Public Health
KELLY PARSLEY, M.A., M.P.H., DEPT CHAIR
GERALD SCHAFER, PH.D.
Mission
Carroll College’s Health Sciences and Public Health programs are based on the application of evidence-based, health-related knowledge, with a goal of developing future leaders in health promotion and disease prevention on the individual, local, national, and global levels. These degree programs are inherently interdisciplinary, with emphases that include the biological, quantitative, and social sciences. They introduce students to an integrated model of health improvement and maintenance so that graduates may competently address the complex public health challenges facing the world today.
The Health Sciences major is designed for students seeking careers in clinical health professions. The Public Health major is intended for students who want to improve health by informing and leading decision-making by policymakers, practitioners, and the public, in order to advance individual and population health. These students may pursue work in population health fields such as infection control, epidemiology, and environmental health, and also in community health and education. Both degree programs work to develop future leaders who rely on their knowledge of current research for improving health on both the individual and community levels.
Goals
- To provide students with the specialized knowledge, skills, and global perspective they need to pursue their chosen health profession.
- To offer students practical experience that will supplement their academic work and facilitate their entry into a chosen health career.
- To foster evidence-based perspectives of local, national, and global health challenges and solutions.
Student Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes for students in the Public Health Program are set by the National Consortium for Health Science Education:
- Foundational Knowledge of Public Health and Health Sciences: Students will gain foundational knowledge for proficiency in basic epidemiologic principles, including diseases and disorders, surveillance techniques, statistical applications, and data presentation.
- Communication Skills: Students will demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills both individually and in groups.
- Healthcare Delivery Systems: Students will be able to identify how various healthcare systems affect the services they provide and quality of care delivered.
- Employability Skills: Students will demonstrate key employability skills including development of resumes, personal statements, and interview skills.
- Legal and Ethical Responsibilities: Students will understand accepted ethical practices with respect to regulations, policies, laws and legislative rights of citizens.
- Health Care Maintenance: Students will understand the fundamentals of wellness, healthy behaviors, and the prevention of disease.