Boston University School of Public Health: An Overview

Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) is a graduate school of Boston University that offers master's- and doctoral-level programs in public health. Founded in 1976, BUSPH is located in the heart of Boston University's Medical Campus in the South End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The school is currently led by Dean ad Interim Michael Stein.

A Commitment to Public Health Education

Boston University School of Public Health is dedicated to interdisciplinary public health education that transforms students’ careers, preparing them to perform cutting-edge research and compassionately serve communities. The School of Public Health’s advantageous location and longstanding reputation connect students with Boston’s leadership in the public health community, providing them with an abundance of professional development and networking opportunities. Throughout all of BU’s public health programs is an enduring commitment to health equity, social justice, and visionary research. We are committed to igniting and sustaining positive change that leads to health and well-being around the world. We strive for a respectful, collaborative, diverse, and inclusive community within our School of Public Health.

History and Development

The school was established in 1976 as a program within the Department of Socio-Medical Sciences and Community Medicine with an initial class of 54 MPH students and 20 non-degree students. It was the brainchild of Dr. Douglas K. Decker, who designed its admission criteria (successful healthcare managers and practitioners), curriculum (practical, rather than theoretical), teaching approach (pairing academicians and accomplished practitioners in the field), and schedule (night classes only held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday so that working medical professionals could attend). The first dean was Dr. Norman A. Scotch.

In 1977, 59 part-time students were admitted to the MPH program. There were two concentrations: Health Delivery Systems and Health Research & Evaluation. On June 26, 1979, BUSPH became an official school of Boston University, matriculating 156 students and offering afternoon courses for the first time. In 1981, the school expanded to include the departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. It also began accepting full-time students and enrolled its first international students. The International Health department was created the following year.

The Office of Special Projects was established in 1985 to provide education and training in international health and to conduct overseas and domestic research and service programs. This Office later became the Center for International Health, which housed the Department of International Health. Robert Meenan assumed leadership of BUSPH in 1993. In 2015, the current dean, Sandro Galea, joined BUSPH. That same year, the school entered the top ten of USNews rankings for public health schools.

Academics and Programs

Boston University School of Public Health offers a variety of transformative public health degrees and programs at the master’s and doctoral levels. Many students pursue the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program, which can be completed in flexible formats. In addition to the MPH program, the school also offers Master of Science and doctoral degree programs that prepare students to become adept public health researchers, leaders, and educators. Through dual degree programs, undergraduates accelerate the completion of their bachelor’s and subsequent MPH degree, and graduate students pursue their MPH program alongside another BU graduate program.

Master of Public Health (MPH) Program

As a graduate of the 48-credit on-campus BU MPH, students will understand the complex interplay of the biological, social, economic, cultural, political, behavioral, and environmental factors that affect the health of populations. Students can customize their focus by selecting a required functional certificate that prepares them for their professional goals and choose an optional context certificate to further specialize. They can also round out their program with elective courses from several context areas.

Students can switch between full and part-time enrollment each semester. Full-time students are enrolled in 12-18 credits per semester and are charged a flat, full-time rate for tuition. The four required integrated core courses are offered both on-campus and online. On-campus and online courses cover the same learning objectives and are taught by the same SPH faculty. Students can complete their degree in as quickly as 1 year, or as long as 5 years.

The integrated core curriculum of the on-campus MPH program establishes a firm foundation of public health knowledge on which students can build their careers. Some students opt to complete some or all four core courses online to save on living expenses - they then move to Boston to complete their remaining requirements. Each on-campus MPH student also pursues specialized training by choosing from 17 certificates that best match their professional goals within a field of study within public health. The on-campus MPH curriculum provides the breadth, depth, and practical experience needed to excel in a public health career. Students have up to 5 years to complete the MPH and may take fewer credits each semester. However, a minimum of 6 credits are required to qualify for federal financial aid.

The practicum experience, a requirement of the MPH program, hones public health skills through 240 hours of relevant field experience completed at one of the many public health organizations in Boston or in any location around the globe. Students seeking admission to the on-campus Master of Public Health program at BU’s School of Public Health must have already earned or be in the process of earning a bachelor’s degree. No GRE score required or considered as part of your application.

Dual Degree Programs

Dual degree programs are also available with other schools at Boston University. The dual degree typically allows the student to finish both degrees in less time than if the degrees were attempted separately.

Undergraduate Programs

At Boston University, there are pathways and programs available for undergraduates interested in exploring careers in the public health field. By taking public health courses or pursuing a minor during their bachelor’s degree, students develop the skills and foundational knowledge to examine the health of local, national, and international populations. Eligible undergraduate students at BU may use the registration function on the Student Link to enroll in School of Public Health courses according to the University Registrar’s registration timetable. Juniors and seniors may register for SPH 700 level classes as long as they meet course prerequisites and have at least a 3.0 grade point average. Sophomores may enroll in SPH 500-level classes.

BU offers two combined degree programs for undergraduate students interested in accelerating the process of earning a Master of Public Health directly following a bachelor’s degree. As a BU undergraduate student, you may choose to minor in Public Health through the College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College in conjunction with the School of Public Health. The public health minor is designed to introduce the interdisciplinary field that addresses environmental, social, and behavioral determinants of health. Students must complete a minimum of six (6) public health courses to fulfill the minor requirements. This is achieved by taking four (4) required courses: Introduction to Public Health, a course in Global Health, a course in Epidemiology, and a course in Statistics. The remaining two (2) courses will be selected from the list of public health electives. Undergraduate students at Boston University have many ways to incorporate public health courses into their degree program.

Rankings and Recognition

Boston University School of Public Health is among public health graduate schools. The school received a rating of 4.2 out of 5 based on a survey of academics at peer institutions.

Research

Boston University School of Public Health's research portfolio is one of the largest at BU, the fourth largest research university in the country. Four broad areas of research focus represent the work of the school: urban living, gaining and well-being, health across the life-course, and health systems.

Read also: History of the BU Bridge

The Black Women's Health Study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, began in 1995 and follows a cohort of the 59,000 women who enrolled.

The Talbot Building

The Talbot Building was designed by William Ralph Emerson in a Gothic Revival style and finished construction in 1876. Originally, the building housed the Massachusetts Homeopathic Hospital, acquiring its name from Israel Tinsdale Talbot, a physician that co-founded the hospital after being expelled from the Massachusetts Medical Society for proposing homeopathy classes at Boston University's medical school.

As the Massachusetts Homeopathic Hospital expanded its academic departments and research laboratories, it built new wings designed by Francis R. Allen and Herbert P. Kenway in 1891 to teach midwifery and nursing, resulting in the Talbot Building's unique "E" shape. Following the 1910 Flexner Report that derided homeopathy as ineffective pseudoscience, the hospital, which had now expanded to multiple neighboring buildings, was renamed to the Massachusetts Memorial Hospitals in 1929 and merged with the Boston University Medical Center in 1962.

As hospital services were transferred to neighboring buildings of the South End neighborhood during the 1980s and 1990s, the Talbot Building fell into disrepair. When the Boston University School of Public Health tried moving the Environmental Health and Epidemiology departments into the third floor, it initially failed due to reports of mold, asbestos, and openings that allowed birds to enter the building.

tags: #boston #university #school #of #public #health