Online MPH Program Wins International Honor for Biostatistics Course
Summary
The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Online Master of Public Health program received the 2026 Blackboard Exemplary Course Award, an international recognition honoring excellence in online learning, instructional design, and student engagement.
The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has earned the 2026 Blackboard Exemplary Course Award for its Online Master of Public Health biostatistics course. The international, peer-reviewed distinction places the program among the most rigorously designed online courses anywhere in the world.
The Exemplary Course Program recognizes educators who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to creating engaging, innovative, and student-centered learning experiences. The award is based on the Blackboard Exemplary Course Rubric, which evaluates courses across four dimensions: course design, interaction and collaboration, assessment, and learner support.
The biostatistics course was built through a collaboration spanning faculty, public health researchers, and instructional designers.
The team includes:
- Elahe Nezami, Ph.D., a professor of professional practice in the Department of Public Health Sciences and director of the Online Master of Public Health program
- Arsham Alamian, Ph.D., associate dean for Health Studies, School of Nursing and Health Studies
- Merranda McLaughlin, assistant professor, Department of Public Health Sciences
- Ramesh Muthukumarana, manager, Instructional Design
- Zeyu Liu
For the Miller School, the honor underscores a deliberate investment in digital pedagogy to train the next generation of public health professionals without sacrificing the rigor or interactivity of an in-person curriculum. Biostatistics, long considered one of the more technically demanding requirements in public health education, presents particular challenges in an online format, making the recognition all the more significant.
Dr. Nezami said the award reflects a broader lesson about what online education can achieve.
“When thoughtfully designed, online learning does not compromise quality. It deepens engagement, broadens access, and enriches the learning experience in powerful ways,” she said, adding that the honor speaks to “the collaborative efforts of colleagues from different disciplines, including the essential contributions of our instructional designers, whose expertise in online pedagogy helped translate our vision into an engaging and effective learning experience.”
The award celebrates an institution’s dedication to delivering high-quality educational experiences and sets a standard for institutions worldwide.
Learn more about the Online M.P.H. program.
Tags: biostatistics course, Blackboard, Blackboard Exemplary Course Award, Dr. Arsham Alamian, Dr. Elahe Nezami, Merranda McLaughlin, Miller School of Medicine