Manhattan College to Offer Public Health Major in Fall 2020
The new major will incorporate two tracks in community health and health care administration.
Manhattan College will introduce a new public health major beginning in the fall of 2020.
“Public health affects all of us,” said Tekeyah Sears, Ed.D., MPH, program director of allied health. “From individual health to societal health, public health focuses on the promotion and prevention of health in all areas.”
About the Major
Public health protects and promotes the health of all people, including the communities in which they live, work, learn and play. Specifically, the field of public health aims to prevent disease and injury.
The Manhattan College program’s mission is to educate students on the core principles of public health knowledge to address health outcomes of the population through equity, policy and action.
“Students will have the opportunity to take courses that address health issues through the five public health disciplines: behavioral health/health education, biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, and health services administration,” added Sears.
The two tracks that students will choose from are community health and health care administration, two concentrations within the field of public health.
Community health majors may be interested in understanding the health of a specific population and how the community plays a valuable role in promoting a healthy life. The population can be a specific city, neighborhood or geographical region. Health care administration majors are typically interested in being responsible for administration, leadership and management of health care organizations. This can take place within hospitals, medical facilities, local and state health departments and public and private health care organizations.
"When I was first choosing a major to study, I knew I had an interest in the health field and the field of public policy and law,” said Shannon Gleba ’21, an allied health major with a concentration in health care administration. “I was elated when I heard that Manhattan College was starting to offer a public health major because it allows me to expand my knowledge about all of those fields and opens up so many different career paths for my future.”
Postgraduate Options
After graduating with their degree in public health, students that want to continue their education can enroll in graduate school to pursue a Master of Public Health (MPH) or dual programs such as an MPH/MBA, or dental or nursing school.
Students can also pursue careers as social and community service managers, health educators, nutritionists or health care administration coordinators.
–by Paula Espitia '20