To continue to realize the power of education, we will focus on the following efforts:
Right-sizing our degree programs. Top priority will be given to developing strategies for accommodating a higher number of well-qualified students, while maintaining the excellence and relevance of our education. We will further develop our data analytics and predictive modeling to better understand the characteristics of students who apply and enroll in our programs (for both part-time and full-time programs) and use these analytics to make decisions on admissions and scholarships. Our goal is to optimize both selectivity (percent admitted of those applied) and yield (percent enrolled of those admitted), with a commitment to recruiting and supporting a diverse group of learners.
Navigating and leveraging the transition to a longer-term hybrid teaching model. We will determine the optimal long-term mix of online/in-person/hybrid programs in a way that provides flexibility and a high-quality educational experience to our learners, regardless of where they are located. We will meet the programmatic, technological, and faculty support requirements for enhancing online and hybrid teaching and learning. This will include opportunities for networking with fellow students and professors, which we expect will result in an increase in total enrollments in online (including part-time) programs and a more diverse student body.
Designing teaching and learning spaces planned as part of the new site development program to facilitate evolving and best-practice pedagogy, including the use of flexible furniture and robust technology systems that facilitate active and hybrid learning.
Marketing our programs to attract learners who are the right match. We will organize marketing around key themes including the importance of public health leadership; our leadership position among schools of public health; flexibility of options, including hybrid education; breadth and quality of online and hybrid offerings; and our commitment to inclusion, diversity, anti-racism, and equity.
Ensuring the academic success of our students. As part of a commitment to support a diverse group of learners from matriculation to graduation, we will invest in the support systems needed to ensure their academic success, including delivery of preterm prep courses, increased access to tutors, and resources designed to assist international students with navigating the transition to living in the U.S.
Ensuring that students graduate with an appropriate level of proficiency in the cross-cutting skills needed to be effective leaders. These include effective decision-making, negotiation, and change management; an appreciation for systems thinking for tackling complex problems; and the tools needed to be effective partners, communicators, and advocates. We will measure our success by tracking student self-ratings on core public health competencies in our exit survey.
Enhancing efforts at fundraising for scholarships for both master’s and doctoral programs. Utilizing three years of data, combined with the results of an internal and external review, we will spend the second half of fiscal year 2022 assessing and repositioning our fundraising efforts. We will collaborate closely with the expanded Marketing team, along with the 10 academic departments, to align communications and fundraising strategies.
Experimenting with scholarship strategies for departmental master’s programs, using our experience with expanding MPH scholarships as a guide.
Developing strategies to address affordability of our educational programs, particularly for students from low- and middle-income countries.
Executing on a strategy for offering alternatives to degree programs. We will further our efforts in developing certificates and micro-credentials in targeted areas of study, with the goal of building capacity and providing skills to communities that address highly specific needs.
Enhancing the University’s undergraduate Public Health Studies program. We will continue to work closely with the leadership of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the University to develop a strategy for managing the growth of the program to ensure a quality educational experience that is financially viable for both schools.
Exceeding accreditor standards. In the next two years, we will produce a self-study of the School that describes our efforts to enhance our curriculum in response to changes in guidance and accreditation standards from the Council on Education for Public Health. We also will prepare for a reaccreditation site visit during the 2023 calendar year.
