School of Public Health
2242 SPH Building
Phone: 301-405-2438
http://sph.umd.edu
Dean: Boris Lushniak, M.D.
Associate Deans: Stephen Roth, Ph.D.
Assistant Deans: Nicole Cousin-Gossett, Ph.D., Amanda Grimes, Kelly Blake, Sylvette LaTouche-Howard, Ph.D., Tracy Zeeger, Ph.D.
The mission of the School of Public Health is to promote and protect the health and well-being of the diverse communities throughout Maryland, the nation and the world through leadership and collaboration in interdisciplinary education, research, practice, and public policy. The school provides preparation leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in the following professional areas: Kinesiology, Community Health, Family Science, and Public Health Science. Additionally, stellar students may apply in the junior year to the combined Bachelor of Science/Masters in Public Health (MPH) program, allowing the completion of both degrees within 5 years.
The School of Public Health is fully accredited through the Council on Education for Public Health.
The School of Public Health's Center for Academic Success and Achievement serves all students, particularly upon entry into the major. Following the first semester at College Park, students are encouraged to see their departmental advisors. It is strongly recommended that students seek regular advising throughout their academic career.
For student athletes and students currently on probation, advising is mandatory. Please see the CASA website: http://sph.umd.edu/academics/advising-resources/undergraduate-center-academic-success-and-achievement/.
Global Public Health Scholars Living and Learning Community
The School of Public Health offers a Global Public Health Scholars program within the College Park Scholars Living and Learning Communities. For more information please refer to http://scholars.umd.edu.
College Honors Program
For specific departmental honors program admissions information and requirements, please refer to the individual departments.
Approved Student Societies and Professional Organizations
Phi Alpha Epsilon
Honorary Society of the School of Public Health. The purpose of this organization is to recognize academic achievement and to promote professional growth by sponsoring activities in the fields of kinesiology, family science, community health, public health science and related areas.
Students qualify for membership when they attain junior standing in kinesiology, family science, public health science or community health, and have a minimum overall average of 3.5 and a minimum of 24 credits at the University of Maryland, College Park. For additional information, please contact the Center for Academic Success and Achievement.
The School of Public Health is also home to the university-wide Public Health Beyond Borders organization. For more information, please see http://sph.umd.edu/student-opportunities/student-organizations-honor-societies-and-honor-programs/public-health-beyond-borders/.
Student Engagement and Service Units
Center for Academic Success and Achievement
0222 School of Public Health Building
Phone: 301-405-2753
http://sph.umd.edu/advising/
The Center for Academic Success and Achievement provides advising on admissions, orientation, academic policy, 4-year planning, career information, and required advising for students on academic probation or dismissal and all college athletes. The center collaborates with the departments in recruitment, retention and graduation initiatives. The center is open from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. weekdays for use by students for studying and group meetings. There are twelve computers available for student use.
Gymkana Troupe
1120 SPH Building
Phone: 301-405-2566
http://gymkana.umd.edu
Director: Josh Montfort
For over 75 years, the University of Maryland Gymkana Troupe has been influencing young people to live healthy lifestyles. Founded at the University of Maryland College Park campus in 1946, the troupe has traveled throughout Maryland and neighboring states promoting drug-free living. Each of its 60+ members pledges themselves to be drug-free. Through their role-modeling and unique gymnastic performances, they have influenced hundreds of thousands of people to join them in living a drug-free life. The troupe, which is open to all University of Maryland students of all abilities, is considered a one-of-a-kind organization and is believed to be the only collegiate exhibitional gymnastic troupe actively touring the United States. As an outreach program of the School of Public Health, the Gymkana Troupe uses peer role models who share their experiences and their message of healthy living with others. Students influencing students to avoid drugs is the heart of Gymkana's program.
Public Health Beyond Borders
Director: Dr. Elisabeth Maring
STEP Program
Director: Ms. Tia Cunningham
The STEP Program is a professional training program designed to help students gain practical knowledge and develop essential skills to succeed in a professional work environment. This program was specifically designed to work with undergraduate students in the UMD School of Public Health. Through a series of workforce training workshops, students will enhance their competencies in communication, leadership and cultural intelligence. The STEP program allows students to embrace a supportive community and develop a professional network while in an active and engaging learning environment.
