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Bachelor of Science in Public Health

Turn your passion for health into a promising career as a public health education specialist, healthcare administrator, health researcher, community health worker or any other number of healthcare and public health positions with a bachelor’s degree in public health from Biola University. A public health major will prepare you to serve many essential roles in the growing healthcare and wellness industries, while also improving your earning and kingdom impact potential in one of the most vital areas of society today. Those who finish the B.S. in Public Health program at Biola become professionals equipped to:

  • Assess a population and create a health education intervention
  • Conduct a healthcare policy evaluation
  • Plan a health intervention initiative
  • Prepare a health initiative budget proposal
  • Present to a public health professional audience
  • Craft health policies and guide public health programs
  • Track and prevent the spread of diseases (disease prevention)
  • Create educational programs to encourage optimal nutrition, exercise, wellness and much more

Wherever they serve, students who leave Biola with a bachelor's degree in public health are public health professionals ready to promote and care for the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

In Biola’s B.S. in Public Health major, you will gain the broad academic training, research experience and practical skills needed to flourish in this highly in-demand field. Whether you plan to pursue graduate school or move directly into a healthcare-related career as a public health professional, a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Biola offers you the flexibility you need to pursue a wide range of opportunities.

Biola’s Public Health degree program offers several key advantages:

  • The public health major provides rigorous academic and practical experiences based on Biblical principles to prepare students for careers in various aspects of public health, including health care systems, health care policy and administration, occupational and environmental health, health promotion, and global health.
  • The curriculum is designed with a foundation of core public health concepts, basic sciences and behavioral health, focusing on public health principles and practice.
  • In addition, there are three concentrations within the public health major that allow students to (1) have an emphasis on Global Health, (2) prepare for Pre-Health Professional graduate programs or (3) complete both a B.S. and an MPH on an accelerated track.
  • The major includes quantitative and qualitative coursework that equips undergraduates with a broad understanding of the discipline, preparing them for careers in government health agencies, healthcare systems and non-profit organizations, as well as graduate degree programs including the MPH, M.D., DVM, Pharm.D. or Ph.D. in health disciplines.
  • Small class sizes offer you direct access to professors with real-world experience and expertise across many different healthcare fields.
  • The public health major is taught from a Christian perspective, equipping you to be a skilled professional who cares for the holistic well-being of individuals and communities.
  • Biola's Office of Health Professions Advising (BOHPA) serves as a valuable resource to connect you to internships, networking and career opportunities.
  • A required capstone project will allow you to gain valuable hands-on public health field experience, providing students with a foundation for planning a preventative community health initiative and creating tangible reports and products to present to prospective employers, while earning your undergraduate degree.

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Concentrations

  • Global Health

    Global health is defined as the study, research and practice on improving health and achieving health care equity for communities worldwide. This concentration will focus on the prevention and intervention of health issues at the population level, and involve the integration of disciplines within and beyond the health sciences –– community health, epidemiology, health promotion, biology, statistics and intercultural studies to name a few.

    Some career outcomes include: Certified Health Educator, Health Director, Health Administrator, Public Health Specialist, Community Health Worker, Global Health Worker, Public Health Program Manager, Public Health Policy Analyst, Nonprofit Coordinator, International Health Program Manager and Community Health Outreach Associate.

  • Master of Public Health (Accelerated Master’s Program)
  • Pre-Health Professions

    The pre-health profession concentration will prepare public health students for the following graduate and professional programs:

    • Pre-Medicine
    • Pre-Veterinary Medicine
    • Pre-Dental
    • Pre-Optometry
    • Pre-Pharmacy
    • Pre-Physician Assistant
    • Pre-Podiatry

    Each of the listed heath profession tracks will have slightly different prerequisite courses, which students in the pre-health profession concentration will take, and faculty advisors will direct students in meeting the requirements.


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Courses

What will I study as a public health major?

The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Public Health program is to prepare Christian men and women to be public health agents of change — dedicated to improving population health, promoting disease prevention, and advocating health equality through community health assessment, education, promotion, and policy development.

