Winston-Salem State University has announced two new degree programs in public health, pending final accreditation approval, with the first expected to begin in the fall 2026 semester within its School of Health Sciences.

WSSU will offer a Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree as well as a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management as the concentration. The master’s degree will be the first offered by a historically Black college or university (HBCU) in North Carolina.

“We’re very proud to be the first,” WSSU Provost Dr. Stevie L. Lawrence II said. “This gives us the chance to expand the great opportunities already in existence in the School of Health Sciences.”

Assistant Professor Jessica Goodman, an experienced public health educator, will serve as the interim chair of the public health department.

Lawrence said WSSU will hire two additional faculty members to start in the fall semester with other new faculty expected in the next year. WSSU will use existing state funds to create the program, which is necessary within the University of North Carolina System.

“There is a growing need for public health education that is forecast to continue for several years,” Lawrence said. “Winston-Salem State has a long history of producing productive healthcare professionals and already has established a focused niche in the Health Science space.”

Other institutions in the UNC System with public health programs are: Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Charlotte (2) and UNC Greensboro.

Though WSSU recently expanded online bachelor’s programs in Psychology, Interdisciplinary Studies and Business Administration (Management Concentration), Lawrence said the Public Health degrees were the first new on-campus options in several years.

Lawrence, initially charged with establishing a master’s program in health science when he took over as provost in May 2025, said he saw the need for an undergraduate program as he studied the issue.

Approved by the UNC Board of Governors and awaiting a final response likely this summer from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the public health degree programs are “Inspiring Academics,” a priority listed by Chancellor Bonita J. Brown in WSSU’s recently released “We are Rising” strategic plan.

With more than 1,500 students, the School of Health Sciences is one of the largest at WSSU. The School’s Master of Healthcare Administration program was named No. 5 in the nation by EduMed.org based on quality, accessibility, affordability and commitment to student success. 

Lawrence said about 70 current WSSU students are minoring in Public Health. WSSU’s undergraduate program should not only provide a pipeline for WSSU students into the master’s program but would be a natural draw for public health bachelor’s degree recipients at in-state HBCUs such as Fayetteville State University and North Carolina Central University.

Fayetteville State provided a letter of support stating it would encourage students from its undergraduate program to matriculate to WSSU’s MPH program. Representatives of other in-state institutions have offered verbal support.

In March, WSSU announced its participation in Project Kitty Hawk, a statewide initiative designed to expand access to high-quality online education. Project Kitty Hawk projects an enrollment of 30 students in the first year and 75 students by year five.

The new public health degree programs will be designed to benefit the entire Winston-Salem community. “We Are Winston-Salem” is another primary pillar of Chancellor Brown’s  “We Are Rising” strategic plan.Additional resources