Norfolk State and Old Dominion Create School of Public Health

Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University, each located in Norfolk, Virginia, have established the Joint School of Public Health.

As the first of its kind in Virginia, the school offers students from both universities access to shared resources and academic opportunities. Notably, this makes Norfolk State only the second historically Black college or university (HBCU) in the country to house a school of public health.

Public health focuses on preventing disease, promoting health, and prolonging life through collective efforts by individuals, organizations, and society. By integrating this school within an HBCU, the program aims to encourage students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to pursue careers in health fields.

The Joint School of Public Health combines resources from Norfolk State University and the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Center at Old Dominion University (ODU), and will house two departments: the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health, and the Department of Health Behavior, Policy, and Management.

Courses are offered on these subjects as well as occupational health and health promotion. Between the two campuses, the school offers three bachelor’s degree programs, two master’s degree programs, and one PhD program that aim to address global issues such as climate change, clean water access, and food insecurity.

The academic programs include a PhD in health services research, master of health administration (MHA), master of public health (MPH), and graduate certificates in health care management, applied data science, epidemiology, or global health.

The PhD in health services research enhances the “critical skills necessary to integrate knowledge and competencies applicable to public health and health services questions and problems,” according to the ODU website. The MHA and MPH programs includes collaborative research and community practice led by faculty with industry expertise. The graduate certificates are available concurrently with degree programs and also for working professionals looking to advance their skills and career opportunities.

Li-Wu Chen, PhD, founding dean of the Joint School of Public Health, noted in a statement, “Our integrated resources in the Joint School of Public Health give students and faculty myriad opportunities that would not be available to just one institution. Whether pursuing a graduate or undergraduate degree, receiving a certificate in public health studies, or engaging in community outreach through your practicum and hands-on service opportunities, we welcome all students who seek to further their education in public health.”

Students are encouraged to gain practical experience through community internships, preparing them for roles as environmental health specialists, industrial hygienists, infection control professionals, and occupational safety specialists. Through fostering academic excellence in these public health fields, the new school is equipped to prepare the next generation of health care professionals for successful careers.