To accomplish this, the public health program incorporates public health principles, public health practice, health research and quantitative analysis, providing a helpful background for understanding and developing public health policies. Course topics and learning highlights include:

  • Public Health Principles and Practice
  • Health Education and Health Promotion
  • Community and Global Health
  • Global Health Leadership
  • Health Policy and Ethics
  • Health Care Systems
  • Environmental Health
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology
  • Public Health Capstone Practicum

Bible and Theology Coursework

As part of Biola’s commitment to a biblically centered education, most undergraduate students complete 30 credits of biblical and theological studies as a part of their degree program. Learn more about our Bible and theology core.

Career Outlook and Preparation

What can you do with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health?

A public health degree equips you for a wide range of careers in a variety of fields and positions including:

  • Health promotion and education
  • Health care policy
  • Health care administration
  • Occupational health monitoring
  • Public health risk assessment
  • Population health

Global Health Track

  • Health Education Specialist
  • Public Health Specialist
  • Nonprofit Coordinator
  • International Project Manager
  • Outreach Specialist
  • Clinical Research
  • Associate Community Health Worker

Pre-Health Professions Track

  • Pre-Medicine
  • Pre-Veterinary Medicine
  • Pre-Dental
  • Pre-Optometry
  • Pre-Pharmacy
  • Pre-Physician Assistant
  • Pre-Podiatry

Accelerated Master of Public Health (MPH) Track

  • MPH in Global Health
  • MPH in Epidemiology

For more information, visit the MPH degree program page.

Explore Biola's Health Science Careers website for specific information about various health professions.

28% job growth

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for medical and health services managers is projected to be much faster than average between 2021 and 2031.

BLS projections are not specific to Biola University students or graduates.

Accelerated Master’s Program

Earn your Master in Public Health (MPH) with three additional semesters after you complete your B.S. in Public Health.

Explore the Accelerated Master's Program

Admissions

Admissions Process

Learn about Biola’s admissions requirements, steps to apply, application deadlines and more at our Undergraduate Admissions page.

Schedule a Visit

Learn more about this program by attending an upcoming event for prospective students and parents, or by scheduling a personalized visit.

Visit Biola

Tuition and Financial Aid

Attaining a degree from Biola is more affordable than you might think — dramatically lower than the “sticker price” in most cases — with 100% of incoming undergraduate students receiving some form of financial aid.

Faculty


Learning Opportunities

Internships

Students are able to gain practical experiences in internships and fieldwork (paid or unpaid) for academic credit, or independently, in various clinical (outpatient/inpatient) and non-clinical settings. Multiple opportunities are available locally at facilities with which connections exist, or where students have served previously, or, which are newly identified by students. These include: clinics, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, wellness centers, athletic training rooms, gyms, strength and conditioning centers, private exercise studios, community and non-profit centers. Students can also gain experience on-campus, working with the athletes and teams in the athletic training room, athletic performance center, or with faculty and staff in the KPH exercise lab.

Faculty-Mentored Research

Students have various opportunities to get involved with ongoing faculty research or to design projects of their own that will help strengthen resumes and graduate school applications. Students will gain experience in working with an Institutional Review Board, conducting, presenting, and/or publishing research findings. Opportunities to write research grants are also a possibility.

Research Data Software

Students have opportunities to work with KPH faculty members in ongoing research projects and learn to use statistical softwares used for qualitative data analysis. Students taking select courses will also learn to use SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) and analyze research data.

Global Health

Students will learn about public health issues that impact us locally and globally. They become equipped with theories, models, and skills to respond to community health needs with cultural humility, honor, and love. Students will learn to analyze and assess country-level health data and plan potential solutions. They also have opportunities to put theory into practice with projects locally and some will partner with Departments of Health and clinics globally.

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Format

You'll study in person at Biola University's campus in Southern California.

Total Credits

Total program credits include major-specific courses and Biola's core curriculum.

Standard Completion Time

This indicates the standard duration of this program. Completion time may vary depending on transferred coursework and preferred courseload.

Accreditation

Biola University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. Additional accreditations may apply to specific programs.