Undergraduate Specialty: Community Health

Community Health is the combined efforts of public health agencies, nonprofit hospitals and clinics, and business employers to promote healthy lifestyles, reduce drug use, teen pregnancy and infant mortality, maintain safe homes and worksites, prevent the spread of communicable diseases, and assure access to cost-effective medical care.

Preparing for a career in Community Health includes study of nonprofit management, public health, health care delivery, occupational safety, and the complexities of health organization finance.

Community Health offers many challenges that require the involvement of nonmedical professionals. Program / project managers must understand the complex reimbursement processes unique to health service delivery. Thus the anchor of the Community Health specialization is PA 330 Health Care Financing. Students who have a serious interest in the field need to be knowledgeable about the health care industry and public health policies. They need competencies in: planning, implementation, and evaluation of health programs; marketing health information and services; preparation of educational and instructional materials; and public speaking / computer-aided presentation. The Community Health specialty helps Public Administration majors build this background. Students desiring recognition for this specialty must complete PA 330 and at least three of the following courses:

• OSH 110--Introduction to Occupational Safety and Health
• REC 110--Foundations of Recreation and Leisure
• COM 309--Health Communication Systems
• HS 220--Health Care Delivery
• HS 222--Introduction to Public Health
• PLS 310--Politics and Health Policy
• HS 340--Health Care Management
• MKT 350--Marketing Management