The Department of Public Health Sciences was originally founded as the Department of Health Behavior and Administration on July 1, 2002 as part of the transformed College of Health and Human Services. The new Department was conceived in response to recommendations derived from UNC Charlotte's Health Commission report (2000) as well as a variety of initiatives placing emphasis on population health and health behavior research. In May 2007 the Department was renamed to Public Health Sciences to better reflect the unit's larger-scale set of current and planned research programs, degree offerings, and service activities that are that are relevant to contemporary public health.
The Department favors the development and implementation of collaborative academic programs and interdisciplinary scholarship. Faculty in the Department of Public Health Sciences are engaged in research programs funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kate B Reynolds Charitable Trust, and other state agencies and private foundations. Faculty research programs focus on individual and population health including: the prevention and management of disease across the lifespan; the health status of diverse, urban communities; and population health and health care analytics.
The Department of Public Health Sciences is committed to academic excellence. The Master of Health Administration degree program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). Our public health baccalaureate and master's degree programs are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The Department is a member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration; and the College of Health and Human Services is an affiliate member of AcademyHealth.
The Department supports the University’s core values encouraging diversity and equal educational and employment opportunities throughout the University community. These values are evident in the University’s non-discrimination policies, the Council on University Community, and the Multicultural Resource Center.
