The Master of Public Health Program is offered by the College of Public Health and Health Professions (PHHP), one of six colleges that comprise the University of Florida Health Science Center. The other colleges are Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine. Established in 1958, the College was the first of its type in the United States dedicated to educating students of many different health professions in an academic health center. In 2003, the College expanded beyond its original focus on health professions to embrace public health as integral to its mission and goals. We envision our long history of national leadership in the education of health professionals to continue far into the future through development and application of innovative models of education, research, and service that derive from collaboration among public health disciplines and the health professions.

The mission of the College, which was adopted in February 2007, is:

To preserve, promote, and improve the health and well being of populations, communities, and individuals. To fulfill this mission, we foster collaborations among public health and the health professions in education, research, and service.

Consistent with its mission, the College has three primary goals:

1. Provide excellent educational programs that prepare graduates to address the multifaceted health needs of populations, communities, and individuals
2. Conduct quality research and disseminate findings that are responsive to priority health needs
3. Lead and actively participate in serving our university, our professions, individuals, and communities

We emphasize the development of intellectual resources and skills that can help our graduates address today’s complex health problems and pursue fulfilling careers in a variety of health arenas. The College strives to impart the following values to all of our students:

• Commitment to excellence
• Diversity
• Integrity
• Respect for human dignity
• Social responsibility

RESEARCH & LABS

Florida Center for Medicaid and the Uninsured — dedicated to the improvement of access to health care in Florida for the state’s most vulnerable population through a multidisciplinary collaboration of academic and policy making experts

Institute for Mobility, Activity, and Participation (I-MAP)— research focus on driver safety among all age groups, alternative transportation options, and safety at home.

National Rural Behavioral Health Center — promotes research, education, and service to improve the status of behavioral health care for rural Americans and to increase access and utilization of services

Hearing Research Center — the center’s missions are two-fold, including the discovery of new fundamental knowledge about hearing, hearing disorders, and the physical and biochemical processes that drive those disorders; and translation/application of those findings with corresponding public health outreach to effectively educate health professionals and public populations

Center for Telehealth and Healthcare Communications — investigators focus on the effects of telecommunication technologies in health care delivery, including quality of life, health outcomes, cost, and standards of use

Center for Pediatric Psychology and Family Studies — pediatric psychologists, pediatricians, and students focus on the relationships among health, illness, and behavior in children and families

Center for Research in Psychophysiology — psychophysiological researchers advance understanding of behavioral-physiological interactions in people

Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health — dedicated to the investigation and understanding of the experience of pain in humans

The Florida Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation (FIDR) and The Florida Trauma Rehabilitation Center for Returning Military Personnel (FTRC-RMP) — Advances knowledge through research and education in rehabilitation of individuals to eliminate or minimize disability. Emphasis on underlying mechanisms in the rehabilitation process, improvement of body structure / function through active treatment and compensatory strategies, andreintegration of individuals with disabilities into their families and communities following rehabilitation. The Florida Trauma Rehabilitation Center for Returning Military Personnel (FTRC-RMP) reflects a specific focus on the needs of returning military personnel from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Institute for Advanced Study of Communication Processes — sponsors innovative programs that tend to bring larger numbers of students into greater contact with faculty who are established in fields related to human communication, to attract relevant scientists and scholars to the University system, and to provide service through the practical application of its research.

The College is also home to the Florida Office on Disability and Health at UF, under the direction of Allyson Hall, PhD. Established in 2007 with a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Florida Office on Disability and Health at UF designs, implements, monitors, and evaluates state and community programs and services for people with disabilities. The office also provides technical assistance to ensure best practices and uses standardized methods and tools for data collection and analysis. The mission of the Florida Office on Disability and Health is to maximize the health, well being, and quality of life, throughout the lifespan, of all Floridians and their families living with disability. The project has four primary objectives derived from state-wide stakeholder input:

• Build disability and health program capacity and sustainability
• Promote needed direct services and programs
• Improve public and professional disability awareness
• Promote independent living of people with disabilities in the least restrictive and most accessible environment possible

