Planning and Implementing a Public Health Professional Distance Learning Program

Training of public health professionals through web-based technology is rapidly increasing. This article describes one school of public health's effort to establish an online Master's program that serves students nationally and internationally. It examines the critical components in the design and implementation of distance education, including curriculum and instruction, management, facilities and finance, school support, technology services and support, student services, learning resources, and evaluation of the program. Focal components for the development of successful online programs recommended from the literature are administrative support, allocation of time for planning, provision of faculty and learner support, and matching technology to the needs of the learner. This article provides some guidance in the development of the organizational structure and the supporting components for online educational programs. Distance education is defined as “planned learning that normally occurs in a different place from teaching and as a result it requires special techniques of course design, special instructional techniques, special methods of communication by electronic and other technology, as well as special techniques of course design, and other technology, as well as special organizational and administrative arrangements ” (Moor