College of Public Health

The College of Public Health is a global leader in the discovery, dissemination and integration of health-related research and practice. We prepare future generations of professionals through an intellectual environment that incorporates interdisciplinary collaboration, critical thinking and innovation to instill a commitment to ethical practice and lifelong learning. Exemplary research, teaching and service are informed by our engagement with professional and community, regional, national and global partners.

The College of Public Health engages in exciting, innovative research and supports talented, committed researchers. Investigations focus on medical interventions, social and behavioral inquiries, and animal and basic science. Inquiries are frequently interdisciplinary, crossing departmental and collegial lines, and draw on resources from across the University. The college's research mission entails:

  • increasing faculty productivity in grants and published research;
  • encouraging faculty to seek research funds creatively from such non-governmental sources as corporations and foundations;
  • promoting collaborative research;
  • developing a research infrastructure supported by best practices and outstanding staff;
  • creating students' awareness of faculty research and opportunities for research assistantships;
  • providing research opportunities for students; and
  • ensuring sufficient support to train faculty, students, administrators and staff in the uses of new technologies.

The College of Public Health is also committed to excellence in fieldwork and clinical education. We believe that academic preparation must be complemented with a well-designed and mentored real-world experience that transforms classroom and laboratory learning into a dynamic, field-based demonstration of professional attitudes, skills and abilities. Our students benefit from the college’s location in a metropolitan area filled with diverse and highly regarded healthcare, human services and other non-medical agencies promoting health of individuals and communities. Our network of partnering agencies includes top-rated hospitals and rehabilitation centers, wellness clinics, state and federal government agencies, public and private schools, community health and human services agencies, research centers and private practice offices. Field/clinical education can also begin on campus at clinics and research centers operated by departments in the College of Public Health, through placements with intercollegiate athletics, and at Temple University Hospital. To learn more about the integral role of clinical and field education in the College of Public Health, click to explore your area of interest:

As noted, graduate students in many of the College of Public Health's degree programs engage in required clinical/field education experiences at facilities both on and off the University's campuses. Many of these placements may require the student to have personal health insurance. Additionally, many require a criminal background check, Act 33/34 clearances, and perhaps a drug screen. Failure to maintain personal health insurance or the results of background clearances may limit and potentially eliminate placement options for students. This, in turn, can result in an inability to meet graduation requirements. The college cannot ensure clinical field placements if a student fails to meet the requirements or maintain health insurance. Additionally, conviction of a misdemeanor, felony, or felonious or illegal act may prevent a student from becoming credentialed and/or licensed to practice in certain professions. Applicants are encouraged to review the requirements for the particular program in which they are interested, as well as the licensure/credentialing rules in the state(s) in which they are interested in working to review their eligibility.

In Fall 2015, the College of Public Health introduced a common College Core course requirement for all incoming graduate students. The course, HRPR 5001 Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions, is completely online and designed such that students can complete the modules at their own pace over the course of their degree program. Tuition is not charged for the course since it carries no credit. However, it is a required pass/fail course, and students will not be eligible for graduation unless the course is completed. The course requires graduate students to complete a set of six learning modules that address core elements of health, including guiding principles, practices and guidelines. Students then have the option to select an additional six modules from a menu of modules. Each module includes a video presentation, PowerPoint slides, additional resources and a short quiz. A minimum grade of 80% on each module is required to pass the course. Program directors and faculty advisors work closely with students to explain the modules, discuss appropriate timing for their completion, and monitor progress toward completion before graduation.

Beginning in Fall 2020, all incoming students in the College of Public Health are required to have a laptop. Academic programs in the college are technology intensive. They incorporate statistical and database analyses; utilize specialized tools for athletic training, kinesiology and physical therapy; stream audio and video for communication sciences; facilitate online interactive counseling for social work; and foster clinical experiences and online assessments. The laptop requirement enables the College of Public Health to improve opportunities for active learning and provide greater access to specialized software and required tools in and out of the classroom, better preparing students for the workforce. Learn more about device specifications and suggested vendors. Students can use excess financial aid (i.e., funds that are reimbursed after all tuition and fees are paid) to meet student needs, including the purchase of a laptop. Scholarships may also provide funding.

Ultimately, the goal of our diverse population of students and highly recognized faculty is to enhance the quality of life for all.

Graduate Programs and Certificates

Graduate Faculty

William Aaronson III, Associate Professor, Department of Health Services Administration and Policy, College of Public Health; PhD, Temple University.

Sarah Bauerle Bass, Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, Temple University.

Lisa M. Bedore, Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health; PhD, Purdue University.

Bradley N. Collins, Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, State University of New York at Binghamton.

Melissa Dichter, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Pennsylvania.

Levent Dumenci, Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health; PhD, Iowa State University.

Jennifer Orlet Fisher, Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, The Pennsylvania State University.

Heather M. Gardiner, Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, State University of New York at Buffalo.

Matthew Hall, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health; PhD, University of California San Diego.

Inkyu Han, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health; PhD, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Chantelle Hart, Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, Case Western Reserve University.

Elizabeth Heller Murray, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health; PhD, Boston University.

Shivayogi V. Hiremath, Associate Professor, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Pittsburgh.

Ilene L. Hollin, Assistant Professor, Department of Health Services Administration and Policy, College of Public Health; PhD, Johns Hopkins University.

Cheryl A. Hyde, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Michigan.

Jennifer K. Ibrahim, Professor, Department of Health Services Administration and Policy, College of Public Health; PhD, University of California Berkeley.

Laura Johnson, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, College of Public Health; PhD, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Resa M. Jones, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Minnesota.

Julia Kobulsky, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, College of Public Health; PhD, Case Western Reserve University.

Erin R. Kulick, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health; PhD, Columbia University.

Stephen J. Lepore, Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, University of California Irvine.

Edwin Maas, Associate Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health; PhD, San Diego State University.

Nadine Martin, Laura H. Carnell Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health; PhD, Temple University.

Philip McCallion, Professor, Department of Social Work, College of Public Health; PhD, University at Albany, State University of New York.

Bryan P. McCormick, Professor, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, Clemson University.

Gabriella M. McLoughlin, Assistant Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Elizabeth A. Pfeiffer, Associate Professor, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, Nova Southeastern University.

James J. Reilly, Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Pennsylvania.

Nancy L. Rothman, Professor Emerita, Department of Nursing, College of Public Health; EdD, Temple University.

Mark Salzer, Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

David B. Sarwer, Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, Loyola University Chicago.

Krista Schroeder, Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, College of Public Health; PhD, Columbia University.

Brittany Schuler, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Maryland Baltimore.

Jing Shen, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health; PhD, University of California San Diego.

Laura Siminoff, Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, Johns Hopkins University.

Gretchen A. Snethen, Associate Professor, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, Indiana University.

Gabriel Tajeu, Associate Professor, Department of Health Services Administration and Policy, College of Public Health; DrPH, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Elizabeth Thomas, Assistant Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Christopher Thompson, Associate Professor, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Illinois.

Gina Tripicchio, Assistant Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Elizabeth Van Nostrand, Associate Professor, Department of Health Services Administration and Policy, College of Public Health; JD, Tulane University.

Carolina Villamil Grest, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Southern California.

Christopher Wheldon, Assistant Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, University of South Florida.

Robin T. Wilson, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Iowa.

W. Geoffrey Wright, Professor, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, Brandeis University.

Huanmei Wu, Professor, Department of Health Services Administration and Policy, College of Public Health; PhD, Northeastern University.

Recai Yucel, Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health; PhD, The Pennsylvania State University.

Yaara Zisman-Ilani, Assistant Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health; PhD, University of Haifa.