A major aim of the FODH is to generate epidemiologically sound and consistent data on disability and health, using both new and existing sources of data, so that disability and health-related public health policies and programs within the state are data-driven, evidence-based best practices. The Florida Chartbook on Disability and Health was published recently and may be viewed online at: http://ebs.phhp.ufl.edu/FloridaChartbookdisabilityandHealth.pdf

In 2011, the College was awarded a large federal grat to establish the Rural South Public Health Training Center in partnership with the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) Institute of Public Health, The RSPHTC was established to serve the medically under-served counties of Florida, especially those in rural regions of the state. The goals of the center are to provide competency-based training for the public health workforce, and to enhance public health services and decrease disparities in access to services in medically under-served areas. The center conducts assessments of training needs of the workforce and of residents in medically under-served areas and tailors training and services based on those needs, with a special emphasis on HIV/AIDS. Continuing education is provided in person and captured for online delivery to increase the accessibility and convenience of the programs being offered. For public health professionals with a Bachelor’s degree who are interested in more intensive training, the Rural South Public Health Training Center offers an online certificate in Public Health. The center also sponsors numeroud internships for MPH students at UF and FAMU. These internships provide a stipend and travel/living accommodations as appropriate. Visit http://ruralsouthphtc.phhp.ufl.edu/ for more information.

The Department of Epidemiology sponsors HealthStreet, a community-based effort that works to reduce disparities in healthcare and research by linking the medically underserved to medical and social services and opportunities to participate in research. Community Health Workers (CHWs) meet residents at health fairs, special events, bus stops, parks, laundromats, grocery stores, libraries, and other locations in North Central Florida. Community members can also visit HealthStreet to access free services, including health screenings, use of computers, classes, and many more. Our aim is to improve relationships between community members, health care providers, community organizations, and researchers in the University of Florida community. Health Stree is located on UF’s Eastside campus and welcomes student volunteers and interns.

TUITION AND OTHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION

UF MPH students are eligible for Financial Aid packages developed to defray tuition, fees and living expenses. These packages are tailored to individual students and can accommodate out-of-state tuition rates. For specific information about financial aid, please contact the University of Florida Office for Student Financial Affairs at 352.392.1275.

• How is tuition for the MPH Program assessed?
  Tuition is assessed in 2 different ways:
  Full-time students (students enrolled in 9 credits or more) are charged 4 standard (and often equal) payments in consecutive semesters, including summer. The 4 standard payments are referred to as “Block Tuition”.
  1. Part-time students (students enrolled in less than 9 credits) and those in collaborative programs (joint, concurrent and non-traditional) are charged the MPH per-credit rate. This is calculated as the MPH 48 credit block tuition rate for one semester, divided by 12. For example, if the 48 credit block tuition rate is $7000, the MPH per-credit rate will be assessed as outlined below:

  $7,000/12 = $583.33 per credit hour

• How are students coded as full-time and part-time in the MPH Program?
  Upon enrollment, students identify their status as full-time or part-time, which establishes their billing method for the duration of the MPH program. Full-time students take 9 or more credits per semester. Part-time students take less than 9 credits per semester.
• What is “Block Tuition” and where do I find the exact rate each semester?
  The 4 payments that full-time students in the 48 and 42 credit programs pay in consecutive semesters (including summer) is referred to as “Block Tuition”. Students are charged a standard rate regardless of enrolled credits. Each semester, the expected block rate is displayed on the University of Florida Student Financial Affairs website at: www.fa.ufl.edu/ufs/cashiers/feecalc.asp
  • Click on the appropriate semester
  • Scroll down to the last chart
  • The resident and non-resident Block Tuition rate for the 48 and 42 credit Public Health Programs is displayed.
• Which semesters do I pay Block Tuition?
  Beginning in the first semester, students are charged 4 consecutive block payments. After the 4th payment students are no longer assessed tuition. For example, a student that starts in a Fall semester will be billed as outlined below:

