Public Health presents us all with an initiative. Covering our mouths when we sneeze and using proper hand-washing methods is the tip of the iceberg, but still an important team effort. There are teams of people working at higher levels, identifying societal health threats, and sharing the wealth of knowledge with the masses so we can do our best.
15 Best Bachelor's in Public Health
The Public Health Administrator does far more than remind kids to wash their hands. Getting a Bachelor's in Public Health Administration means you're a socially-minded health professional aware of the health threats of local and global communities, and you'll be at the top of the chain in organizations ensuring that the demands and needs are met on your own turf. Your day-to-day job will change, as you work to prevent illness and injury and track disease outbreaks, all while promoting wellness through healthy behaviors and assessing why threats are more prominent in specific populations. These managerial roles encompass elements of leadership and organization, with in-school curriculum covering Human Behavior, Global Health, Food Safety, Epidemiology, and more. After you graduate, you'll be eligible for roles in governmental health agencies, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions as Public health information officer, Community health advocate, Health and wellness manager, or others.
The campaigns of a Public Health Administrator are varied. It can be presented to home-owners in regards to the substances that may occur in their houses. It can be a campaign to educate populations on sexually transmitted diseases. Whatever health trends are present in your community, it's your role as an administrator to write a report exploring how it can affect the community. In all other instances, it may fall to you to create budgets, hire staff, order necessary tools and equipment, write grants, and fundraising. It's an exciting role which goes farther than just educating the masses, but doing your utmost to watch trends, anticipate threats, and make sure the team can handle the task of conveying the information properly to the community. The Bachelor of Science gets you in at the ground level, leaving graduate opportunities to follow if you want to move into a higher-ranking or paying role.
Selection Criteria
Healthcare Administration Degrees uses the best publicly available data from the National Center for Education Statistics, Payscale, and student review sites. Healthcare is a high-earning field with demanding education expectations. Because of that, Healthcare Administration Degrees focuses on the Mid-Career Pay of Graduates, Student Retention Rates, and the Average SAT Scores of accepted students, collectively amounting to 70 percent of a school's final score. Student Reviews and Affordability round out our metrics.
Here are the 15 Best Bachelor's in Public Health Administration for 2019!
#15. University of South Florida – Tampa, FL
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
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Net Price: $11,766
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 88.73
South Florida is the fourth-most populous urban area in the United States, making for a great place to work toward a Public Health Bachelor of Science. The throngs of people all enjoying the year-round warm weather make for a perfect backdrop to study how trends can develop, and disease and health concerns can spread. The curriculum is 120 credits, bringing courses like Health, Behavior, & Society, Understanding U.S. Health Care, Introduction to Epidemiology, and Workforce & Leadership Development to the core of the program. There's also the opportunity to choose a specialization in Nutrition, Infection Control, Health Education, Environmental and Population Health, or Global Health. These specializations are optional but present a chance to gain necessary expertise in areas that interest you the most.
#14. West Virginia University – Morgantown, WV
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
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Net Price: $11,486
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 88.78
At West Virginia University, students are encouraged to create their personalized path to achieving a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. The curriculum is a full 120 credits that explore the five core disciplines of Public Health, which include Epidemiology and Social and Behavioral Sciences. These core disciplines build an early foundation which sets the stage for a student's area of emphasis for their minor. The choices for this level are Public Health Sciences, Community and Population Health, or Patient Navigation. No matter your chosen track, the program ends with a field capstone project where all students serve the local community with the knowledge and lessons learned in the classroom. This is the first step you'll take in a true professional role as health promotion specialist, health research assistant, community health advocate, health and wellness manager, or any other role that attracts you within the field.
#13. University of Arizona – Tucson, AZ
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
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Net Price: $15,758
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 89.27
The Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona is the first accredited program for Public Health in the state. The Bachelor of Science in Public Health puts its focus on eliminating health disparities, through their curriculum and areas of emphasis cover the full range of relevant topics. Students will elect to follow the path of Environmental & Occupational Health, Global Health, Health Promotion, Health Systems: Theory & Practice, and the brand new area of emphasis available for the first time this year: Quantitative Methods in Public Health. Given that Public Health happens on a global stage, UA also offers the opportunity for students to get out into the world with their Study Abroad program. Depending on your focus, you may find yourself boarding a plane to Peru, China, Europe, or Africa to develop your degree further.
