School of Public Health
University of Memphis School of Public Health Rises in U.S. News Rankings
Thursday, 09 April 2026
The University of Memphis School of Public Health has made a significant leap in its rankings and is now the top public school of public health in the State of Tennessee in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Public Health Schools rankings. This recognition reflects the school’s continued growth and commitment to advancing public health through community engagement, academic excellence, offering research-based solutions, while remaining entrepreneurial, innovative, and student centric.
University of Memphis School of Public Health is ranked 74th in the 2026 rankings, (compared to last year’s ranking of 99). The U.S. News & World Report rankings are based on academic reputation, peer assessment, and research activity. The University of Memphis School of Public Health continues to strengthen its position among public health schools and programs in the United States and has made its way to the top public school of public health in the State of Tennessee.
“This recognition reflects the outstanding work of our faculty, students, and community partners with whom we work every day towards advancing good health and well-being for all,” highlights Dean Ashish Joshi. “The University of Memphis School of Public Health is focused on creating a public health workforce that is community engaged, innovative, out-of-the-box thinking, and creative, while combining data driven, evidence-informed decision making to guide public health innovations and interventions that address the public health challenges of the 21st century.”
Over the past year, the school has expanded several initiatives that translate research into practice and continue to support the local community needs here in the City of Memphis, across the State of Tennessee, and beyond. Our model for public health education in high schools is the nation’s first Public Health Dual Enrollment Pathway that allows high school students to attain an undergraduate certificate in public health. Our Public Health in Action curriculum featured in high school Public Health Clubs locally, and globally, has advanced the field of public health and expanded career opportunities among participating high school students. The REAIM Public Health IDEAS Hackathon has allowed high school and public health students across the world to share ideas, challenges, and opportunities to address public health challenges across different regions of the world.
Our research is led by excellent and committed school faculty who are experts in emerging and ongoing public health challenges in areas such as substance abuse, mental health, HIV, maternal and child health, cancer, aging, environmental health and chronic diseases. Much of this work is built around partnerships with more than 200+ community-based organizations across Memphis, and beyond. Our research is based on the needs of the community, and our faculty are leading work in these areas, supported by external funding.
The establishment of the nation’s first Public Health Diplomacy Lab at the University of Memphis School of Public Health has allowed us to advance leaders in this new area of focus in public health and enabled us to convene summit/workshops with representatives from over 20 countries, bringing academicians, researchers, practitioners, governments, diplomats, policy makers, as well as national and international public health associations towards creating a public health diplomat workforce that is trained for broad stakeholder engagement, consensus building, and negotiations.
The school offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs of academic excellence and curriculum innovation, the cornerstone of our teaching and mentorship, so that students can be prepared to respond to public health challenges in a highly complex, uncertain, and unpredictable world.
The School of Public Health continues to grow in its visibility as faculty contribute through their expertise locally, nationally and globally on various public health issues. Expertise is widely disseminated through publications in high peer-reviewed journals, media coverage, and panel invitations as guest speakers invited to present at various national and international conferences.
The school is committed to student success through a range of activities including its initiatives such as Public Health on Wheels, Public Health Changemakers, and supporting student participation at national and international conferences. All these opportunities, combined with rigorous academic training, help shape our students into an employment-ready workforce.
These efforts reflect a commitment to “SPH CARES,” and to improving health outcomes, through work that is grounded in equity and community.
The University of Memphis School of Public Health continues to advance public health through innovation, community engagement, academic excellence and curriculum innovation and student centeredness.
The Office of Communications at The University of Memphis School of Public Health