  Fall (1st semester)	Block Tuition payment 1
  Spring (2nd semester)	Block Tuition payment 2
  Summer (3rd semester)	Block Tuition payment 3
  Fall (4th Semester)	Block Tuition payment 4 (last payment)
  Spring (5th Semester)	NO PAYMENT

• Which semesters do I pay the MPH per credit rate?
  Students that pay the MPH per credit rate pay tuition every semester they are enrolled. Unlike students paying the block rate, there is no “tuition-exempt” semester.
• Is the MPH Block Tuition rate affected by the number of credits a student is registered for?
  No. The MPH block tuition rate remains the same regardless of the number of credits a student takes. For example, if in a given semester there are two students that are both coded as Florida residents, and one takes 12 credits while the other takes 9 credits, there will be no difference in the amount of tuition they pay. Each will each pay the same amount.
• Are students in the MPH Program eligible for Financial Aid?

  Yes, both full-time and part-time MPH students are eligible for financial aid as long as they are enrolled in 5 credits in the Fall and Spring, and 4 credits in the Summer.

• Is the MPH tuition (block rate and per-credit) affected by tuition increases?
  Yes, MPH tuition is affected by any tuition increases the University approves. Tuition is usually increased every Fall semester so MPH students should expect to pay an increased block rate every Fall. Anytime the MPH 48 credit block tuition rate increases, the MPH per-credit rate will also increase to the new MPH 48 credit tuition for the specified semester, divided by 12.
• Why do I not see the block rate on my tuition charges when I am first registered? (The amount I see is less than the block rate.)
  Please note that prior to the first day of classes each semester, the tuition that students see on their student record is NOT the MPH Block but the UF graduate credit rate. This is because each semester the MPH Program provides UF Financial Services with a confirmed list of MPH students. This list is then used to update tuition and fees in the system by the first day of classes. The block tuition is therefore only viewable on a student’s record once classes begin, and before fees are due. Each semester students should confirm the block rate on the financial services website:www.fa.ufl.edu/bursar/current-students/
• Are there any situations where I can be charged more than the outlined MPH tuition rate (block and per-credit)?
  YES (please see below):
  • If a student registers late, the University will add a $100 late fee.
  • If an MPH student registers for a course not approved in the MPH curriculum, a separate fee will be assessed for the course.
  • If a student registers for credits beyond the required 48 or 42 credit programs, tuition will be assessed for the additional credits.
• What courses are approved for the MPH?
  Each concentration area allows a different array of options for elective courses, and faculty will often approve new courses to meet elective requirements. All approved courses are listed on the concentration area curricula. If students have questions about the eligibility of a course, they should contact the MPH Program Assistant or the MPH Associate Director.

UNIVERSITY & SCHOOL HISTORY

University of Florida, College of Public Health & Health Professions Timeline

1947 – UF President J. Hillis Miller describes need for UF health center during inaugural address

1956 – UF Health Science Center opens

1958 – College of Health Related Services opens, the first college of its kind. Departments include Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Medical Technology

1959 – Department of Rehabilitation Counseling added to college

1960 – Department of Communicative Disorders established

1962 – Department of Clinical and Health Psychology established

1964 – Master’s in health administration program launched, later housed in the department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy

1965 – College name changed to Health Related Professions

1975 – Bachelor of Health Science degree program established

1996 – College renamed College of Health Professions

1998 – Rehabilitation Science Doctorate program begins

2003 – Health Professions/Nursing/Pharmacy Complex opens, bringing most of the college’s units under the same roof for the first time

2003 – College renamed College of Public Health and Health Professions to reflect addition of public health programs

2006 – Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics established

2006 – Department of Behavioral Science and Community Health established with divisions of Rehabilitation Counseling and Social and Behavioral Sciences

2009 – Department of Environmental and Global Health established

2009 – College receives accreditation as a school of public health

2010 – Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics established as departments jointly supported by the College of Public Health and Health Professions and the College of Medicine

OTHER INFORMATION

College Quick Facts: https://phhp-main-new.sites.medinfo.ufl.edu/files/2011/10/PHHP-Fact-Sheet-2014_v3.pdf