Zilber School of Public Health entrance

The mission of the Joseph J. Zilber College of Public Health is to advance population health, health equity, and social and environmental justice among diverse communities in Milwaukee, the state of Wisconsin, and beyond through education, research, community engagement, and advocacy for health-promoting policies and strategies.

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CEPH Accreditation

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Joseph J. Zilber College of Public Health attained national accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in 2017, making the Zilber College the only accredited college of public health in Wisconsin. The Zilber College was re-accredited for a seven-year term in 2022.  

Accreditation by CEPH is a very rigorous process in which peer institutions judge whether an applicant has met standards in more than 40 areas, including curriculum, research, community engagement, faculty and student recruitment, and retention.

What is the Council on Education for Public Health?

The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is an independent, nonprofit organization that accredits public health colleges and programs. Programs and colleges awarded accreditation meet criteria established by CEPH to ensure students are prepared to work in their chosen field. Once a college or program is CEPH-accredited, it becomes a member of ASPPH.

What is the difference between a CEPH-accredited school and program?

CEPH accredits both colleges of public health and Master of Public Health (MPH) programs. Colleges of public health are required to offer MPH tracks in at least three of the areas of public health (Biostatistics, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion, Epidemiology, Environmental Health Sciences, and Public Health Policy), while programs are only required to offer a single MPH degree.

In addition, colleges of public health offer doctoral programs in at least two areas of public health. The Joseph J. Zilber College of Public Health is the first CEPH-accredited college of public health in the state of Wisconsin.

What is the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health? 

The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) is a national organization representing accredited public health schools and programs. ASPPH promotes efforts to improve the public’s health through education, research, and policy.

What is the National Board of Public Health Examiners? Will I be able to take the Certified in Public Health exam?

The National Board of Public Health Examiners offers the Certified in Public Health credential. The voluntary certification, administered in exam form, demonstrates that an individual has mastered the core competencies of public health. Individuals who graduate from an accredited school or college of public health, or graduated after the school or college becomes an applicant for accreditation, are eligible to take the exam.

In addition, an individual who has a “bachelor’s degree and at least five subsequent years of public health work experience” may also take the exam. More information about this eligibility category is available at the NBPHE web site.

Vision, Mission, Values & Goals

Advancing population health, health equity, and social and environmental justice.

Zilber School of Public Health aerial photo
What Is Public Health?

Our Vision

A just, equitable, healthy future for people, communities, and the environment in Milwaukee, the state of Wisconsin, and beyond.

Our Mission

The mission of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Joseph J. Zilber College of Public Health is to advance population health, health equity, and social and environmental justice among diverse communities in Milwaukee, the state of Wisconsin, and beyond through education, research, community engagement, and advocacy for health-promoting policies and strategies.

Our Values Statement

We, the faculty, administration, staff, and Students of the Joseph J. Zilber College of Public Health, accept and adopt the core values of the University of Wisconsin — Milwaukee.

We are also committed to carrying out the following values in our individual and collective public health research, teaching, community engagement, and practice:

  • Integrity — We cultivate and sustain trust through transparent, open, and honest communications and decision-making. We uphold standards of public health ethics* in all that we do.
  • Accountability — We hold ourselves and each other responsible to the highest quality, excellence, and measurable impact in our work.
  • Collaboration — We emphasize and support collaborative, interdependent, mutually-respectful engagement and relationships within our college, across our campus, and with our communities.
  • Diversity and Inclusion — We welcome, support, include, encourage, and respect diverse voices, experiences, perspectives, disciplines, and approaches in our work together.
  • Health Equity — We strive to eliminate health inequities through research, teaching,  community engagement, and advocacy.
  • Social and Environmental Justice — We maintain an unwavering commitment to social and environmental justice, focusing our work on the fundamental, underlying requirements for healthy communities by addressing individual, structural, and institutional barriers to health.

*For example:  Thomas JC, Sage M, Dillenberg J, Guillory VJ. A code of ethics for public health. Am J Public Health. 2002;92(7):1057—1059 OR the Public Health Leadership Society’s Public Health Code of Ethics.

Our Goals

  • Education Goal E1 — Educate current and future public health professionals in the science, practice, critical thinking, and leadership skills necessary to promote population health and reduce health inequities.
  • Education Goal E2 — Collaborate with diverse community partners through mutual learning to increase knowledge in order to improve population health and reduce health inequities.
  • Research Goal R1 — Conduct relevant, rigorous and collaborative research that advances public health knowledge and promotes population health and health equity.
  • Research Goal R2 — Disseminate and translate research findings to influence the development of health- and equity-promoting policies and strategies.
  • Community Engagement/ Service Goal CE/S1 — Engage with public health practitioners, policy stakeholders, and community partners through a variety of approaches to improve population health and health equity.
  • Organization Goal O1 — Attract, support, and sustain a diverse student, faculty, and staff community to ensure an inclusive and collaborative work environment.
  • Organization Goal O2 — Invest in people, resources, and infrastructure to foster excellence and advance the mission of the Joseph J. Zilber College of Public Health.

Contact

Downtown Campus
1240 N. 10th St.
Milwaukee, WI 53205

Kenwood Campus/Undergraduate Advising
Kennwood Interdisciplinary Research Complex
Room 5090
3135 N. Maryland Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53211

Mailing Address
Joseph J. Zilber College of Public Health
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
P.O. Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53205

Email: zcph-info@uwm.edu
General information, building & events inquiries: 414-227-3001
Zilber College admissions & advising: 414-229-2758

Faculty and Staff Directory