Public Health (Allied Health) BS
Move forward with your online Public Health degree with an Allied Health emphasis!
Program-at-a-Glance (Undergraduate)
Credit Hours:
Total Hours: 120
Major Area of Study: 30
Additional Requirements: 3
Cost per Credit Hour:
$389.59
Completion Time:
2 years (4 semesters)
Accreditation:
The Council on Education for Public Health
Special Requirements:
Community College Allied Health programs such as respiratory care, radiology technology, and dental hygiene. must have graduated from an accredited two-year allied health program with an associate's degree; location restrictions apply, see FAQs for details.
Learn more about this program:
If you work in healthcare, you already know the importance of keeping people and communities healthy. You promote it every day. Now you have the opportunity to make a larger impact in the health of the public without taking a break from your job. The online Public Health degree with an Allied Health emphasis is designed to help people, like you, in the field with an associate degree move their careers forward and improve more lives. But how will you do that?
While doctors and nurses focus on diagnosing and curing illnesses and injuries, Public Health professionals are invested in preventing illness and injuries while maintaining healthy and safe lives. With a background in an allied health field, you can combine your health care knowledge and experience with a new perspective on public health.
Public Health jobs focus on promoting wellness through healthy behaviors, tracking disease outbreaks, creating laws and policies that benefit the health of the population, and investigating and decreasing health disparities. With the online Public Health degree you can learn how to make an impact beyond the office.
If you have a passion for keeping people healthy, you can put yourself in a position to help more people, and make a greater impact. The first step is getting your online Public Health degree with an Allied Health emphasis from The University of Southern Mississippi. Looking for more? Our enrollment coaches are standing by to assist you. Click here for more info! This is your life, plus college!
A number of scholarship opportunities are available for online students! Our Online Student Scholarship gives first time, fully online students an opportunity for $500 towards their first semester. To get started with our Online Student Scholarship, or to view our list of available scholarships for which you may qualify, visit our Student Scholarship page now!
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General Education Curriculum
GEC 01. Written communication (6 hours)
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Composition one
|
3 hrs. |
Composition two
|
3 hrs. |
GEC 02. Natural Science (8 hours minimum)
Select 2 courses with labs
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Biology and Society
*
|
3 hrs. |
Principles of Biological Science I
*
|
3 hrs. |
Principles of Biological Science II
*
|
3 hrs. |
Chemistry and Our Environment
*
|
3 hrs. |
General Chemistry I
*
|
3 hrs. |
General Physics I
*
|
3 hrs. |
General Physics II
*
|
3 hrs. |
GEC 03. Humanities (9 hours)
Course | Credits |
---|---|
World Literature
|
3 hrs. |
Select 2 courses, 1 History required:
Course | Credits |
---|---|
World Civilizations: Beginnings to 1500 C.E
|
3 hrs. |
World Civilizations: 1500 C.E. to present
|
3 hrs. |
Introduction to Philosophy
|
3 hrs. |
Ethics and Good Living
|
3 hrs. |
Comparative Religion
|
3 hrs. |
GEC 04. Aesthetic Values (3 hours)
Select 1 Course:
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Art Appreciation
|
3 hrs. |
Dance Appreciation
|
3 hrs. |
The Enjoyment of Music
|
3 hrs. |
GEC 05. Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)
Select 2 courses:
Course | Credits |
---|---|
The Human Experience: A Global Perspective
|
3 hrs. |
Concepts of Wellness
|
3 hrs. |
Basic Economics
|
3 hrs. |
World Geography: Dynamics of a Changing Earth
|
3 hrs. |
American Government
|
3 hrs. |
General Psychology
|
3 hrs. |
Understanding Society: Principles of Sociology
|
3 hrs. |
GEC 06. Mathematics Requirement (3 hours)
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Quantitative Reasoning
|
3 hrs. |
College Algebra
|
3 hrs. |
High-level MAT course
|
3 hrs. |
GEC 07. Writing-Intensive Requirement (3 hours)
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Communication in Public Health
|
3 hrs. |
ENG 101 & 102 prerequisites
GEC 08. Speaking-Intensive Requirements (3 hours)
Select 1 course:
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Public Speaking
|
3 hrs. |
GEC 09. Capstone Requirement (Major Area)
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Capstone
|
3 hrs. |
Must be taken Senior Year; ENG 101 & 102 prerequisites
DEG 01. Major Area of Study Requirements (30 hours)
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Personal Wellness
|
3 hrs. |
Communicable and Chronic Diseases in Man
|
3 hrs. |
Health Policy
|
3 hrs. |
Introduction to Health Systems
|
3 hrs. |
Introduction to Epidemiology
|
3 hrs. |
Allied Health Capstone
|
3 hrs. |
Communication in Public Health
|
3 hrs. |
Choose 9 additional hours of DPH electives (3 courses)
DEG 02. Additional Requirements (3 hours)
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Statistical Methods I
|
3 hrs. |
DEG 03. Electives
Choose electives as needed with adviser’s approval. Students are encouraged to choose a minor or choose coursework required for post-baccalaureate programs. (See Hours to Degree below.)
