The Bachelor of Science degree in public health offered by the Public Health Department at SUNY Old Westbury achieved a seven-year re-accreditation, through 2031.
The Council on Education for Public Health, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, re-accredited the school. This marks the first accreditation renewal since the program was initially approved in 2019.
“We’re thrilled to have earned this reaccreditation of our program, reinforcing our role as a leader in undergraduate public health education on Long Island and in the greater New York metropolitan area,” Sarah Smith, chair of the public health department, said in a press release. “Our students have meaningful, applied educational experiences in this program, which lead to jobs wherein they can be public health advocates and leaders in their communities.
The reaccreditation process required Public Health and the University to conduct a thorough self-study, starting in 2022, with the collaboration of faculty, staff, students and community partners. In April 2024, a CEPH team visited the campus to review the report and meet with various stakeholders.
“Our current students and nearly 1,000 graduates already know about the high quality of this program,” Provost David J. Lanoue, said in a press release. “Having a prestigious organization like CEPH agree is a testament to the excellence of our program and its faculty.”
Serving about 160 majors, the degree in Public Health enables students to understand the underlying social determinants of health. Students learn how to critically assess and address factors that contribute to the health of populations, integrating real-world experience with coursework and learning skills to improve the public’s health at individual, interpersonal, community and policy levels.
The program prepares graduates who go on to careers and graduate training in a broad array of health fields including health program planning and evaluation, epidemiology, health policy, health education, environmental and occupational health, health administration, social work, allied health professions and more.
