The History of the Bachelor Program in Public Health
The Bachelor Program in Public Health, organized by the Faculty of Public Health, was initially administered by the Faculty of Medicine as the Bachelor Program in Public Health Science. It was opened in 1984, according to the Decree of the Director General of Higher Education of the Department of Education and Culture No. 117/DIKTI/Kep/1984, dated September 24, 1984. The Coordinator position for the Bachelor Program in Public Health Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, was occupied by Prof. Dr. Sabdoadi, M.P.H. (from 1984 to 1991). Then it was held by Prof. dr. Soeprapto As., D.PH. (from 1991 to 1993).
At its inception in 1984, the Bachelor Program in Public Health only accepted students who graduated from a linear 3-Year Associate Program in Health from 3 (three) academies under the Department of Health: the Academy of Nutrition, Academy of Nursing, and Academy of Health Inspector or Academy of Environmental health. The students should have also been working for a minimum of 2 (two) years.
Furthermore, to increase its capacity and improve its education quality, the Bachelor Program in Public Health FKM Unair also accepted graduates from 3-Year Associate Programs in Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Health and Safety, as well as from non-linear health academies, such as the Academy of Anesthesia, Academy of Midwifery, Academy of Refractionist or Opticians, Radiology, Dental Health Engineering, Physiotherapy, and Medical Analyst, with the pre-program certificate issued by FKM Unair. They were educated in 4 (four) semesters or 2 (two) years to earn the Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health.
The opening of the faculty required it to accept senior high school graduates. Therefore, in 1985, the Bachelor Program in Public Health at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, started to take students graduating from senior high schools through the New Student Admission Selection (Sipenmaru), besides the particular selection of students graduating from the Associate Program. The particular selection was conducted in collaboration with the Bachelor Programs in Public Health in five universities in Indonesia: Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta; Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang; Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya; Universitas Hasanudin, Makasar, and the Department of Health of the Republic of Indonesia.
According to the Decree of the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education (BAN-PT) of the Department of Education and Culture No. 001/BAN-PT/Ak-1/VIII/1998, dated August 11, 1998, regarding the Result and Ranking of Bachelor Program Accreditation, the Bachelor Program in Public Health, FKM Unair, was accredited A.
The study programs ranked A and B must be re-evaluated no later than five years from the accreditation date. After re-accredited, according to the Decree of BAN-PT of the Department of National Education No. 022/BAN-PT/Ak-VIII/ S1/VI/2004, dated June 17, 2004, regarding the Result and Ranking of Bachelor Program Accreditation, the Bachelor Program in Public Health, FKM Unair, was ranked B. However, in 2009, the Bachelor Program in Public Health, FKM Unair, was accredited A again according to the Decree of BAN-PT of the Department of National Education No. 462/SK/BAN-PT/Akred/S/XII/2014, dated December 8, 2014.
