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Best Online Bachelor's in Public Health

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Best Online Bachelors Public Health

If you are interested in investing in a career that is rooted in improving collective and individual health while working within diverse communities, a bachelor’s degree in public health might be a great way to start. The field of public health continues to evolve as does the world. We are in unprecedented times with protests that fill the streets calling for a more just world, while a global pandemic has brought us all to a halt. What better career path to plug into in the current moment and allow this momentum to truly bring about large scale change? This degree can be the perfect first step. Studying online is a practical choice right now, while we don’t know when classrooms will be a safe option again. Also, online learning offers an unmatched flexibility that can enable students to continue working and not allow geography to be an obstacle in your education. Many graduates of bachelors degree programs in public health choose to pursue masters of public health degree programs.

Online learning can also be the perfect fit for a busy and/ or non-traditional student. Oftentimes, there are opportunities for students to participate in hands on learning experiences, not to mention a practicum or capstone project that would take place in person. So even if there are no on campus requirements, you may be able to connect to community organizations in your area in conjunction with your academic plan. We have sourced the best public health degree programs for you that utilize an online format. We ranked them based on the following metric:

  • Cost
  • Reputation
  • Student Success

Many programs have their own unique focus or emphasize different aspects of public health, though some are more general. Take a good look at this list, as you are sure to find something that piques your interest. 

National University offers an online bachelor of science in public health program that can be taken entirely online. The public health major at National will prepare students for entry level positions in public health, or many will choose to use this as a foundation for further education in the field. Students will learn how to understand and navigate the health status of groups as well as individuals. Other topics covered in the program include non-behavioral and behavioral variables that play a role in morbidity and mortality, evaluation and progress of prevention programs and their outcomes, and strategies to influence environments, behavior, public policy, and the health needs in a community. The classes are delivered in four week increments and there are over 20 campus locations, if students choose to participate in one or more on campus classes. They are known for being military and veteran friendly, meaning service members receive tuition discounts along with other perks. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

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If you are looking for a public health degree, Arizona State University has a bachelor of science program that is delivered online. The concept of the degree is to teach students to understand the inner workings of health promotion and protection in relation to the human experience. The degree is specifically designed for students to think about populations of people rather than the experience of individuals. The five core aspects of public health that will be covered at length include: biostatistics, health service administration, epidemiology, behavioral health and health education, and environmental health. Each student will be required to participate in an in person field experience that will enable them to get practical skills and applicable skills. This hands on experience will make it easy for students to matriculate into a related graduate degree program or achieve an entry level position in the public health sphere. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

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Purdue University Global offers a bachelor of science program in healthcare administration that is delivered entirely online. The entire course of study is made up of 180 credit hours, and is action packed with the latest trends and changes that come with the way the world is moving. The culmination of the program is a capstone project that enables students to engage with real world and current public health questions and problems and come up with solutions to such inquiry. If students are interested in more hands-on learning opportunities, they can choose an additional internship to take the place of an elective. Students in the program will be able to engage in complex research as well as critical thinking exercises that will prepare them for a successful career in the field of public health. Many students choose to continue on to related masters degree programs. 

Degree Type: BS Health Care Administration

The University of South Florida offers a Bachelors of Science in Public Health degree program that can be completed entirely online. Students can also choose a hybrid format that brings them to campus for some of their classes, depending on their preference. Public health majors can choose to take many related classes including: pre-health, biostatistics, epidemiology, infection control, food safety, global health, nutrition, occupational and environmental health, and health coaching. There are many other classes that students have access to that offer relevance to the degree. Students have access to a myriad of resources including student advising, counseling, online and on campus library materials, a library that is specific to health sciences, and even a number of student organizations. Also offered is a bachelors of science program in health sciences, which has quite a bit of crossover with a heavier emphasis on the sciences. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

