The mission of the GPHP is to prepare the next generation of diverse leadership through research, innovation, advocacy, and community engagement. Read more
Welcome Message
Welcome to the Department of Graduate Public Health in the College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) at Tuskegee University. Our department currently offers a Master of Public Health (MPH) accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Tuskegee University’s Public Health Program is unique in its mission to prepare the next generation of diverse leadership through research, innovation, advocacy, and community engagement. The program is uniquely positioned.
Since the Graduate Public Health Program (GPHP) accepted its first cohort in August 2011, our world-class faculty has worked diligently to meet the urgent need for more public health professionals nationally and internationally, given the numerous public health concerns that continuously arise due to communicable and non-communicable diseases, health conditions and co-morbidities, environmental challenges, and disaster threats.
Torhonda C. Lee, Ph.D. currently serves as the Head of the Department of Graduate Public Health in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Tuskegee University. She earned a Ph.D. in Health Education and Health Promotion from the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) and earned a B.A. in Psychology and M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling both from Auburn University. The core values of the DGPH - Ethical Leadership, Integrity, Excellence, Diversity, and “telling our stories”- also reflect Dr. Lee’s community engagement and research philosophy. Read more on Dr. Lee’s Bio (click here).
Crystal James, JD, MPH, served as the first head of the department. Attorney James’ efforts and leadership as the department head for several years helped advanced the program to a department status first and then onward to achieve its accreditation status after the completion a rigorous self-study and site visit.
The Department is involved in several funded projects that are led by DGPH faculty. Recent projects include a Cervical Cancer Awareness Program, directed by Dr. Ehsan Abdalla which provides health education interventions in Black Belt counties of Alabama as well as collect data around awareness and treatment availability. This project is critical in the State of Alabama where cervical cancer mortality rates for Black Women lead the nation. The DGPH therefore offers opportunities to students who desire to pursue a traditional public health career and/or enhance their translational research capacity as they matriculate into the other terminal or professional degree programs.
Each graduate receives public health training through research application, thesis preparation, and a wide exposure to applied practical experiences (APEx). Public health ethics guides the development of competencies and public health skills for synthesis, integration, public health application guided by the three (3) core functions and the ten (10) essential services of public Health.
We therefore welcome all eligible applicants to apply to our program following our admissions requirements. To learn more, please visit the link at: Public Health Course Requirement
Council on Education for Public Health
The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is an independent agency responsible for accrediting schools and programs in public health. CEPH accreditation sets a standard by which all accredited schools and programs of public health work to enhance health in human populations, through organized community effort. Accreditation by CEPH means that we have rigorously evaluated the quality and content of our instruction, research, and services programs and have successfully met CEPH’s published criteria—and that’s important to us.
DGPH completed a rigorous self-study process that involved a systematic and rigorous evaluation of the quality and content of our instruction, research, and service programs. This process was guided by the CEPH criteria and involved multiple stakeholders. A self-study committee comprised of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners was formed to ensure broad representation in the self-assessment process. Supporting this committee was a three-member internal steering committee (Dean Ruby Perry, Dr. Rueben Warren, Atty. Crystal James), a four-member subcommittee of the external advisory committee {Dr. Bailus Walker (deceased), Dr. Maleeka Glover, Dr. Kimberly Taylor, Dr. Lucenia Dunn, and Dr. Pamela Payne-Foster} that was responsible for synthesizing feedback into one final self-study report that we submitted to CEPH in November 2021. This process culminated in the CEPH accreditation site visit in December 2021. Upon review of our self-study, CEPH notified President Morris that the Tuskegee University Master of Public Health Program was reviewed by the CEPH Board of Councilors which acted at its June 1-3, 2022 meeting to approve full accreditation for a five-year accreditation period.
Available for review is the recent accreditation self-study documents and the CEPH site visit report below.
Torhonda C. Lee, Ph.D., MCHES® Associate Professor | Public Health Program| Director and Head | Department of Graduate Public Health | College of Veterinary MedicineTuskegee University| Phone: 334.727.8966 E-mail: tlee2@tuskegee.edu |
MPH Student Spotlights
Alexis Smith graduated in 2024 with her research on Environmental Risk Factors Associated with Cryptosporidium Exposure in Alabama and is currently pursuing a PhD in Interdisciplinary Pathobiology at Tuskegee University.Tuskegee University Graduate Public Health Program Receives Full Accreditation