Utility of a BS in Public Health from American Public Univ?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by japhy4529, Jun 6, 2005.

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  1. japhy4529

    japhy4529 House Bassist

    Hi - I just applied to the American Public University (horrible name, I realize). I would like to puruse a BS in Public Health. I understand that this university is DETC accredited and is a candidate for RA by NCA (higher learning commission). I have several questions regarding this University (and specifically their BS in Public Health):

    Firstly, does anyone know the utility of such a degree (BS in Public Health from APU) in the workplace? Will potential employeers laugh me out of the interview room when they look at my credentials? I realize that an MPH is the preferred degree in the public health arena, I am more asking about the utility of a degree from this instituition in general terms.

    Secondly, if I do move forward and ultimately obtain a BS in Public Health from APU, what are my chances of gaining acceptance into an accredited MPH (Master of Public Health) degree?

    Would I be better served by obtaining a somewhat more generic undergrad degree (i.e. Psychology or Sociology) from an RA school and then apply to an online, accredited MPH program OR should I just wait to see if APU attains full RA status in the near future???

    Thanks in advance for your assistance!

    Regards,
    Tom
     
  2. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Well, since the MPH is the "union ticket" that needs to be punched in order to get you into the field of public health employment, the master's degree for sure will need to be accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. Decide for yourself which "dream school" you'd like to get your MPH from and then call them and ask whether DETC accreditation is adequate for the undergrad degree. Good luck!
     
  3. Splas

    Splas New Member

    I would stick with RA. I have seen some government job postings in the public health field that required a Bachelor or MPH so you could get a job with your undergrad. However, I'm not sure how well the state or federal government view DETC accredited schools.

    The safe bet is to always go RA, that way you will never have to worry about being tunneled into a smaller list of grad schools that you can apply to.

    My two cents.
     
  4. japhy4529

    japhy4529 House Bassist

    Thanks for the responses. I am still considering moving forward with APU, but I would like to explore all of my options first.

    Does anyone know of a 100% online (or very close) RA school offering a BS in Public Health?

    Thanks!

    - Tom
     
  5. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    A cursory review of the subject index of John B. Bear, Ph.D. & Mariah P. Bear, M.A., _Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning_, 15th edn. (Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2003), p. 397, reveals:

    American Military University www.apus.edu (BG15, 97)
    Charles Sturt University www.csu.edu.au/study/de.html (BG15, 104)
    Empire State College www.esc.edu/cdl (BG15, 110)
    Indiana State University www.indstate.edu/distance (BG15, 115)
    Murdoch University http://wwwonline.murdoch.edu.au (BG15, 123)
    Northern Arizona University www.nau.edu (BG15, 125)
    University of South Africa www.unisa.ac.za (BG15, 144)
    Weber State University www.weber.edu (BG15, 184)
     
  6. mourningdove

    mourningdove New Member

    As you mentioned APU is accredited by DETC and a candidate for regional accreditation. A BS in Psychology or sociology is not a ticket to a good job but a start in the psychology field. For instance; many hospitals have psychiatric technicians and require a BSP or BSSW. Some community health agencies have associate counselors with the same requirements. A BSPH is a good starting point to work in community or public health usually education. If APU obtains full accreditation the BS should be accepted anywhere if you are interested in transferring to another college. The public health offers concentrations some of which may be appealing. They also offer business degrees with a concentration in health services. APUS is totally online and growing rapidly with full hopes of obtaining full accreditation. The Course Management System is "Educator" which is a great tool and user friendly for students.
     
  7. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

  8. japhy4529

    japhy4529 House Bassist

    Thanks again for all of your help.

    Theo - I took a look at your list, however the RA schools don't offer a Bachelor's degree in Public Health (at least not online) and the other schools that do offer a BPH are not RA. :(

    I'm wondering if there is any school out there that is regionally accredited and offers a BA/BS in Public Health, 100% online (or very close to it)? I would think that this would be a fairly simple topic to teach on the web (no labs, and the degree screams "group projects"). Also, there are plenty of DETC schools out there - at least a few anyway - that offer this type of degree, so I know it can be done.

    Thanks again!!!

    - Tom
     
  9. Alex

    Alex New Member

    I work full time in public health (at a state health department), and I believe that the APUS degree could help you break into the field. Many people working at the Public Health Technician level don't even have an associate's or bachelor's degree. For somewhat higher level positions, you'll find that people may have bachelor's degrees in a variety of fields, depending on their area of interest. I know people with bachelor's degrees in biology, chemistry, psychology, sociology, business, and math. In my experience, the MPH is not exactly a union ticket; there are certainly people who have it, but there are plenty of others with different degrees at a variety of levels.

    Public Health is actually not commonly offered as an undergraduate degree, even in bricks and mortar schools.

    Some other schools with distance degrees in public health or a related field:
    Indiana State University (community health promotion)
    Touro Univ International (health sciences)


    You could consider the APUS bachelor's (or another online bachelor's) and follow it up with a MPH after you get some experience in the field.
     

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