American Public University offers a fully online bachelors of Science degree program in public health. This public health major is delivered through American Public’s School of Health Sciences. Each student will choose a concentration for their degree path including one of the following: public health informatics, general, nutrition and wellness, and emergency and disaster management. Each concentration is made up of 21 credit hours and general electives make up 29 semester hours. One of the aspects about this program that is very appealing is the fact that it is very cost effective. There is no application fee or even a fee to transfer credits, which includes the evaluation to do so. Students are able to transfer 77 percent of their credits from another institution. The classes are delivered in eight week cycles. Courses start each month making it easy to matriculate throughout the year. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

Through Mizzou online, the University of Missouri offers an online bachelors degree program in public health. There are no on campus requirements for this course of study. The core coursework covers such topics as: chronic disease and public health approaches, social and behavioral health, public health ethics, global health, quantitative methods in public health, healthcare management, and environmental health. This public health major is made up of 120 credit hours, and students can transfer up to 60 credits from another academic institution. Community college graduates and veterans are offered a reduction in tuition by 10 percent. Many alumni have gone on to work in fields such as health educator, community health worker, environmental scientist and health specialist, and research specialist. The program is fully accredited by the Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

The University of Arizona offers a bachelors of science in public health that is delivered entirely online. This public health degree trains students to be able to actively plug in and create change in communities and with individuals. Students will be prepared to achieve an entry level career in public health. Many graduates will choose to matriculate into an advanced public health degree program upon completing this bachelors program, which will offer them opportunities for leadership within the field. Not only with this online program offer an extensive framework for the field of public health, but it will also provide students with significant experiential learning opportunities. Students can also customize their program to be in line with their overall career interests. There are many internship opportunities that will enable students to not only gain imperative relevant experience, but will also allow them to build a network that will follow them into the career path. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

The Department of Human Performance and Recreation at Brigham Young University in Idaho offers a bachelors of science degree program with a major in public health. There are two concentration areas including health science and health education promotion. This public health degree program is delivered entirely online. Each class offers a new skill that will enable students to offer public health strategies to communities and individuals. They encourage current students to tap into peer networks, including those who were once students in the program. They also encourage students to participate in internships while they are in the program, and support students to find a good fit. Students will gain key competencies such as: health and wellness leadership skills, implementation of health and wellness skills, advocacy for public health within the career path, among others. Some of the core courses include emergency management and personal health and wellness. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

Northern Arizona University offers a bachelors of science program in health sciences and public health. This path of study is designed to train students how to engage in a career that can have positive impacts on communities and individuals. Students will study complex issues that get in the way of optimal health including behavioral and social determinants, environmental components, income barriers, access to healthcare, among others. Students will be prepared to work in a variety of settings including government health agencies, private industry, and non governmental agencies. Many people use this BS in public health as a foundation for related careers like nursing, epidemiologist, physician, among many others. Some students choose to achieve an entry level position directly following graduation and some matriculate into a graduate degree program. The entire course of study is 120 credit hours in length. 

Degree Type: BS Health Sciences Public Health

The University of West Florida offers a bachelors of science program in health sciences-public health. This course of study is delivered entirely online and offers an effective public health overview that will translate to a career foundation. Many students will choose to continue their education with a graduate degree program upon completion of this BS in public health. They are a very transfer friendly institution, making it easy for students to transfer up to 90 credit hours. Students generally complete the program in 48 months time. The program will train students in skills related to understanding the complexities of issues related to health within a variety of community contexts. Students can receive financial aid whether they are enrolled on a full or part time basis, and there are many opportunities to do so. Many students in this program will go on to work in entry level positions in community engagement. 

