NEHA Green Book

ACCREDITATION OF SCHOOLS

The National Accreditation Council for Environmental Health Curricula, established as the outgrowth of a series of national conferences that defined the educational needs for environmental health professionals, first met in St. Paul, Minnesota in April, 1967 to develop guidelines for accreditation of undergraduate curricula in environmental health. A model Environmental Health Curriculum developed by the Council provides for technical training in the areas of solid waste, accident prevention, recreational environment, radiological health, and occupational health and safety - in addition to the fundamental areas of air, water, food, and shelter. The technical studies are to be preceded by studies in the sciences, including chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics and social sciences and humanities including sociology, psychology, political science, English composition and speech. Integrated with the technical studies are the public health foundation courses of epidemiology and biostatistics and toxicology. The recommended undergraduate curriculum has undergone a number of revisions since 1967. The Council has also developed guidelines for the accreditation of associate degree and graduate programs. The Council charter, approved by the Board of Directors of NAS in 1969, was subse quently amended in 1973 and 1979. The charter states that the Council shall establish a system of accreditation of environmental health curricula and accredit academic pro grams leading to degrees in environmental health. The charter further states that the officers of the Council shall consist of the General Chairman and a Chairman for each section corresponding to associate, baccalaureate and graduate degree programs. Pro fessor Jack Hatlen (University of Washington) was elected as the first General Chair man in 1967 and served until 1978. Others who served as Chairman include: Dr. Tren ton G. Davis (East Carolina University), 1978-82; Dr. Eldon P. Savage (Colorado State University), 1982-86; and Professor James Lucas (Wright State University), 1986-. The Council membership consists of persons from universities with programs in environmental health and from agencies employing environmental health personnel. In 1979, the number of Council members was increased from 20 to 21 when a proposal was approved to include two public representatives and one environmental health student on the Council. The baccalaureate program at East Tennessee State University was the first program to be accredited by the Council in 1969. Twenty-three other baccalaureate programs have been accredited: University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1970); Washington State University (1971); Ferris State College, Michigan (1972); California State University, Northridge (1973); Colorado State University (1973); East Carolina University (1974); East Central Oklahoma State University (1975); Indiana State University (1975); Univer sity of Wisconsin, Eau Claire (1975); Hunter College, New York (1976); University of Washington (1976); Oregon State University (1976); Cleveland State University (1976); Wright State University, Ohio (1977); Illinois State University (1977); California State University, Fresno (1978); Mississippi Valley State University (1979); Montana State University (1979); Boise State University, Idaho (1982); Brigham Young Univer sity, Utah (1982); Old Dominion University, Virginia (1982); University of Georgia (1983); and Western Carolina University (1984). Cleveland State University was removed from the listing of accredited programs in 1978 and Washington State Univer sity and Hunter College were removed from the listing in 1982 due to termination of the programs by the institutions. There are an estimated 20 additional programs that have not sought accreditation. Most of these are small programs graduating 1-5 students per year.