The Public Health major prepares students for work as Public Health Educators. Graduates are prepared to identify health risks facing a diverse set of communities, develop and evaluate programs and other strategies to promote health and prevent disease, advocate for health-related policy, and serve as a source of accurate information for communities about health issues. Graduates are prepared for careers in areas included but not limited to substance abuse prevention, nutrition and physical activity promotion, violence prevention, sexual health education, and are employed in local/state/national public health agencies or local/state non-profits. Completion of the Bachelor of Science in Public Health makes students eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist Exam (CHES) exam, a certification nationally recognized by employers as a gold standard in public health practice. 

Program Student Learning Outcomes:

Public Health B.S. students will be able to:

   • identify the behavioral/social determinants of diseases/illness/injuries occurring in diverse sets of communities.
   • create a public health program.
   • develop an evaluation plan for a public health program.
   • work effectively as public health professionals with other staff, programs and agencies through the implementation of a planned initiative with a community partner and focused on that agency’s area of expertise.

The Public Health major requires students to successfully complete 26 core course credits, nine credits of HLTH electives, a 12-credit internship, and seven credits of cognate courses. Students who declare the Public Health major will be assessed to determine if they need additional assistance with writing. If a student is determined to need assistance, faculty will refer the student to the College writing specialist. In addition to demonstrating acceptable writing skills, students must also earn at least a 2.0 in courses counting towards the major and maintain an overall GPA in the major of a 2.5 to participate in the culminating internship. Students may not take any core courses S/P/U.