Augusta University School of Public Health: A Unique Approach to Public Health Training
The Augusta University School of Public Health takes a groundbreaking approach to population health improvement. We leverage the strengths of Georgia's only public academic medical center, combining public health expertise with clinical knowledge to train future public health leaders.
Our mission is to address Georgia's distinct public health challenges through exceptional education, innovative research, and collaborative community engagement. We offer a variety of degree programs, from specialized master's options to doctoral programs fostering groundbreaking research.
Welcome to the Augusta University School of Public Health! I am so excited to join Augusta University and get to work.
With several schools of public health in Georgia already, you may be wondering how the School of Public Health at Augusta University will be different. As with other schools across the country, we care deeply about our community's well-being, and we want to train the next generation of professionals to address the state’s public health problems.
But Augusta University has the distinction of being the only public academic medical center in Georgia, including colleges of medicine, nursing, dentistry, and allied health. Offering those clinicians the opportunity to blend public health training and approaches with their clinical expertise will significantly boost AU’s impact on the health of individuals and communities across Georgia and beyond.
Our new School of Public Health will build on and amplify the great work that has already been happening across the university in various colleges and educational programs. By putting everyone under one roof, we can bring together students, faculty, and staff who have a deep knowledge of and commitment to Georgia’s diverse communities. The synergies created by combining this outstanding talent in a single school will allow us to meaningfully address the distinct public health challenges faced in this state. I am thrilled to join AU to meet these challenges.
At Augusta University’s School of Public Health, there are multiple pathways for students aiming to become leaders in public health. We offer a range of degree options, from master's programs that delve into specialized areas to doctoral programs that will foster groundbreaking research.
But our vision goes beyond the walls of our classrooms. We believe in rolling up our sleeves and getting out there. We're all about community engagement. That means working with local organizations, partnering with public health heroes, and finding real solutions that make a real impact.
I'm thrilled to be leading this school, and I promise you, we're going to have a great time shaping its future. We want to create an environment where our students, faculty and community partners can learn together, solve problems together, and form lifelong relationships.
So, whether you're already a part of the Augusta University family or thinking about joining us – I'm sending you a warm invitation! Let's take advantage of our unique place among universities in Georgia to be a partner for positive change in our communities, across the state and beyond our borders. At Augusta University’s School of Public Health, we have an opportunity “like no other” to improve the health of Georgia.
Teresa Waters, PhD
Dean, School of Public Health
The mission of Augusta University’s School of Public Health is to improve population health, promote individual well-being, and support all in achieving their maximum health potential through our commitment to education, research, service, and community engagement.
We intend to accomplish our mission with the following strategies:
Educate the next generation of public health professionals using evidence-based teaching best practices.
Advance knowledge in public health through interdisciplinary research and scholarship.
Establish and foster community partnerships that encourage the identification of priorities and implementation of programs designed to improve public health.
Expand the public health workforce in rural and/or underserved communities.
The School of Public Health celebrated its sweet beginning with an ice cream social on the Summerville Campus this spring. The school is now home to the Institute of Public and Preventive Health (IPPH), the Center for Rural Health and the Center for Bioethics & Health Policy at Augusta University.
Our new School of Public Health builds upon a rich legacy of public health research, teaching, and service at Augusta University. The school is unifying related programs across the institution, and adding coherence and synergies to public health research, scholarship, and community engagement, while preparing the next generation of public health professionals, scholars, and leaders.
Since 2005, Augusta University’s MPH program has prepared graduates to improve the delivery of health services, prevent disease, and promote the health of populations. Coursework is primarily online while a capstone project provides hands-on internship opportunities. Working professionals can complete the MPH in two years, with part-time options available. Our MPH program has been fully accredited by the Council on Public Health Education (CEPH) since 2009. Initially a collaboration between the College of Allied Health Sciences and The Graduate School, the program is now housed in the School of Public Health.
Since 2012, the Institute of Public and Preventive Health (IPPH) has worked to improve health, reduce health disparities, and prevent injuries and illnesses in Georgia through research, service, leadership, and training. Current IPPH research focuses on five areas: behavioral health and substance use disorders; child/adolescent development; health policy as it relates to social determinants of health; rural health; and population-based interventions. IPPH now serves as the research arm of the new School of Public Health.
The Department of Population Health Sciences at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University was established in 2017 to strengthen the public medical school’s impact on the health of Georgia. The department’s mission was to understand, preserve and improve the health of human populations through research, training, and community engagement, especially focusing on the health of Georgians. The department included three divisions, Biostatistics and Data Science, Epidemiology, and Health Economics and Policy; these faculty and students are now part of the School of Public Health.
The College of Allied Health Sciences’ research-based PhD in Applied Health Sciences was originally designed for clinicians seeking to advance the discovery, dissemination, and application of new knowledge in the health sciences to address pressing health care challenges. The faculty and students associated with this program are now housed in the new School of Public Health.
In 2021, Provost Neil MacKinnon commissioned a feasibility study to explore the creation of a School of Public Health at Augusta University. Internal and external experts and stakeholders were engaged to review current public health infrastructure in light of current Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) school of public health accreditation requirements. In 2022, President Brooks Keel approved the formation of the Augusta University School of Public Health. Under the office of Institutional Effectiveness and the Executive Leadership of Provost MacKinnon and Vice Provost Zach Kelehear, an extensive, stakeholder-driven planning process was launched. In April 2023, Dr. Teresa Waters was selected to serve as the inaugural dean of the new school. The Augusta University School of Public Health became a reality on August 1, 2023.
In March 2024, CEPH officially accepted the Augusta University’s initial application submission (IAS) to transition from an accredited MPH program to a School of Public Health. Acceptance of the IAS has launched a 24-month self-study period, to be completed no later than March 1, 2026. This will be followed by an accreditation site visit in the fall of 2026, and, if all goes according to plan, full accreditation in the spring of 2027.