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Program
Director: Ms. Cynthia Kershaw
The Undergraduate Teaching & Education Assistants and Mentors (UTEAM) Program facilitates peer educational support in the School of Public Health through peer mentoring and teaching assistance. The UTEAM Program is a combination of experiences designed to provide foundational knowledge to successfully support peer education and in-class, hands-on experiences within your major, The UTEAM members are dedicated student learners who provide peer educational support for a specific course as part of the teaching team. Working closely with faculty and graduate assistants, UTEAM members are an asset to the SPH learning community. This program is open to undergraduate students in the School of Public Health at the College Park Campus and requires a co-requisite enrollment in SPHL333 and SPHL399.
Financial Assistance
The Office of Student Financial Aid (OFSA) administers all types of federal, state, and institutional financial assistance programs and, in cooperation with other university offices, participates in the awarding of scholarships to deserving students. For more information, visit: http://financialaid.umd.edu.
Awards
Awards within the School of Public Health include the Jerry P. Wrenn Scholarships, the Noel Myricks Endowed Scholarship, the Ned Gaylin Endowed Scholarship, the Jeanette Spier Beavers Memorial Scholarship, the Andrew Billingsley Endowed Scholarship, the David Hyde Scholarship, the Doris Sands Scholarship, the Quinn Scholarship, the Alice Morgan Love Scholarships, NASPE Major of the Year Award, EDA/AAPHERD Outstanding Future Professionals Awards, the Dean's Senior Scholars Awards the Fraley Award, and several TerpStart Scholarships.
Departments and Centers
The School is composed of several centers, departments and institutes. The Centers for Health Equity, Health Literacy, Prevention Research, Aging, Health Behavior Research and Young Adult Health and Development offer multiple opportunities for students to engage with faculty mentors in funded research projects. The following departments offer major programs that lead to a Bachelor of Science degree:
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health
- Department of Family Science
- Department of Kinesiology
- Public Health Science (at both the College Park and Shady Grove campuses)
Special Advantages and Facilities
The Friedgen Family Student Lounge, located in the SPH Building is available for use by all students in the college between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Access is through the student ID card. See the Director of Facilities in 3310 SPH Bldg if you do not have access. The Student Service Center, 2242C SPH, has study areas and computers available to SPH students from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily. Occasionally, availability and access are limited due to classes and student programs.
The school also offers several specialized laboratories related to student success, technology and specific course applications.
Research Units
See all the School of Public Health research centers here: http://sph.umd.edu/research-impact/research-centers/.
Center on Aging
The Center on Aging, as part of the Department of Health Services Administration (a graduate program), stimulates and supports aging-related activities within existing departments, colleges, and schools throughout all of the various institutions of the University System of Maryland. The center coordinates the Graduate Gerontology Certificate (master's and doctoral levels), the university's first approved graduate certificate program. The center assists undergraduate and graduate students interested in the field of gerontology and helps them to devise educational programs to meet their goals. It is a research center working in health and aging policy, lifelong learning and civic engagement, disability and aging, behavioral and social aspects of aging, and health service delivery systems. It also conducts community education programs, assists faculty in pursuing research activities in the field of aging, conducts conferences on adulthood and aging-related topics, provides on- and off-campus technical assistance to practitioners who serve older adults and sponsors the University of Maryland Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Legacy Leadership Institutes, the University of Maryland Retirees Association, and Retired and Senior Volunteer Programs International (RSVPI).
Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy
The Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy has been established to address the major public health problem of poor health literacy and its effect on health outcomes. This is the nation's first academic based health literacy center and is devoted to improving health through the lifespan with emphasis on closing the health disparities gap. Research is needed to establish the nature of the casual relationships between and among the various factors including culture and society, education systems, health systems and health outcomes and costs to develop effective interventions and health policy. The center was established with a generous gift from Alice Horowitz and her family.
Maryland Center for Health Equity
The Maryland Center for Health Equity is designed to address issues connected with health disparities. The emphasis is on creating effective change from the level of the individual to issues at the macro policy level. The director is Dr. Stephen Thomas. For more information, please contact the Center at 3302E, School of Public Health Building, 301 405-8859.
The University of Maryland Prevention Research Center
The University of Maryland Prevention Research Center (UMD-PRC) is committed to research, service and training around issues of mental health among LGBTQ+ communities. We bring awareness to inequities, as well as disseminate data, validate tools and best practices to improve access to quality mental health and health care for these communities.
Bradley O. Boekeloo, ScM, PhD
Professor, Department of Public and Community Health
Director, Prevention Research Center
University of Maryland School of Public Health
College Park, MD 20742
Office: 301-405-8546
Cell: 202-841-8546