A graduate certificate program is considered a step between the baccalaureate and master's or doctoral degrees. The School of Public Health was established by the South Carolina legislature in 1974, and the first class was admitted in July 1975. The school currently has 72 faculty members from across the United States dedicated to teaching, research, and community service in various health fields. The current graduate student enrollment is about 550. The broad mission of the school is to enhance the health of human populations through education, research and community service.
Education refers to both public health professionals and to the population in general.
Community service covers a wide range of activities and involves the participation of school faculty, other professionals, and students. Within this multifaceted context, the core mission of the school is to produce public health professionals who are of value to the public, their profession, and themselves and to do this with as high a level of excellence as possible. The formal education effort is aimed equally at students with no previous professional experience in public health and at practicing professionals in the field. This home page updated 7 September 2000. Site design by Brooke Stillwell, Distance Education and Instructional Services .