College of Public Health

Heather Bush, Ph.D., is Acting Dean of the College of Public Health. Sarah Wackerbart;h, Ph.D., is Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

The College of Public Health

The College of Public Health (CPH) is one of the six Health Professions Colleges at the University of Kentucky. Faculty within CPH work closely with the UK Healthcare, and local and regional clinical, research and translational centers. CPH takes seriously its responsibility to the communities and individuals that comprise the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Further, CPH values students highly and, in all its actions, strives to build an environment where students can succeed and thrive. It takes pride in a collegial community of faculty and staff who are encouraged and supported in their work to solve the pressing public health problems that plague the region and the nation. Diversity of thought and diversity among students, staff and faculty, is woven into the fabric of the CPH culture. Given Kentucky’s ranking as one of the unhealthiest states in the nation, the College continues its mission to help reduce the burdens and disparities of health problems on individuals, families and communities in the Commonwealth. Several professional and academic programs are offered at CPH including doctoral programs in gerontology and epidemiology and biostatistics; master’s programs in public health and health administration; an undergraduate program in public health; and an accelerated BPH/ MPH degree program that is part of the UK University Scholars Program. Further, CPH has partnerships with other units across campus to offer joint degree programs, including MD/MPH, PharmD/MPH and JD/MHA. Graduate certificates are also offered in the following: biostatistics, gerontology, global health, population health, and improving healthcare value.

Accreditation

The College of Public Health is nationally accredited by the Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH). The Masters of Health Administration program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.

Bachelor of Public Health

This program is for the student seeking a broadbased, scientifically grounded, and professionallyoriented foundation for impacting societal health. Public Health connects populations from an integrated approach of identifying behaviors that affect health and changing these behaviors; education on the science of primary prevention of disease; promoting healthcare equity, quality and accessibility; and advocating for improved healthcare systems. Completion of a Bachelor of Public Health degree prepares students for the public health workforce and equips them to find effective and meaningful solutions to real-world health problems. The College has strong ties to the public health practice community, both regionally and nationally, and provides students with opportunities to engage with professionals across the country. BPH graduates are well-positioned to pursue entry-level positions in public health and healthcare organizations, as well as for graduate study in public health and a variety of other health professions. Students enrolled in the BPH program should have both a belief in making positive changes and a devotion to making a difference in the health status of communities.

Admission Policy

Admission to the University as an incoming freshman is sufficient for admission to the Pre-Bachelor of Public Health (pre-BPH) program. Students participating in the Academic Preparation Program are not eligible for admission. Current University students and transfer students must meet the BPH grade-point average (GPA) admission criteria to be admitted as a pre-BPH student. Admission to the pre-BPH program does not guarantee admission to the Bachelor of Public Health (BPH) program. Students may apply to the pre-BPH program during the university approved window to declare a major.

Admission to the Bachelor of Public Health program occurs in two stages, premajor admission and BPH admission. Once a premajor student meets the criteria described below, they may apply for BPH admission:

Enrollment in the University of Kentucky;
Completion of CPH 201 with a letter grade of B or higher;
Completion of all additional premajor required courses with a letter grade of C or higher. Required premajor course work includes: BIO 103 or higher; BST 230 ; CLA 131 ; GRN 250 ; and MA 109 , MA 111 or higher;
Premajor GPA of 3.0 or higher; and
Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher.

Students must submit an application to the College of Public Health prior to the annual application deadline during the spring semester in order to be eligible for fall admission.

Admission to BPH program depends upon the qualifications and preparation of the applicant, as well as the availability of resources for maintaining quality instruction. The BPH program will admit up to 175 students per academic year. Students will be notified of their admission status prior to the start of the fall term.

Accelerated BPH/MPH Degree Program

The College of Public Health offers an Accelerated BPH/MPH Degree Program which provides high achieving students an opportunity to complete both a BPH and MPH degree in five years. This program is in accordance with UK’s University Scholars program. In addition to the admission criteria outlined above, students wishing to apply for the accelerated degree program must fulfill the following requirements:

Admission to BPH program;
Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher;
Major GPA of 3.5 or higher;
A minimum of 12 free elective hours available during the final year of BPH course work; and
Submission of an application to the CPH MPH program in accordance with their admissions process and deadlines.

