Further Education

Graduate Programs

Trying to figure out next steps after completing an undergraduate degree can be overwhelming. Some students may choose to enter the workforce and others may want to continue their education. All students graduating from the Applied Health Science major are qualified to apply to graduate programs in many fields but specifically those related to health education, health promotion, and public health. Graduate program eligibility will be dependent on the track and requirements vary by graduate school and/or program. Advanced education opportunities are typically called certifications, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees.

Certifications:

Certifications are usually less time-consuming than full Master's or Doctoral degrees, with content specific only to the area. Some titles for these include: Public Health, Global Health, Gerontology, Healthcare Management, Biostatistics, Sexual & Reproductive Health, Addiction Intervention, and Safety Management.

Master's Degrees:

Some graduate degree titles that may be of interest to any and all students in Applied Health Science typically include Master's of Arts (MA), Master's of Science (MS), Master's of Education (MEd), Master's of Public Health (MPH), or Master's of Science in Public Health (MSPH). MPH and MSPH are focused on the broad field of Public Health, with the MSPH focused more on research. MEd degrees are typically only achieved when the program is housed within a College of Education, and MS or MA degrees are outside Colleges of Education. MEd and MA degrees are more practitioner-based, whereas MS degrees are often more research-based (Cottrell et al., 2023).

Within each of the different degree types mentioned above, there are different emphases for students to focus their studies in the areas of most interest to them. Examples may include titles such as Community Health Promotion, Health Education, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Maternal & Child Health, School and College Health Education, Biostatistics, Health Administration, and many more.

Doctoral Degrees:

In addition to Master's Degrees, students may be interested in doctoral programs including Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Doctor of Health Science (DHSc), or Doctor of Public Health (DrPH).

If considering further education, students are encouraged to not only seek out information from the Career Development Center but also consult with their academic advisor. Sources for identifying potential graduate programs in the field are below:

Students in the Pre-Occupational Therapy and Pre-Healthcare Administration are additionally prepared in coursework desired by many professional programs specific to these fields, but additional educational requirements may be needed. Students in these tracks are encouraged to research programs of interest early to ensure they have the requirements necessary for their schools of interest. Sources for identifying potential graduate programs specific to these fields include:

Healthcare Administration, Health Administration and Health Policy programs may also be housed within MPH programs or as MS degrees.