MEMORANDUM

July 24, 2002

TO: Bob Burton, Assistant Vice Provost

Academic Affairs

FROM: Anna Harding, Chair

Public Health

RE: Proposed Elimination of Graduate program, M.S. in Health and Safety Administration

The Department of Public Health proposes to eliminate the graduate program,

M.S. in Health and Safety Administration, effective winter 2003, or as soon as possible after approval. The program offers two distinct concentrations, one in health care administration, and the other in occupational safety. A third concentration in health promotion and education was eliminated several years ago. At the time the Health and Safety degree was established around 1986, it filled a unique niche, as there were no M.S. degrees in these areas offered in our department. Since that time, and as other areas of the curriculum changed, students in occupational safety showed interest in the M.S. in Environmental Health Management (with an occupational safety concentration), and students interested in health care management issues enrolled in the newly developed and accredited MPH program (with a concentration in health policy and management). Thus, because coursework in these two concentrations is offered in other viable graduate programs, elimination of the degree will streamline and eliminate duplication of graduate offerings in the department. The courses offered in the M.S. in Health and Safety Administration are not being eliminated, so current students will be able to complete their degrees without interruption or delay.

Other graduate programs in the department will easily be able to absorb new students who are interested in either health care administration or occupational safety. Those interested in a concentration in health care administration may choose from the MPH (concentration in health policy and management) or the M.S. in Public Health. Students interested in the concentration in occupational safety may enroll in the M.S. in Environmental Health Management program (with concentration in occupational safety). In addition, we are also seeking to rename the M.S. in Environmental Health Management degree to M.S. in Environmental Health and Occupational Safety Management (see accompanying Abbreviated Category I proposal) to more accurately reflect the concentrations in environmental health and occupational safety offered by this degree.