Applications to the Accelerated Program are only accepted in accordance with the CPH MPH application window. Students should apply for the program in the spring semester of their third year.

Students meeting the minimum criteria for application are not guaranteed a placement in the program as spots are limited. Further information about the program, including application information, can be found at: https://cph.uky.edu/programs/university-scholars-program.

Admission Appeals Process

Students who do not meet the GPA criteria for admission to the Bachelor of Public Health program, but have extenuating circumstances that prevented them from reaching their academic potential may submit an appeal at the time their application is submitted. The appeal guidelines are available at: http://cph.uky.edu.

For questions regarding appeals, contact:

Dr. Sarah Vos
111 Washington Avenue, Suite 105C
sarah.vos@uky.edu

Dean’ List

Full-time undergraduate students who have a term grade-point average of 3.5 or greater will appear on the Dean’s List.

Academic Probation and Suspension Policies

University of Kentucky probation and suspension rules apply for all university undergraduate students. These rules may be reviewed in the Academic Requirements section of this Catalog.

The following additional rules apply to students in CPH:

Any student who fails to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 shall be placed on academic probation within the College of Public Health.
Any student with two consecutive academic terms with a term GPA below 2.75 will be placed on academic probation, regardless of their cumulative GPA.
A student will be removed from academic probation when their term and cumulative GPA is 2.75 or above.
Students that have completed all the academic and procedural requirements for their degree while still maintaining a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher will be placed in good standing and the degree will be awarded.

The following additional rules on suspension apply to students in CPH:

A student will be suspended from the College if they fail to achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher within two consecutive semesters after being placed on probation.
A student will be suspended from the College if they fail to earn a term GPA of 2.75 or higher for two consecutive semesters following their placement on academic probation

Students who are on academic probation within the College of Public Health may transfer to other colleges or departments during any major change window, provided the students meet eligibility criteria.

A student who has been suspended from the College for academic reasons and has remained outside the program for at least a semester and a summer session, may petition for reinstatement. Petition for reinstatement is to be made in writing to the Dean or Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs in the College of Public Health and shall include a written statement by the student specifying why they should be considered for reinstatement. After consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies and other faculty as appropriate, the Dean may choose to accept or deny the petition. The Dean may require that the student agree to certain conditions in order to be reinstated (i.e., take additional course work, complete a writing class, obtain tutoring). The Dean shall inform the student in writing that they have been reinstated or reasons for denial of the petition for reinstatement. No student will be readmitted to the College via reinstatement request more than once.

A student who has been dismissed for academic reasons and reinstated shall, upon reinstatement, be placed on academic probation and be subject to the academic performance expectations outlined in this policy.

Graduate Programs in Public Health

The College of Public Health offers the following graduate degrees: Master of Public Health, Master of Health Administration, Ph.D. in Epidemiology/ Biostatistics and a Ph.D. in Gerontology. Additional information may be obtained from the Office of Student Engagement, Advising and Success in the College of Public Health and/or from the Graduate School. There is an application deadline for each program and current information can be located on the College website at: http://cph.uky.edu

Students who want to earn advanced degrees must be admitted to the University of Kentucky Graduate School. For complete information, students should refer to the UK Graduate School Catalog or contact:

Graduate School Admissions
201 Gillis Building
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0033
859-257-4613
fax: 859-323-5986
http://gradschool.uky.edu/admissions

Student Success

Student success is a priority in the College of Public Health and relies on collaboration between students, faculty and staff. The College looks forward to working with you on a rewarding academic venture. Admitted students are assigned to an advisor within the College. Curriculum plans are determined in the first semester of enrollment and updated each semester. For questions regarding progression through the program, contact:

Jennifer Stevens
Director of Academic Advising
111 Washington Avenue, Suite 120
Lexington, KY 40536-0003
859-323-5998
email: jennifer.stevens@uky.edu

All students within CPH must adhere to the Health Care Colleges Code of Student Professional Conduct, as well as the UK Student Code of Conduct.

Programs

Major

Public Health, B.P.H.