Degree Type: BS Health Sciences-Public Health

Through the College at Kent State University you will find a fully online bachelors of science in public health program. The concentrations included in this degree path include: health policy and management, biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, and social and behavioral sciences. They have a variety of other degrees including health promotion and education, health services administration, global health, environmental and occupational health, community based public health, allied health, clinical trials research, environmental health sciences, and pre-medicine, dentistry, and osteopathy professions. Students who are enrolled in the program have access to many resources including complex advising which can include career support. Alumni have been able to access careers in such fields as rehabilitation centers, hospitals, community health organizations, and family planning clinics. The program is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. In addition to this major, they also offer a minor that is 18 credits in length for students with a different primary focus. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

Murray State University offers an online bachelors of public and community health that was designed to build leadership in the field. This major is dynamic at Murray State as it is interdisciplinary in nature and offers students well rounded exposure to the discipline. Murray State offers a Health and Wellness Community Outreach Lab that enables students to participate in comprehensive experiential learning opportunities. Students can utilize this resource to practice planning, implementing, and evaluating community health organizations and events. They will also get a chance to gain a deeper understanding of food insecurity while addressing some of the root causes. Students will also learn how to look at and understand the obstacles of health and wellness within communities and individuals. They also have research collaborations that include a Wellness Consortium Obesity Workgroup and one that addresses barriers to preventive healthcare screenings. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro offers a bachelors of science program in public health that is delivered entirely online. Students will learn how to look more deeply at health. They will also investigate a variety of health programs on large and small scales. Students will learn how to conduct effective research in order to utilize preventative measures. Prevention strategies will be heavily evaluated and practiced, as will be the promotion of healthy environments and behaviors. Online classes are offered at lower price points than in person. UNCG offers a myriad of financial aid opportunities. They are also authorized to offer online programming in all 50 states including Puerto Rico, so don’t let geography get in the way of participating in this program. They ensure to their students that there is no quality loss in online coursework, as it emulates the in person traditional classes with the same faculty and resources available to students. This includes class support. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health Education

The School of Public Health at the University of Maryland Global Campus offers a bachelors of science program in community health. This program is delivered online with all of the same resources and care as a traditional program. Many topics are thoroughly covered in this course of study including community health research, health behavior, epidemiology, biostatistics, health communication, grant writing and professional development. Graduates of the program have found success working at promintate public health agencies including the American Health Association and the American Red Cross, as well as other related organizations including research based companies, and even a variety of hospital like settings. Many students go on to participate in graduate study in the field. Students in this program have the option to study abroad in a variety of relevant contexts. There are many financial aid options available to students who are participating. 

Degree Type: BS Community Health

The University of Southern Indiana offers a bachelor of science degree program in health informatics and information management. This public health major is delivered entirely online with no on campus requirements. The entire course of study is 120 credit hours in length. Thirty credit hours must be discipline specific. Some of the coursework that is required in addition to the core classes include: accounting principles, current concepts in the health professions, technical writing, computer applications and business, ethics and healthcare in a pluralistic society, among many others. Full time students can complete the entire program in 1-2 years. Students will participate in relevant internships that will offer critical work experience and prepare them to either achieve an entry level position in the field or matriculate into a related graduate program. There are a variety of resources that students in the program have access to including related organizations. 

Degree Type: BS Health Informatics and Information Management

The University of South Dakota offers an online bachelors degree program in health sciences that is delivered entirely online. This public health major is interdisciplinary in nature and gives students a chance to explore the discipline from a variety of angles. There are six academic pathways associated with this degree program including healthcare studies, pre-professional studies, healthcare advancement studies, undergraduate research, undergraduate clinical informatics, and undergraduate public health. There are many opportunities for students to participate in undergraduate research projects. Online students have many opportunities to access resources not unlike those in traditional programming. They have specific resources for veterans and students who have transferred in from other programs. They even have a writing center that can be accessed online as well as in person. Distance learners also receive official student IDs that enable them access additional services and resources. 

