Our July 2017 Chat Hours

Tulane’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine is the oldest school of public health in the country and the only American school of tropical medicine. The school’s mission is to advance public health knowledge, promote health and well-being, and prevent disease, disability, and premature mortality. This is accomplished through education of public health professionals, scientific research of problems, partnerships, and service to the global public health community.

A leader in global health, the school is comprised of six academic departments: biostatistics and bioinformatics, global community health and behavioral sciences, global environmental health sciences, epidemiology, global health systems and development, and tropical medicine. The school has more than 1,400 students and 100 faculty. The students, faculty, and staff represent more than 70 cultures from around the world.

Key Faculty

John Lefante, PhD
Professor and Chair
Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics
Research Interests: A principal investigator on a five year Rapides Foundation grant to evaluate the level of success and ongoing progress of the CENLA Medication Access Program, a member of the Statistical Center of the Southeastern Cancer Study Group (SECSG) and a member of the biometry core of a Tulane SCOR in Occupational and Fibrotic Lung Disease.

Jiang He, MD
Joseph S. Copes Chair and Professor
Department of Epidemiology
Research Interests: Cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology; clinical trials; global health

Richard Oberhelman, MD
Professor and Chair
Department of Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences
Research Interests: Probiotic strategies for treatment and control of pediatric diarrhea in developing countries; pediatric tuberculosis in developing countries

Mark Diana, PhD
Associate Professor and Chair
Department of Global Health Management and Policy
Research Interests: Alternative and emerging health care delivery models, health information systems, organizational structure and outcomes primarily in hospitals and hospital systems

Maureen Lichtveld, MD
Freeport McMoRan Chair of Environmental Policy
Department of Environmental Health Sciences
Research Interests: Environmental health policy; community-based participatory health disparities research; disaster preparedness; health systems

Preston Marx, PhD
Professor and Chair
Department of Tropical Medicine
Research Interests: Simian models for AIDS pathogenesis, HIV vaccines, Strategies for preventing HIV transmission to women

Research & Labs

Faculty research at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine can be divided into the following cross-disciplinary fields of study: biostatistics and bioinformatics, community health, disaster studies, environmental health and toxicology, epidemiology, health systems, infectious diseases, operations research, social science and tropical diseases. These domains can be further divided into the categories and sub-categories listed on the research website.

The Faculty Research Map visualizes all of countries where Tulane faculty are active in research, teaching, and collaborative projects. The map was developed using ARCGis software which is commonly used in research mapping and other educational purposes. Each “pin” on the research map represents a faculty member’s research or teaching in that country. Clicking on a pin brings up a bubble providing faculty name and research interests, with a link to the professor’s profile.

Tuition & Other Financial Information

You may find financial information by clicking here.

Recognition & Awards

Ranked as the 12th best School of Public Health by U.S. News & World Report.

CEPH Accredited
ABET Accredited

School History

The study of public health in Louisiana began in the early 1800s, when New Orleans suffered from endemic malaria and almost yearly epidemics of cholera and yellow fever. Attempts to control tropical diseases led to the establishment of the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834, founded by a group of young practicing physicians. The founders issued a prospectus that emphasized the lack of knowledge of these diseases and the necessity to study them in the environment in which they occurred. In 1881, formal instruction in hygiene was offered for the first time.

The medical college became a department of the public University of Louisiana in 1847 when a law department was added. Less than twenty years later, the university was incorporated as a private institution, named in honor of benefactor Paul Tulane, who donated more than $1 million to endow the university.

Another gift to Tulane, this time $25,000 from businessman Samuel Zemurray, instituted the country’s first School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1912, laying the groundwork for today’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Although the school later merged with the College of Medicine in 1919, the school’s launch in 1912 was significant, and joined the movement to establish similar institutions around the world. It was hailed by academicians nationally and internationally as the first such school in the United States, where tropical diseases had had devastating effects, particularly in the South.

In 1947, the departments of tropical medicine and preventive medicine merged to establish the department of tropical medicine and public health within the medical school. Instruction at the graduate level expanded to a full academic year, with programs leading to the degrees of master of public health and master of public health and tropical medicine.

A doctoral program was approved in 1950, and the first doctorates in public health were awarded in 1953.

With public health and tropical medicine rapidly expanding, an administrative division of graduate public health was created in 1958, later re-designated as the Division of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1961. Programs leading to the degree of master of science in hygiene were added, providing preparation for a wide range of public health careers.

In 1967, the Division of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine officially became the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. The school is now organized into six departments: biostatistics and bioinformatics, global community health and behavioral sciences, global environmental health sciences, epidemiology, global health systems and development, and tropical medicine.

The school celebrated its centennial anniversary in November, 2012 with a weekend of alumni events, scientific panels and symposia, and a gala birthday party to mark the milestone. The centennial was also a great opportunity to raise funds for the endowed scholarships that will help defray tuition costs for the next 100 years of SPHTM students.

Other Information

While the website contains an abundance of information, we believe nothing can replace face-to-face contact and we encourage you to visit the school and New Orleans to see for yourself why Tulane’s unique learning environment provides the best start to a successful career in public health. Our staff would be happy to arrange for you to take a tour of the school and the surrounding area, and meet personally with our faculty and students. You are welcome to attend one of our regularly scheduled open houses, but we can also arrange for an individual visit to suit your particular schedule.

The admissions department hosts monthly open houses that allow you to tour the school, meet with faculty and students, and explore the New Orleans area. You are welcome to attend one of our regularly scheduled open houses, but we can also arrange for an individual visit to suit your particular schedule. Register for an open house or schedule a visit on our web site.