An update on undergraduate public health studies: Research findings from the Educated Citizen and Public Health initiative

As undergraduate public health studies emerge across the country, the Educated Citizen and Public Health (ECPH) initiative, based at the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), remains an active participant-observer. Since its launch in 2007, ECPH, in collaboration with numerous partners, has conducted research to provide insight into the scope of this movement. Quantitative and qualitative data have been gathered to assess the extent of undergraduate public health studies programs, describe instructional and curricular variability within such programs, gauge interest among colleges in establishing public health programs, and identify obstacles preventing program adoption. Research strategies included scanning and analyzing catalogs of undergraduate program offerings, convening focus groups of faculty and administrators, and administering a survey among AAC&U member chief academic officers. Building upon the collected research findings, a series of case studies will be prepared in early 2011, in conjunction with the Healthy People Curriculum Task Force's Successful Practices Initiative, to describe factors that assist and/or hinder establishment of public health programs in 2-year and 4-year institutions and to illustrate successful approaches taken in the development and implementation of the programs. This presentation will highlight lessons from the field to assist efforts aimed at addressing the Healthy People 2020 objectives to increase the proportion of 2-year and 4-year institutions which offer undergraduate public health programs. The resulting information will guide the integration of public health programs on undergraduate campuses in the form of degrees and certificates within 2-year colleges, and majors, minors and concentrations within 4-year colleges and universities.