#12. University of Iowa – Iowa City, IA
Bachelor of Arts in Public Health
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Net Price: $14,845
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 91.21
The University of Iowa has a broad Public Health department for students who are socially-minded with an interest in Public Health. While the Bachelor of Science has a heavier emphasis on biomedical sciences, the Bachelor of Arts in Public Health can lead to a more Administration-focused career outcome. The coursework centers less on chemistry and biology and more on political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and public health. What joins the two degree programs is a shared focus on Public Health's five core disciplines. It's these principles that guide the core for these two programs before the coursework gets more refined. BA students will take Social and Psychological Determinants of Health–Changing Behavior, Improving Health, Health Economics, Applied Public Health Methods, Public Health Theories and Society, and two electives in Sociology, Anthropology, Geography, or other related fields.
#11. University of Maryland – Shady Grove, MD
Bachelor of Science in Public Health Science
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Net Price: $17.241
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 92.04
At the University of Maryland, you'll study for two years before declaring your major to work toward a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Science. The program is designed to be interdisciplinary with training in the basic field competencies of Public Health. In the classroom, students are expected to be able to discuss, compare, contrast, and interpret public health concepts and philosophies, as well as demonstrate, describe, and formulate basic processes as they relate to the field. All 120 credits will require some element of these skills as you navigate through studies in Scientific Foundation, Public Health Science Foundation, Public Health Science Options, General Education Requirements, and General Electives. The capstone for this program involves a thesis paper demonstrating an understanding of Public Health and a critical evaluation of a personally-chosen issue of interest.
#10. Appalachian State University – Boone, NC
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
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Net Price: $10,473
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 92.64
With a Public Health Club on campus, Appalachian State University builds its own community of professionals within the classroom and outside of it. The school was founded in 1899 with a pioneering spirit that built the lasting framework of its world-class institution today. The Bachelor of Science in Public Health is taught by widely-known researchers within the Department of Health and Exercise Science, and students will have the opportunity to research along with these expert teachers. There are 58 Major Requirements supplemented with mandatory Electives or Minor Requirements that complete the 120-credit fulfillment. There's also the opportunity to earn a certificate in Certified Health Education Specialist, the Physical Activity in Public Health Specialist certification, or Health Coaching.
#9. University of Illinois at Chicago – Chicago, IL
Bachelor of Arts in Public Health
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Net Price: $11,884
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 95.75
The University of Illinois at Chicago breaks its Bachelor of Arts in Public Health into two sectors. The first group of mandatory classes covers a Pre-Public Health understanding. This includes courses in English, Life Sciences, Free Electives, Foreign Language, and some introductory Public Health courses. Once you've got the foundation for the major, the focus of required courses shifts to Public Health in your junior year. Some of the courses include Critical Thinking in Public Health, Ecologies of Health and Modern Life, Health Equity and Health Disparities, and Historical and Contemporary Public Health Challenges, and it all ends with a Baccalaureate Project in Public Health. UIC fosters a community across programs where diversity and service are part of the student culture and is known as one of the most ethnically diverse campuses in America.
#8. University of California, Berkeley – Berkeley, CA
Bachelor of Arts in Public Health
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Net Price: $18,178
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 97.28
The Bachelor of Arts in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley, spans elements of Public Health ranging from natural to social sciences and largely highlighted with principles of human rights and cultural perspectives. The major is capped, meaning there are only a certain amount of seats available, but they encourage all interested students to apply to it once the Pre-Public Health requirements are fulfilled. These prerequisites cover Math, Biology, and Social Sciences before changes gears to the upper-division curriculum. This second wave calls in Public Health-centric classes like Introduction to Epidemiology and Human Disease, Introduction to Health Policy and Management, Public Health Aspects of Maternal and Child Nutrition, and Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases. This program does not require an area of emphasis but does give students ten credits of Electives to add a personalized education. The learning outcome is to create Public Health professionals who foster skills in Critical Thinking, Quantitative, Communication, Problem-Solving, Specialized Knowledge, and Life-long Learning.
#7. Rutgers University – New Brunswick – New Brunswick, NJ
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
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Net Price: $16,016
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 97.46
Studying for a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Rutgers University is a unique opportunity to look at Public Health on the outskirts of one of the world's most populous urban areas. Just outside of New York City, Public Health students at Rutgers have ample opportunity to customize their degree with cutting edge knowledge and information. The major comes into play the second half of the undergraduate curriculum and is open to students who are in the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) and students in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS). Once you apply to and are admitted to the major, the coursework will cover core credits like Principles of Public Health, Introduction to Health Disparities, Epidemiology, and Public Health Law and Ethics. This is also when you'll get the opportunity to select the Health Administration as a minor. There are also Research, Leadership, and Internship requirements that will culminate all of the prerequisite courses.
