Public Health, B.S.
Public health is “the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical health and efficiency through the organized community efforts for the sanitation of the environment, the control of community infections, the education of the individual in the principles of personal hygiene, the organization of medical and nursing services for the early diagnosis and preventive treatment of diseases, and the development of the social machinery which will ensure to every individual in the community a standard of living adequate for the maintenance of health.” — C.E.A Winslow 1984.
Why Choose Public Health?
A Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health provides students with the knowledge and skills that focus on disease prevention, health promotion, protection, and population-based health program implementation aimed at addressing intergenerational health problems of the 21st century. Public Health is a discipline for those who are passionate about keeping people and communities safe and healthy; concerned about ways of preventing illness, and be an advocate, through political and social awareness, for health equity in diverse communities.
Internship
Students must complete a 350-hour internship during their final semester at an approved public health site under the direct supervision of a professional at a managerial level. Internships are only offered during the Fall and Spring semesters.
What Will You Learn?
The B.S. in Public Health program offers concentration in the following areas:
Community Health
Community Health is "A multi-sector and multi-disciplinary collaborative enterprise that uses public health science, evidence-based strategies, and other approaches to engage and work with communities, in a culturally appropriate manner, to optimize the health and quality of life of all persons who live, work, or are otherwise active in a defined community or communities".
Through the exploration of social and behavioral health theories and research, students will learn how to assess community health needs, develop, implement and evaluate community health programs for the purpose of promoting, protecting and improving the health of individuals in specific communities. The program also prepares students to be advocates for populations to achieve equitable health and quality of life for all.
Career Paths in Community Health
- Community Health Educator
- Worksite Health Educator
- Epidemiologist
- Cooperative Extension Educator
- Community-based health organizations
- National, State, and local health departments
Gerontology
"A multidisciplinary area of public health concerned with physical, mental, and social aspects and implications of aging with the goal of understanding aging so that people can maximize their functioning and achieve a high quality of life". Students will learn about the biological, sociological, psychological and environmental implications in aging and use the knowledge and skills thereof to facilitate the improvement of the quality for the aging individual.
A student of gerontology is a multi-discipline professional who examines aging from different perspectives, understands the process of aging and incorporates all aspects of healthful living (sociology, mental health, religion, education, recreation. etc.) in caring for the elderly. Using their extensive knowledge and skills of aging, a student of gerontology is able to function as a geriatric social worker, recreation therapist, personal care aide, facility directors or as an administrator or manager in elderly living facilities.
Career Paths in Gerontology
- Public and private geriatric facilities
- Clinics or hospitals
- Hospice facilities
- Nursing homes