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Public Health (PH)

  • Undergraduate program
  • Bachelor of Health Sciences Degree
  • Online program
  • Public Health students are automatically eligible for a 25% tuition deduction

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Tuition and Financial Aid

The purpose of the Public Health program is to prepare leaders in a variety of health care settings. Awarding a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree, completion may serve as a terminal degree, or the basis for graduate study in public health, occupational therapy or other advanced degrees in the health sciences.

Allen College, part of UnityPoint Health, understands baccalaureate-prepared health care providers are better equipped for expanded roles. Graduates are cognizant of new systems of health care delivery, changing disease patterns, population patterns and a more health conscious public.

Due to the online format, most students work while enrolled, not needing to relocate near campus. This may significantly reduce the amount of financial aid needed.

PH Admission Requirements

PH program begins twice each year in the fall and spring terms.

72 general education hours must be completed before starting the program at Allen College.

Is an online program right for you? 

Please contact:
Gayle Walter, PhD, MPH, MCHES®
Program Director
(319) 226-2526

    Contact admissions@allencollege.edu with questions about admission requirements.  

     

    PH Application Materials

    Required application materials can be submitted as they are completed, but all materials must be received before admission consideration.

    Complete applicant files are reviewed on a rolling basis. Admission decisions take 3 to 4 weeks after the application is complete. 

    PH General Education Requirements

    General education prerequisite courses are taken at another regionally accredited institution and transferred to Allen College.

    Applications can be submitted before all general education requirements are complete, but if granted admission, coursework must be completed before starting the program in August.

    PH Curriculum

    Public Health curriculum is delivered completely online.

    Course content exposes students to broader health care concepts. Healthcare policy, cultural competence, epidemiology and population health are explored. The faculty believes these theories and values are essential.

     

    Full-time Curriculum

    Part-time Curriculum

    PH Career Opportunities

    Public health is a broad and wide-ranging field. Careers in public health are varied and limited only by the student’s interests and passions. The Bachelor of Health Sciences in Public Health will prepare you for entry-level positions in the field of public health, thanks to our strong core of public health courses.

    An undergraduate degree in public health from Allen College will prepare you for a wide variety of entry-level public health careers. The skills gained with a degree in public health will prepare you to meet emerging health challenges at the local, state, national or global level. There are a wide variety of settings in which public health graduates may work.

    What can you do with a public health degree? Here are some ideas.

    Careers

    Gain an entry-level position within federal, state and non-profit agencies.

    Public health agencies collaborate with multiple partners to tackle health issues in their communities – environmental health, emergency preparedness, outbreak investigations, community health needs assessments and more.

    Non-profit roles for public health graduates tend to address gaps in healthcare or specialize in a specific population. For example, a non-profit role may serve minorities, veterans, refugees or mothers.

    Work in the private sector – whether as a consultant or employee, public health graduates can work for pharmaceutical brands, healthcare organizations or insurance companies.

    To learn more about careers in public health, please visit the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Service

    Gain experience and make an impact in public service by solving public health problems in the U.S. and around the world.

    Learn more about service options in the U.S. through the Corporation for National & Community Service.

    Learn more about service options globally through Peace Corps.

    Graduate and Professional School

    If you’d like a specialized career in public health, plan to attend graduate school at an accredited school or program of public health to earn you Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Science (MS), Master of Health Administration (MHA), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Public Health (DrPH). Explore information about other accredited degrees through the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.

    Use your public health knowledge in a new field. Complex public health problems require solutions that draw on interdisciplinary teamwork. Expand your skill set in areas like medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, social work, policy, law or business.

    If you are passionate about making the world a healthier place, a degree in public health will help you develop the skills you need to turn that passion into a career.

    Program Goals

    • Student will demonstrate analytical and assessment skills.
    • Student will demonstrate program planning skills.
    • Student will demonstrate community competency skills.
    • Student will demonstrate public health skills.

    Program Mission Statement

    The mission of the BHS-PH degree program is to translate population-based knowledge into strategies to prevent human disease and disability. The program prepares graduates for careers in the public health field that focus on interventions and programs aimed at improving the health status and quality of life for individuals and populations. The BHS-PH program is dedicated to a holistic approach to education recognizing the uniqueness of each student, to excellence in education and to the utilization of and participation in scholarship and evidenced based practices that promote health and prevent human disease and disability.

    PH Alumni Spotlight - Jordyn Beeghly