#6. The Ohio State University – Columbus, OH
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
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Net Price: $18,042
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 97.94
Representing their commitment to Public Health on the Ohio State University Campus, the school is tobacco-free, and they proudly contend that "Wellness is a Buckeye Thing!" As a Public Health major, you'll be able to contribute to and evolve this mission both on campus and at large. Both the Public Health Sociology and Environmental Public Health specializations are intended to build a knowledge base necessary for entry-level roles, as well as leave room for continuing education in graduate and professional degree programs. You can also choose a minor in Epidemiology or Global Public Health. With so many options, The Ohio State wants you to be sure you're getting what you need from your Bachelor of Science. Academic advisors are available for appointments in person or by phone, so you can get all the information you need to begin your road to a BSPH.
#5. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Chapel Hill, NC
Bachelor of Science in Public Health in Health Policy and Management
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Net Price: $11,100
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 98.15
The community is the main stage on which Public Health Administrators perform, and the University of North Carolina builds this experience into its Bachelor of Science in Public Health program. A focus in Health Policy and Management calls for Communication, Teamwork, Research, Analysis, Problem Solving, and Business Skills, and UNC keeps this in focus throughout the curriculum. You'll take classes in Health Care Financial Management, Law and Ethics in Health Administration, Strategic Planning and Marketing, and Health Organization Leadership, and learn to apply the concepts to local and global communities. The program has an applied nature to it, bringing you out into the global community for research opportunities in 60+ countries to share your knowledge at large. Studying abroad is recommended before entering the program junior year, and can count as the required 10-week internship requirement.
#4. Texas A&M University – College Station, TX
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
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Net Price: $19,554
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 98.36
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Texas A&M University sits at the crossroads of disease prevention and health promotion. You'll get the chance to use scientific data and health indicators of a community to create methods of improving overall public health; a great preparation for a role as a Public Health Administrator. You'll also gain important knowledge and practice for planning, designing, implementing, and successfully managing effective health care programs and interventions. The curriculum addresses the Foundations, Social Context, and Biological Bases of Public Health and adds on 15 credit hours of personalized electives. Texas A&M's global approach to public health is demonstrated in its continued high-ranking position for student body diversity.
#3. Arizona State University – Phoenix, AZ
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
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Net Price: $12,947
Accreditation: HLC
Score: 98.64
Arizona State University puts populations of people center stage of the Bachelor of Science in Public Health. The curriculum gives students the tools to be able to identify health risk factors among populations and tests your gained knowledge through a mandatory internship. Public Health topics are part of the classroom experience starting in your first term. There are also a handful of necessary biological science requirements, including dual-level credits in Biology and Chemistry. Some of the more targeted courses to the major include Epidemiology, Health Behavior Theory, Environmental Health, Interpreting the Scientific Literature, and Health Services Administration. All students across majors are also responsible for fulfilling Cultural Diversity in the U.S., Global Awareness, and Historical Awareness credits. This year, the U.S. News & World Report ranked ASU first for Most Innovative Schools.
#2. The University of Texas at Austin – Austin, TX
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
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Net Price: $11,486
Accreditation: SACSCOC
Score: 98.75
The University of Texas at Austin acts as the first step in a life-long career in Public Health. The Bachelor of Science in Public Health begins with foundational courses in Public Health, Microbiology, Nutrition, and Social and Behavioral Sciences before moving into the meat of Public Health core. The curriculum later moves into a process of capturing flags that build toward readiness in the field. These flags explore Rhetoric and Writing, Quantitative reasoning, Global cultures, Cultural diversity in the United States, Ethics, and an independent inquiry. The campus operates under the belief that "What Starts Here Changes The World," and its demonstrated in the realm of public health by the campus-wide tobacco ban. Public Health majors may even find themselves in class with students from other majors. Introduction to Public Health is an open course aimed at spreading knowledge of the cause and even inspiring students to declare the major themselves.
#1. University of California–Irvine – Irvine, CA
Bachelor of Arts in Public Health Sciences
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Net Price: $13,944
Accreditation: CEPH
Score: 100
The University of California at Irvine earned our top spot for their Public Health degrees. Students can opt to go for the Public Health Sciences Bachelor of Science or the Public Health Policy Bachelor of Arts. The Bachelor of Arts is the selection that will equip you for a career in Public Health Management. Lower-division courses cover early Public Health basics in Math, Chemistry, Biology, and Social and Behavioral Science. The upper-division calls for seven more targeted courses split between Health Policy and Management and Social and Behavioral Health Sciences in addition to a final Practicum Requirement. Students can also take their knowledge abroad with the Global Health Research Education and Translation (GHREAT) where they'll bring their education to the field in Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. This international experience leads to a Global Health Certificate and global-scale view of Public Health that you can bring into advanced roles.