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Public Health class

Student Outcomes

Public Health has added 25 years of average life expectancy over the last century. While this field focuses on preventing disease and promoting health within communities, it is also a broad discipline that offers various career opportunities. Public health roles are among the fastest-growing occupations in the United States!

Internships and Service

Students have pursued a variety of internship and service opportunities at health departments, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and community-based organizations such as:

  • Bethlehem Health Bureau
  • Public Health Department in Allentown
  • Environmental Health and Safety at É«ÖÐÉ« University
  • Northampton County Drug and Alcohol Division
  • HNL Labs
  • Sodexo–Nutrition and Environmental Health

Graduate Schools

É«ÖÐÉ« University public health graduates have attended a wide range of post-graduate programs at institutions such as Emory University, Columbia University, Yale University, George Washington University, Drexel University, and Rutgers University, among many more. 

Certified Health Education Specialist

É«ÖÐÉ« University’s Public Health curriculum prepares students with the academic qualifications to take the Certified Health Education Specialist () examination. This is a competency-based examination administered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. Professionals with the Certified Health Education Specialist may work in a variety of roles such as health educator, program coordinator, health promotion specialist, prevention specialist, case manager, outreach coordinator, and wellness specialist.

Careers

There are many career opportunities in the field of public health and the need for experienced, educated individuals is on the rise. Here is a sample of where you could find yourself. 

CareersMedian Salary
Biostatistician$104,110
Epidemiologist$81,390
Policy Analyst$132,350
Health Educator$62,860
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024.

Public Health Competencies

A degree in public health provides you with transferable skills to make you more marketable to employees.

Public Health Competencies

Description of Skills

Health communication
  • Health communication skills: infographic; podcast; photovoice; health literacy
  • Storytelling: fotonovela; graphic story; digital story
  • Writing: policy analysis; research paper; APA format
  • Public speaking: individual and group oral presentations
  • Software: Canva; Piktochart; QuickTime Player
Biostatistics
  • Statistical analyses: t-test; one-way ANOVA; Pearson and Spearman correlation; Chi square; logistic and linear regression
  • Statistical software: SPSS; Pivot tables
  • Data visualization: bar graph; pie chart
  • Survey design: Google forms; Qualtrics
Epidemiology
  • Epidemiological analyses: incidence; prevalence; odds ratio; relative risk; sensitivity; specificity; positive and negative predictive value
  • Data visualization: population pyramid
  • Research skills: write abstract; poster development and presentation
Program planning
  • Program planning skills: health needs assessment; logic model; Gannt chart; program budget
  • Communication: presentation to community members
Professional development
  • Writing: resume; cover letter; personal statement; LinkedIn
  • Speaking: elevator pitch; online interview; panel interview; 5-minute job talk
  • Career readiness: internship/service experience; applying to jobs and graduate school

Contact

Colleen Payton

Dr. Colleen Payton PhD, MPH, CPH, MCHES

Associate Professor
Director of the Public Health Program
paytonc@moravian.edu
Location: 1107 Main St, Bethlehem, PA 18018
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LinkedIn: É«ÖÐÉ« University Public Health Students & Alumni