Welcome to the Department of Health Professions!

Approximately 25% of all new jobs created between now and 2020 will be in the health care industry and O*Net lists many health related professions on their bright outlook list, an indication of expected potential for growth.   

The department of Health Professions (HPR) offers two undergraduate programs – Community Health and Health Science.

• The B.S. in Community Health is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in a community/public health setting and/or students seeking a health major as preparation for entry into a graduate program. Students acquire knowledge in the concepts of wellness, health promotion, and disease prevention, as well as in community and public health services, and service delivery.

• The B.S. in Health Science  provides an excellent foundation for students seeking to prepare for graduate study in a broad range of clinical health-care professions. The curriculum includes a core of science courses designed to meet all prerequisite course requirements for application to medical school and other clinical study programs such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, nutrition and physician assistant.

The department also offers three graduate programs – Community Health, Health Administration and Public Health. 

• The M.S. in Community Health prepares students for careers in community settings with an emphasis on the skills for planning and implementing health, wellness and disease prevention programs. Graduates are able to plan and coordinate effective health education and health promotion programs and serve as a resource in community health initiatives.

• The Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) prepares students to become competent and culturally sensitive healthcare administrators and managers. Students learn to analyze the range of factors involved in providing high quality, affordable care to patients. Graduates of the program manage a broad range of healthcare facilities across the continuum of care.

• The Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) teaches students to apply theory and research to develop policy, promote wellness and improve the overall health of the community and population. Students are prepared for careers in public health practice and research in community, government and private sector settings.

Our programs are designed to train the next generation of health professionals with a population-based approach to medicine. A supportive faculty who are involved with health and medical research are available to advise and cultivate students’ interest in the field of health care. Through our service learning and internship opportunities students gain practical experience in a wide range of health care settings where they make connections with professionals in the field.