Degree Type: BS Health Sciences- Public Health Specializations

California Baptist University offers a bachelors of science in public health that is delivered entirely online. This public health degree is designed to train students to learn effective strategies to engage with public health inquiry and how to solve complex societal problems. It was designed with working professionals in mind, enabling them to continue working and studying with flexibility.The program is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. Graduates of the program can easily go on to achieve a graduate level degree or enter the career path in a starting out position. Some people can go on to become geographers, epidemiologists, anthropologists, economists, and environmental scientists and specialists. Some of the topics that will be heavily covered in this course of study include emergency management, epidemiology, behavioral sciences, statistics, environmental and occupational health. This entire program can be completed in an average of 16 months. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

Walden University offers an online bachelor’s of science degree program in public health. This program is very transfer friendly as they allow students to transfer many credits from another institution. Students will learn the ins and outs of public health policy and how it is applied to large scale change in the public health sector. Many students will choose to work in settings such as clinics, hospitals, child healthcare facilities, nonprofit organizations, governmental organizations, and departments of health. Each applicant is assigned a personal enrollment specialist that will support students to matriculate with as many credits as possible. Many students that graduate from the program go on to achieve a graduate degree in the field of public health or go on to achieve an entry level position. There are many start dates throughout the year, so it’s easy for students to matriculate when it’s convenient for them. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

The School of Allied Health at Monroe College offers a bachelors of science in public health degree with an option of participation entirely online. This course of study gives students the tools to understand the health needs of diverse communities. They utilize innovative learning methods including project based learning. This program was designed to be flexible enough to accommodate a variety of students including professionals who require a flexible curriculum to complete the program. All students will participate in an internship that is related to the field. Students have worked in places such as Essen Health, White Plains Hospital, Mount Sinai, NYU Langone, among many others. Graduates will be prepared to work in many positions such as patient advocate, public health advocate, health and wellness advocate, community outreach worker, among many others. They ensure that students will have access to important networking opportunities and professional connections.  

Degree Type: BS Public Health

Mississippi University for Women offers a bachelors of science program in public health education. This public health major enables students to take classes like global health, public health interventions, infectious diseases, and biostatistics. The classes offer an intimate and collaborative virtual environment for students to grow. Class sizes will be no larger than 20 students. They are known for being transfer friendly, and their community college credits can be applied to this program. Financial aid is available in many forms and accessible to most students. Each student also has access to personal advising that supports them to have a program that is most appropriate for their unique academic and professional goals. Even though the title suggests the school is expressly for women, it is actually open to men as well. They merely want it to be known that they highlight the needs of women students.  

Degree Type: BS Public Health Education

Youngstown State University offers a fully online bachelors of science in public health program that trains students on prevention strategies for sickness and disease on large and small scales. They have close to 52 students enrolled each year, making it an intimate learning environment ripe for collaboration. Core coursework will prepare students to become certified health education specialists. Additional classes are in subjects such as mass casualty and crisis management as well as bioterrorism. The entire course of study includes120 credit hours. Youngstown also offers relevant minors that include environmental health and safety, community health planning and evaluation, and public health. It is not required for students to participate in a minor. Graduates of the program have access to many organizations to participate in a relevant internship that will support them to have more career experience and options. They also have an accelerated program that enables students to achieve an mph in one year following. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

Through the College of Education and Behavioral Science at Arkansas State University, you will find a bachelor of science in health promotion program that is delivered entirely online. The department for which the program is delivered is Health, Physical Education, and Sports Sciences. The program is designed to be extremely flexible in order to accommodate a wide range of students. Students will learn the skills related to planning and implementing health programming in communities and beyond. This includes extensive attention on assessment and research. Graduates have found successful employment in public health agencies, hospital settings and other medical facilities, wellness departments at worksites, and even volunteer agencies. There are many career options for graduates and these sites are just scratching the surface. When the program is complete, students should have all of the necessary preparation for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. 

Degree Type: BS Health Promotion

Western Kentucky University offers a bachelors of science program in health sciences that can be completed entirely online. It is expressly designed for students who are interested in engaging in the health sciences with a public health focus. This program offers three distinct specializations including: preparatory health sciences, health sciences-allied health, and health services leadership & management. Many students matriculate into this program after achieving an associates degree from a community college. This course of study is interdisciplinary in nature and engages such fields as psychology, public health, biology, health care administration, and ethics. All students including those who study online will undergo a similar orientation process that familiarizes students with the program and the available resources. Some of the required core coursework includes: human nutrition, introduction to lifespan development, among many others. Official transcripts and ACT or SAT test scores will be required for entrance to the program. 

