programs (Dr. P.H.) which are Epidemiology and Behavioral Science and Health Education. The Masters Degree in Public Health (MPH) currently offers four concentrations in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Behavioral Science and Health Education, Environmental and Occupational Health and Health Policy and Management.

Mission

The mission of the Institute of Public Health and the Doctorate of Public Health and Master of Public Health Degree programs is to improve the health status of the poor and underserved through graduate training, research and service.

FAMU, IPH has a unique mission and goal with special emphasis on the provision of graduate training and research on diseases and health problems that disproportionately affect educationally and economically disadvantaged individuals. This includes, without limitations, the human health effects associated with acute and chronic diseases, environmental pollution and violence.

Accreditation

The FAMU MPH program is the only CEPH-accredited graduate public health program in North Florida.  The FAMU MPH Program received full, maximum accreditation, for an initial review, in 2000 for five years (2000-2005) and seven years of re-accreditation (2005-2012) by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).