Health Science - Public Health, Bachelor of Science (BS)

Program Overview

Slippery Rock University's Public Health program prepares students for careers in health promotion, disease prevention, and health data management. Graduates are eligible for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) examination and have a high success rate in passing it. The program includes service learning experiences, research opportunities, and a 12-credit internship, providing hands-on experience and career insights. Graduates have secured positions in various health-related fields and pursued graduate studies in public health and other health-related areas.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Slippery Rock University's Public Health Program is widely renowned for the caliber of its graduates. Public Health majors excel in continuing their education in graduate programs related to health science and securing employment in diverse health-related professions. Public Health involves professionals who provide health information and implement health programs for populations with the primary objectives of health promotion and disease prevention. Graduates of this program acquire a comprehensive foundation in the field of public health, preparing them for advanced study in health-related fields and entry-level positions in areas such as health promotion, health education, and health data management. The Public Health program is highly dynamic, incorporating service learning experiences in a variety of settings into its coursework. Public Health faculty members are actively engaged in ongoing research projects that provide opportunities for advanced-level students to participate. Students collaborate with professors in data analysis and the preparation of professional conference presentations, which they deliver under the guidance of faculty mentors. Additional student activities include involvement in the Pennsylvania Public Health Association Collegiate Chapter and the peer health education program at Slippery Rock University. Students are encouraged to pursue additional coursework or minors in complementary areas of study such as gerontology, information systems, or psychology. The program culminates in a 12-credit internship, providing hands-on experience and further insights into career opportunities in public health. Students have the flexibility to select their own internship site or choose from a database of previously identified sites. It is often during this internship experience that students discover the specific branch of public health they are most passionate about pursuing. Students are required to select a major project for their internship experience that demonstrates their mastery of entry-level professional skills. Frequently, interns are offered employment at their internship sites upon completion of their internships. Recent graduates have secured positions in state and local health departments, community-based wellness programs, voluntary health agencies such as the American Heart Association or American Cancer Society, federal government health programs, and health insurance companies. Additionally, graduates have pursued graduate studies in a variety of areas. Many continue their education to become physician assistants, occupational or physical therapists, nutritionists, and nurses. Others choose to earn a graduate degree in public health. Upon completing the Public Health program, students are eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) examination, a national credentialing examination for individuals seeking to practice health education in a community setting. Currently, the CHES credential is often preferred or even required for many community health education positions.

Careers:

• State and local health departments
• Community-based wellness programs
• Voluntary health agencies (e.g., American Heart Association, American Cancer Society)
• Federal government health programs
• Health insurance companies
• Graduate studies leading to careers as:
• Physician assistants
• Occupational or physical therapists
• Nutritionists
• Nurses
• Health educators