SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND EDUCATION
Public Health, Bachelor's Degree
Introduction
Earn an Impactful Public Health Degree from Saint Francis University
Whether you prefer crunching numbers, want to work with people, or research is your thing, there’s a public health career for you. With your public health degree, you can move immediately into a rewarding public health career. Still, more options are available to those interested in further graduate study or specialized training.
Offered: On-Campus and On-line both with Clinical Components
opportunities for research
individualized academic advising for focused career guidance
a full semester of field experiences within diverse organizations
The SFU Learning Experience
Public Health the Saint Francis Way
At Saint Francis, we offer a degree program embedded in the liberal arts tradition. That means:
- emphasizing personal and professional ethics, and based upon the University’s nationally-recognized Franciscan mission.
- practical experience in their field and work with seasoned practitioners across a variety of community and clinical settings.
Our Public Health Program provides students with:
- A full semester of field experiences within diverse organizations;
- Highly qualified public health faculty, representing a broad range of public health specialties;
- Individualized academic advising for focused career guidance;
- Small class sizes which allow for personal attention and support; and
- Opportunities for research.
In 2022 our Public Health graduates demonstrated 100% pass rates of the Public Health Program, 100 Item Competency Exam.
CURRICULUM & COURSES
What You’ll Learn in the Public Health Program
Public Health is an evidence-based science of protecting and improving the health of human populations through education, research, and community-wide interventions. The Public Health program at Saint Francis University consists of an interdisciplinary curriculum to best foster the examination of population health from a broad, integrated, liberal arts perspective.
Tailor your degree with specialization paths:
- Environmental Science
- Epidemiology
- Public Health Administration
- Pre-Med
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Degree Paths
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Learning Objectives
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Degree Path
Degree Path
Plan of Study
Course Catalog
Offered
Public Health B.S.
Plan of Study Course Catalog On-Campus Public Health B.A.
Plan of Study Course Catalog On-Campus Public Health (Accelerated MPH), B.S./B.A.
Course Catalog On-Campus Public Health B.A.
Plan of Study Course Catalog On-line
Concentrations
Concentration
Plan of Study
Course Catalog
Public Health, Bachelor of Science Environmental Science Concentration
Plan of Study Course Catalog Public Health, Bachelor of Science Epidemiology Concentration
Plan of Study Course Catalog Public Health, Bachelor of Science Health Policy Administrator Concentration
Course Catalog Public Health, Bachelor of Science Pre-Medicine Concentration
Plan of Study Course Catalog -
With a degree in public health, you will be able to:
- Gain an understanding and appreciation of how social determinants of health affect the population from a regional, national, and global health perspective.
- Apply critical thinking, quantitative reasoning and evidence based research skills to assess population needs, assets, and capacities affecting community health.
- Evaluate public health policy issues with respect to access, quality, and cost and demonstrate an understanding of health disparities within vulnerable populations.
- Use a collaborative community approach in the planning of public health programs in diverse communities and effectively communicate disease prevention orally and in writing.
Career Outlook in Public Health
With your public health degree, you can move immediately into a rewarding public health career. Still, more options are available to those interested in further graduate study or specialized training. A public health degree can serve as the foundation for careers in most master's programs.
As a graduate with a Public Health Degree, you can enter fields such as:
- Behavioral Science & Health Education
- Biostatistics
- Environmental & Occupational Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Policy & Administration
- International Health
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions About Public Health and Saint Francis University
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What is Public Health?
Public Health begins with an undergraduate degree that prepares you to work with people to improve health, prevent disease and make a difference in their lives. It is a fast growing field with a wide variety of entry level jobs locally, nationally, and globally.
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What will I learn to do?
You will learn to understand how people make decisions about their health and using that knowledge, you can support them in making healthy changes. You can also help people navigate the complex health system, answer questions about health insurances, design health programs, manage projects, and interpret and translate scientific information for the public. You will become an expert in identifying valid health data and effective programs, compiling and writing grants, making complex decisions, solving health-puzzles, and creating health education and marketing materials like movies, flyers, posters and more.
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Where can I get a job after graduation?
Many organizations hire public health professionals, such as government organizations, universities, hospitals, doctor's offices, nonprofit organizations, or schools. As a public health professional, some of the many areas you can work in include maternal and child health, disaster response and preparedness, infectious disease investigation, research, environmental health, workplace safety, child abuse awareness and reduction, community health, etc
Public Health begins with an undergraduate degree that prepares you to work with people to improve health, prevent disease and make a difference in their lives. It is a fast growing field with a wide variety of entry level jobs locally, nationally, and globally.
You will learn to understand how people make decisions about their health and using that knowledge, you can support them in making healthy changes. You can also help people navigate the complex health system, answer questions about health insurances, design health programs, manage projects, and interpret and translate scientific information for the public. You will become an expert in identifying valid health data and effective programs, compiling and writing grants, making complex decisions, solving health-puzzles, and creating health education and marketing materials like movies, flyers, posters and more.
Many organizations hire public health professionals, such as government organizations, universities, hospitals, doctor's offices, nonprofit organizations, or schools. As a public health professional, some of the many areas you can work in include maternal and child health, disaster response and preparedness, infectious disease investigation, research, environmental health, workplace safety, child abuse awareness and reduction, community health, etc