UNE CEPH Reaccreditation in UNE Online Public Health Programs

UNE CEPH Reaccreditation reaffirms the quality of UNE’s graduate programs in Public Health. 

UNE Online’s Graduate Programs in Public Health are excited to announce our successful reaccreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health. The Council met June 13-15, 2019, and awarded UNE a 7-year accreditation – the maximum amount of time possible under CEPH guidelines.

The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is an independent agency and the only organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the official accrediting body for public health schools and programs in the United States. CEPH accreditation is a rigorous peer-review process designed to ensure that a program’s curriculum meets set standards for high-quality education and training.

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Evolving public health education

The University of New England’s Graduate Programs in Public Health first earned CEPH accreditation in October of 2011, and have been continuously accredited since that time.

As the public health workforce evolves, public health education must evolve as well. Therefore, the standards set by CEPH change over time. Making sure that programs are offering the most innovative and updated education is just one reason why the reaccreditation process is so important.

Our recent 7-year reaccreditation from CEPH ensures that the Master of Public Health program meets the most up-to-date standards set by the Council. UNE’s CEPH accreditation reflects our commitment to excellence through quality education. To view UNE’s CEPH accreditation listing on the official CEPH website, click here.

The accreditation process

Accreditation is a process in which institutions of learning are evaluated against a certain set of standards with the goal of effectiveness, improvement, and public assurance. It is a rigorous process that relies heavily on peer-review and is designed to ensure that a program’s curriculum meets the standards set for high-quality education and training.

UNE CEPH reaccreditation includes an in-depth self-study and an on-site visit by a committee of our peers. To view the UNE CEPH Self-Study Highlights page, go to https://online.une.edu/public-health/third-party-ceph-comments/.

What CEPH accreditation means

Meeting and exceeding accreditation standards is important in higher education because it establishes a level of acceptable quality while respecting the unique missions of the institutions involved. It is also one way for potential students to quickly and reliably evaluate the quality of an institution.

Earning a degree from a CEPH-accredited institution is an indication that graduates are prepared, through their coursework, to meet the demands of the current public health workforce.

UNE CEPH reaccreditation attests to the quality of academics at UNE

The CEPH website has an extensive Frequently Asked Questions section for in-depth information on the importance of accreditation. The following is from the CEPH website:

• For higher education graduates, it promotes professional mobility and enhances employment opportunities in positions that base eligibility upon graduation from an accredited school or program.
• For prospective online students and their parents, accreditation serves a consumer protection purpose. It provides assurance that the school or program has been evaluated and has met accepted standards established by and with the profession.
• For prospective employers, it provides assurance that the curriculum covers essential skills and knowledge needed for today’s jobs.
• For public health workers, it involves practitioners in the establishment of standards and assures that educational requirements reflect the current training needs of the profession.
• For the profession, it advances the field by promoting standards of practice and advocating rigorous preparation.

Accreditation opens doors

Some public health jobs are only open to graduates of CEPH-accredited public health schools or programs.

The U.S. Public Health Service, many U.S. military public health jobs, and some state and local government agencies require that MPH-level jobs be filled with graduates of CEPH-accredited schools and programs.

An education from a CEPH-accredited school is also mandatory to sit for the NBPHE exam. The National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE), the body for the national credentialing exam for individuals who possess a graduate-level degree in public health, offers the exam only to graduates of accredited programs and schools.

NBPHE is not affiliated with CEPH, and CEPH does not have a formal role in shaping the eligibility or other rules. Visit www.nbphe.org for more details on why the NBPHE exam may be important for career advancement in the public health field.

More information on CEPH accreditation at UNE

More in-depth information about UNE’s CEPH accreditation can be found on the UNE Online website. Additionally, UNE’s official CEPH accreditation report is available upon request by contacting gpph@une.edu.

Moving into the future

If you have any questions about the program, please don’t hesitate to reach out to an enrollment counselor via email at publichealth@une.edu or by phone by calling 1 (855) 325-0895. You can also:

Download our Public Health Program Guide