Degree Type: BS Health Sciences

Allen College offers a Public Health-Healthcare Leadership program that is delivered entirely online. In fact, there are no on campus requirements in this public health degree making it accessible to students from anywhere in the world. Many graduates utilize this program as a foundation for graduate study in public health which can include subjects such as occupational therapy and other disciplines in the health sciences. Another primary goal of the program is to ensure that students are given the skills of complex inquiry and critical thinking skills, scholarship, working with families and citizenship. Students will also develop skills that relate to population focused health and lifelong learning. Other topics covered include: healthcare policy, epidemiology, cultural competency, and population health. Students will have many opportunities to practice the development of effective communication skills. Financial aid options are available for all students, though there is an assumption that online students need less financial aid, as they do not have to relocate to participate in the program. 

Degree Type: BHS-PH Healthcare Leadership

Southern New Hampshire University offers a bachelor of science program in public health that is delivered entirely online. The entire course of study is made up of 120 credit hours, 90 of which can be transferred from another institution of higher learning. They train students to engage in many facets of public health including by looking at issues such as cleaner air initiatives, studying the effects of bullying in schools, understanding smoking and its key impacts, designing campaigns that center safer sex and reproductive health, building emergency preparedness plans, creating accessible transportation plans. Social and biological sciences will be featured in this program as well as approaches to assessment and research that are evidence based. Students will ultimately learn how to understand trends and patterns and formulate effective strategies accordingly. Students will develop a social justice lens that informs their work. 

Degree Type: BS Public Health

Why Should I Major in Public Health? 

There are many reasons to go into the field of public health, especially in this time of significant public health crisis and unprecedented global struggle. This is to say the career path in public health is not going anywhere anytime soon. The public health major is multifaceted and offers many avenues for which to focus a career. Many people choose to work in community organizations while others take their education in a direction that is related such as epidemiology or global health. One could choose to study at a specific school of public health and many schools have distinct public health programs that help students develop the critical skills to be competitive job candidates in the field. The public health major can easily be applied to an entry career in a variety of related disciplines. Many students, however, will choose to pursue graduate study as aforementioned and specialize further, leading them to a discipline in public health that meets their interests. 

What Will I Learn in a Public Health Bachelor’s Program?

There are many skills associated with public health, some include a knowledge of the hard sciences as they relate to health and wellness, while other skills are more inquiry based. Critical thinking is a skillset that is meticulously learned by practice as are skills related to research and of course working within communities. All of these skills and more are covered in the best undergraduate public health programs above. A public health BS is a critical foundation for any employment in the field of public health. Therefore, the skills you will learn are generally a survey of what makes up the discipline. Some factors may include: healthcare policy, cultural humility, disaster management, epidemiology, global and local politics, the study of disease, among many other possibilities. Many programs have built in specializations that enable students to begin specializing as early as their undergraduate experience, and some programs offer relevant minors that will support a lucrative future in the field. Another thing to consider while looking at public health bachelor programs is whether or not they offer an experiential learning component. Some programs give ample opportunity to get your feet wet and work at a community organization or medical facility where the programmatic skills can be practiced. 

How Much Can I Make with a Bachelor’s in Public Health?

A public health salary varies greatly and depends on many factors. Some aspects include the specialization for which you focus, the degree you achieve, and the setting for which you want to work. An average department of public health salary hovers around $50,000. There are niche fields like working as a dietician that can make anywhere from $28,000-$50,000. Looking beyond a public health bachelor degree salary, one could make considerably more money with an advanced degree. The average bachelors of public health salary is $64,000, and with a higher outlook for administrative positions.  An average salary for an epidemiologist is something to the tune of $59,000. A program administrator at a nonprofit is on average $62,000.

Related:

What Can I Do with an Associate’s in Public Health?

Best Online Master’s in Public Health

What Can I Do with an MPH?

Best Online Doctorate’s in Public Health

What Can I Do with a Doctor of Public Health?

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