Program Overview
- Bachelor's Degree
- Public Health Minor
Public Health (formerly called Population Health) focuses on protecting and improving the health of families and communities through promotion of healthy lifestyles to attain or maintain wellness, research for disease and injury prevention, and detection and control of infectious diseases.
Many factors contribute to a person’s current state of health. Although medical care is an important component, social determinants such as socioeconomic status, culture, lifestyle choices, environment, and healthy child development play very important roles. Public Health students focus on addressing these determinants.
Students may choose areas of focus by selecting electives and internship options in areas of community health, health administration, health informatics, and pre-health professions.
Bachelor's Degree
Baptist University was the first to offer a Bachelor’s Degree in a public health field in the Mid-South.
Public Health (formerly Population Health) students will learn how to foster public health practices and interventions that reduce local and global disparities. The program focuses on developing and investigating innovative solutions to health concerns from a behavioral, societal, biological, and organizational perspective. Students may choose areas of focus by selecting electives and internship options in areas of community health, health administration, health informatics, and pre-health professions.
Public Health Minor
The public health minor is open to all students and includes courses in public health foundations, research methods, and epidemiology.
Quick Facts
Baptist University was the first to offer a Bachelor’s Degree in a public health field in the Mid-South. Check out some other quick facts about the program.

Why Baptist University?
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Interprofessional Educational OpportunityOur public health program is part of the Interprofessional Education Program that integrates students from all programs together to improve community health and patient outcomes
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Bachelor's DegreeBaptist University was the first to offer a Bachelor’s Degree in public health field in the Mid-South
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CapstoneCapstone provide students with opportunities to gain experience with diverse communities and engage in the development and implementation of public health interventions through an internship or research project.
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Job GrowthJob growth for Public Health graduates exceeds the national averages, with varied opportunities locally, nationally, and internationally
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Guaranteed AdmissionsGuaranteed admissions to the Public Health program for Itawamba graduates who have successfully completed their Associate's degree in Public Health Technology and have fulfilled admissions requirements for Baptist University.

Career Opportunities
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Health promotion and education
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Community health worker
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Community advocacy and outreach
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Public health informatics
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Population health administration
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Epidemiology
YOUR FUTURE IN PUBLIC HEALTH
Public Health students will investigate and develop innovative solutions to health concerns from a behavioral, societal, biological, and organizational perspective. Future professional responsibilities may include:
- Serving as a program analyst with a national health organization
- Working as a research assistant with a nonprofit organization
- Doing consulting work related to disease prevention
- Working at a company that does health communication and health marketing
- Conducting air or water quality sampling and surveying
Applying to the Program
Office of Admissions
- Phone: 901-575-2247 or toll free 866-575-2247
- Contact Admissions
Briana J. Jegier, PhD, Program Chair
- Phone: 901-572-2528
- Contact Briana
Program Mission
In the context of the Baptist Health Sciences University mission, the Public Health Program educates students through diverse, interprofessional and service experiences that are integral toward improving the health and well-being in the community.
Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the Public Health program, graduates of the program will be able to:
- Formulate healthcare needs assessments based on epidemiological data.
- Propose prevention programs that address identified healthcare needs in communities of study.
- Advocate for public health needs in defined communities to mitigate health outcomes.