UW-Milwaukee: Zilber School of Public Health adding 3 new tracks to masters-degree program

Contact:
Kathy Quirk
414-229-3144
kquirk@uwm.edu

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health is adding three new tracks to its masters-degree program offerings.

New masters-level tracks in biostatistics, epidemiology, and public health policy and administration are now accepting applications for the fall 2014 term.

The biostatistics track builds on classic public health biostatistics skills and knowledge to take advantage of faculty expertise in the areas of genetics, bioinformatics and “big data” science. Big data science refers to collection and analysis of huge data sets for scientific research. Academic work, for example, will look at such topics as personalized medicine and evidence-based medicine in the context of public health.

The epidemiology track will focus on developing graduates’ expertise in evidence-based public health practice. The program will have a unique emphasis on the application of epidemiologic theory and methods for promoting social justice and health equity. Academic work, for example, will look at how exposures to environmental toxins in pregnancy or the first years of life may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.

The public health policy and administration (PHPA) track will focus on approaches to public health policy and administration that promote health equity. Academic work, for example, will look at policies that impact chronic disease prevention, maternal and child health, environmentally sustainable diets and tobacco use.

“A Master of Public Health [MPH] degree with five core tracks completes the comprehensive foundation for professional education at Wisconsin’s first school of public health at UWM,” says Magda Peck, founding dean of the Zilber School of Public Health.

“Welcoming students into expanded MPH programs this fall is an important milestone in preparing the next generation of leaders for the public’s health in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and beyond.”

For more information, go to http://www4.uwm.edu/publichealth/.

About the Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health: The Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, established in 2009, currently offers a master’s degree in public health with tracks in environmental health sciences and community and behavioral health promotion, as well as doctorates in public health with a concentration in Community and Behavioral Health Promotion and Environmental and Occupational Health.

About UWM: As Wisconsin’s premier public urban institution, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee enjoys a growing national reputation for excellence in research, teaching and community engagement. On an operating budget of $680 million, it educates nearly 28,000 students and is an engine of innovation for Southeastern Wisconsin. The 104-acre main campus and satellite sites are located in the economic and cultural heart of the state. The university’s recent expansion includes new academic and research facilities, and the creation of the Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health and the only School of Freshwater Sciences in the United States.