So I wasn't originally considering the MPH program at the Brown School of Social Work (Washington University in Saint Louis), but I got a scholarship there for $25k (half of tuition for the two-year program). However, next year is the second year of their program (just started this year) so it's not accredited yet. WUSTL and the Brown School are obviously great schools, but I'm worried about the "non-accredited" thing. Honestly, I probably won't end up going there, but I'm interested to see people's advice... How much of a difference does it make?
Non-accredited schools?
- Thread starter emily487
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Depending on the school, its program and practicum requirement it may make a difference. I have been checking out internship/practicum experiences I would like to apply for and a good handful of them specify that students must be from an accredited school. Obviously this will vary depending on what your concentration is and the kind of opportunities you are seeking but I have definitely seen it mentioned.
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Federal employment and some state employment require graduation from an accredited public health education institution. For that reason alone, I'd avoid non-accredited schools and programs. However, if even if the school itself isn't accredited, that doesn't mean the "school" can't be housed as an accredited program within another school (eg. it's currently an accredited program and they are pending accreditation to become a school).
So if a school is a CEPH school, but not an ASPH school (USC, for example), then is it not an accredited school? I'm so confused over the issue of accreditation. Any insight would be welcomed...
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CEPH is the body that accredits public health education (program or school/college).
ASPH is the body that accredits public health schools (stand alone schools/college, not programs housed within a medical school/college, social work school/college, health school/college, etc.). All ASPH accredited schools/colleges are also accredited by CEPH.
USC does not have a school/colege of public health. They have an accredited program of public health within the medical school/college.
The distinction between school/college and program is that a school/college stands on its own with own administration, own dean, own funding sources. A program has its administration, dean, and funding all tied to another school/college.
Does that clear that up?
Thanks, Stories. That's basically what I was able to glean from sifting through CEPH/ASPH literature. I'm glad to have that confirmed to me though. I would just like to make sure that if I do end up at USC, that I'll be able to get a job! Furthermore, I have my mind set on a doctorate in the near future, hopefully from an ASPH school (i.e., UCLA), and I don't want my having gone to a non-ASPH school to impede my chances of gaining admissions to such a school.
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Going to a non-traditional program won't impede your chances of getting into a school for an academic doctorate (PhD, ScD, and of those ilk) as long as the university you did your master's is an accredited place of higher learning.
The CEPH/ASPH accreditation process only applies to degrees that have the 'PH' in them, such as the MPH, MSPH, and DrPH, all of which are considered professional public health degrees. PhD and MS degrees are not subject to CEPH accreditation because they are not professional public health degrees, and thus are not subject to the "core" competencies of public health education (those classes you have to take outside of your concentration if you're doing a MPH).
