Public Health (B.P.H)

The University offers a bachelor of public health (B.P.H.) with concentrations in health administration, health communications, health psychology, and public health.

The objectives of this degree program are to prepare health professionals to help maintain and improve the health, well-being, and quality of life of people; to prepare students to become health teachers; and to prepare students to pursue graduate education in a variety of related fields.

Coursework includes a required core of health sciences courses—plus one of the following concentrations:

• Health Administration Concentration: This option is for students who wish to become administrators in health agencies. Coursework includes study in epidemiology, environmental health, safety, health promotion planning and evaluation, research, statistics—plus an internship in a health agency. In addition, the program includes courses in business administration and human resource development. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) Examination, the national credential for health education.
• Health Communications Concentration: This option introduces students to formalized training in public relations campaigns, persuasion, interpersonal communications, and media relations. With health literacy a global concern, the integration of these communication courses with health science coursework prepares student to focus on population health through health communication skills. Coursework includes interpersonal communication, media writing, persuasion theories, communication theory, and public relations campaign planning —plus an internship.
• Health Psychology Concentration: This option is for students who would like to work as health educators in the area of mental health and health behavior modification. Much of what health educators do is work with people to help them change behaviors to improve health. Understanding why individuals engage in unhealthy behaviors even when they know it is not healthy is essential to being successful in helping people adopt healthier lifestyles. Coursework includes study in epidemiology, health promotion planning and evaluation, research, statistics, psychology of health behavior, interview skills—plus an internship in a health agency. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) Examination, the national certification for health education.
• Public Health Concentration: This option is for students who wish to become community health specialists. Coursework includes study in epidemiology, environmental health, industrial health and safety, health promotion planning and evaluation, research, statistics—plus an internship in community health. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) Examination, the national credential for health education.

In addition, all students complete the University's Foundational Studies, which provides the knowledge needed in critical thinking, leadership, and interpersonal and communication skills.

The faculty are dedicated to providing quality learning opportunities through course design, internships, and service learning projects. Courses are centered in the 230,000-square-foot Health and Human Services Building. Relatively small class sizes make it possible for students to receive individualized attention.

Eta Sigma Gamma, a national honorary organization for students in the health sciences, has a chapter at Indiana State. In addition, all programs in the department sponsor active student groups that have close ties to professional organizations in the field.