PROGRAM GOALS

• Equip students with a comprehensive understanding of public health principles including epidemiology, health policy, environmental health, and social determinants of health.
• Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills to assess public health challenges and design effective interventions.
• Prepare students to advocate for health equity and promote wellness in diverse populations.
• Foster the ability to conduct and interpret health research to inform evidence-based practices and public health strategies.
• Provide practical experience and leadership training through internships, service learning, and community engagement projects.
• Cultivate communication and collaboration skills necessary for working in multidisciplinary public health teams and with diverse stakeholders.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

• Demonstrate proficiency in core public health concepts such as epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, and health policy.
• Analyze and interpret data to identify trends, assess health issues, and propose solutions to improve community health.
• Design, implement, and evaluate public health programs that address key health concerns at the local, state, or national levels.
• Apply ethical principles in public health practice with a commitment to social justice and reducing health disparities.
• Communicate public health information clearly to a variety of audiences, using both written and oral formats.
• Collaborate effectively in teams to address complex public health challenges in diverse and multicultural settings.
• Demonstrate readiness for entry-level public health careers or advanced study in public health, health services, or related graduate programs.

Our small class sizes create a comfortable, engaging, and rewarding learning experience and allows flexibility for all students with a mixture of hybrid, in-person, and online courses. Public health investigates the ecology of health – from social networks and economic circumstances to our environment – and then seeks to minimize health risks. Our courses focuses on practical skills and experiences, making it an applied field with significant growth potential in healthcare-related jobs, both in the Capital Region and beyond, for the coming years.

Featured Courses

• Foundations in Social Justice
• Medical Sociology
• Epidemiology
• Program Planning and Evaluation
• Environmental Health
• Health Care Ethics
• Determinants of Health
• Health Care Law and Policy
• Culture, Health, and Healing

PBH 101 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 credits
This course will offer an introduction to public health, history of public health and public health education, and a focus on population health/social determinants of personal and community health. There will be an overview of the health care delivery system, the necessary human resources, and other public health topics will be addressed. This class is offered in a hybrid model with one face-to-face each week.

PBH 200 | Seminar in Public Health | 3 credits
This first year seminar course will provide you with an introduction to Maria College, public health, your coursework, and how to work to achieve your future goals for work or further education. The goal is to present a wide variety of options to you and give you a forum in which to discuss these career choices and the academic paths that will help you reach your goals. Class will meet for approximately I hour each week in person with minimal work outside of class time. Students will be required to attend seminar presentations given during class time and outside of class to enhance their knowledge of various career pathways. Additionally, you will complete an assessment to look at your interests and help you to consider those as you evaluate paths.

PBH 210 | Introduction to Data | 3 credits
This course will familiarize students with the biological and social determinants of health and health outcomes in the United States and the multiple, often-overlapping factors underlying health disparities, including race, class, gender, sexuality, immigration status, and the environment. It will draw from biomedical sciences, public health, social sciences and the humanities to enrich our understanding of the determinants of health. Using the lens of social justice, root causes are explored and organizations working toward just solutions are highlighted. Students will be challenged to move towards creative correctives in healthcare advocacy, research in medicine and public health, and development of just and equitable healthcare policy that is informed by the background of these complex, often harmful, social forces. The study of health disparities in this course may center on Leading Health Indicators and Leading Causes of Death in the U.S. Students will have exposure to the descriptive epidemiology of these health indicators, as well as theories used to understand/explain health disparities.
Prerequisite: PBH 101