Hours to Degree
120 hours are needed to graduate with a BS Public Health. At least 50 percent of the hours applied to a degree at The University of Southern Mississippi must be earned from a senior college, and 45 of these hours must be in courses numbered 300 or above. The last 25 percent of course work must be earned from Southern Miss. The student must earn at least 12 hours in the major area of study from Southern Miss.
Additional Note
Please note that the above information is meant to be a guide and is not official. For further information regarding courses for this degree, see the University Bulletin. Please be aware that not all course choices listed in the University Bulletin are available online. However, sufficient online options are available to complete this degree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students with an associate degree in the field who are eligible to sit for a national certification within that field are eligible for this degree. Examples include respiratory therapists, dental hygienists, physical therapy assistants and surgical technologists. Review of student’s transcript by program coordinator is required.
This program is not ideal for students outside the United States. An allied health degree from an accredited US Community College is required.
You may have proctored exams in your online courses. The university has an online proctoring service and proctoring is typically available at community colleges or other institutions in your community. These services allow students to schedule proctoring exams that best fit their schedule and do not typically require them to come to Southern Miss.
Yes, students can attend part-time or full-time.
Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities. This work is achieved by promoting health lifestyles, researching diseases, and detecting, preventing, and responding to infectious disease. Public health professionals try to prevent problems from happening or recurring through implementing educational programs, recommending policies, administering services and conducting research.
Allied professionals who are clinically trained will be introduced to basic concepts in public health and are prepared for professional careers within or outside their field. Students choose electives that support their long-term career goals with which may include:
- Pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees
- Increasing your income within your allied health field of practice
- Gaining credibility within the health care setting
- Potentially moving to a management position within your allied health field
- Transitioning to another career outside of your allied health field (i.e., health educator; health administrator; alternate route to teacher education)
Many students remain employed full-time within their current field and may be eligible for leadership roles with the organization that they currently work. With a public health degree, students are also qualified for many non-clinical, entry-level positions with community or healthcare organizations. Examples include community health work, health care manager, or program manager.
Yes, technical electives taken as part of the student’s allied health program do count toward degree. Students must still meet University HOURS TO DEGREE requirements:
120 hours are needed to graduate with an online Public Health degree. At least 50 percent of the hours applied to a degree at The University of Southern Mississippi must be earned from a senior college, and 45 of these hours must be in courses numbered 300 or above. The last 25 percent of course work must be earned from Southern Miss. The student must earn at least 12 hours in the major area of study from Southern Miss.
There is not an internship, but students do partner with a health care or community-based organization to complete a capstone project their final semester. The capstone course, DPH 482, is an integration of knowledge and skills focused on application of public health practices within student’s clinical field of expertise. Examples include preparing for accreditation site-visits; auditing and revising organizational policies to meet new federal or state guidelines, re-designing clinic workflow to improve efficiency; or writing a grant to address local community needs.
Admission Requirements
Admission Requirements:
- See University Admission Policies
- Students majoring in allied health must have graduated from an accredited two-year allied health program with an associate’s degree and be eligible to sit for a national certification examination in the specific discipline area for the associate degree level allied health professional.
- A cumulative GPA of 2.50 is required for admission into the program
Program Academic Policies and Requirements:
- See University Academic Policies and Requirements
- A cumulative GPA of 2.50 is required to take any DPH course above 300 (except 430 and 436)
- A grade of C or better must be earned in all program curriculum courses in order to complete the degree.
- Though a student may be admitted to the program based on a cumulative GPA earned at a previous institution (i.e., junior college), once admitted the student must obtain and maintain a University of Southern Mississippi cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better to remain in good standing within the program.
- Students whose cumulative University of Southern Mississippi GPA goes below 2.50 will be placed on program probation and will not be allowed to enroll in DPH courses 300-level and above until the cumulative GPA is once again at 2.50 or above.
The following is required from all undergraduate applicants:
- Application for Undergraduate Admission
- $45 non-refundable application fee
- An official high school transcript for freshman (high school) applicants OR official transcripts from all institutions attended after high school for transfer applicants
- Submission of ACT or SAT scores for freshman (high school) applicants
- Documentation of two doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization. Upload a copy of your proof of immunization.
Students should be mindful of admission deadlines. For a full list of admission requirements, see the University Admission Policies.
The University of Southern Mississippi is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools of Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Additionally, the online Public Health degree is accredited by The Council on Education for Public Health. That means you can expect a program with the highest standards and quality.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS DEGREE?
Talk to one of our enrollment coaches today for more information.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS DEGREE?
Talk to one of our enrollment coaches today for more information.
Apply Now!