Master of Public Health clears final hurdle, starts in August

Mark Stoutenberg is director of the new Master’s of Public Health program at UTC.

UTC’s new Master of Public Health has received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the last hurdle in the process.

“With this notification, we have formally started admitting students to the MPH program for the fall of 2018,” says Mark Stoutenberg, director of the master’s program.

The MPH is the only one in Tennessee and one of only a few nationwide with a concentration in chronic disease treatment and prevention, a rapidly growing issue in global health care.

“This first cohort will play a significant role in shaping the future health in Chattanooga and across Tennessee, not only as public health professionals but as students providing their expertise to organizations and institutions and assisting them with their ongoing health and wellness efforts as part of their academic training,” Stoutenberg says.

The program starts in August and, at this point, about 50 potential students have begun the application process, filling about half the slots, Stoutenberg says. The deadline for applications is Aug. 1, he adds.

“We have had a tremendous group of future public-health professionals applying to participate in the program and we are extremely excited to welcome them to campus this coming August.”