Public Health Degrees at San Diego State University
San Diego State University appears in our ranking of the 10 Best MPH Degrees in the West.
Public health degrees are designed for those who wish to make an impact on their community at the local, regional, state and global level. Public health covers a wide range of health-related specialties and there are more than 550 concentration specialties in the degree field. Some of the professions available to those who hold a degree in public health include:
- Biostatistician – $88,190 per year average salary; job growth of 33 percent by 2029
- Environmental Scientist – $71,130 per year average salary; job growth of 11 percent by 2029
- Epidemiologist – $66,660 per year average salary; job growth of 9 percent by 2029
- Health and Safety Engineer – $89,130 per year average salary; job growth of 9 percent by 2029
- Healthcare Administrator – $99,730 per year average salary; job growth of 20 percent by 2029
San Diego State University offers several public health degree programs that can prepare individuals for these exciting career opportunities.
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health provides students with a broad understanding of public health. The program includes instruction in developing, implementing and assessing public health programs in a wide range of settings. It also provides an understanding of methods for working with diverse populations and how to reduce threats to public health. Students gain an understanding of public health concepts, theories, and methods. They are exposed to different public health concentrations, including epidemiology, environmental health, occupational health, health services administration and behavioral science. Students may gain hands-on experiences through student organizations such as Public Health Initiative and Students4PublicHealth.
Master of Public Health
San Diego State University offers a Master of Public Health that provides students with an advanced understanding of the field. Students must choose from concentrations that include Biometry, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Health Management & Policy, Health Promotion & Behavioral Science.
The concentration in biometry is an applied biostatistics program designed to train health professionals in statistical methods used in public health, medicine, and biology. Courses include Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Advanced Statistical Methods in Public Health as well as Probability and Mathematical Statistics, to name a few. Students must also complete a community practice.
The concentration in environmental health includes instruction such subjects as water and air pollution, food sanitation, vector control, toxicology, and risk assessment. It is certified as an Option V for the Registered Environmental Health Specialist Program at the State of California. Students must complete courses such as Air Quality, Environmental Protection, Hazardous Waste Management, Principles of Toxicology and Water Quality Investigation. They must also complete either a thesis or project in environmental health.
The concentration in epidemiology is designed to prepare students for public health careers as well as preparing them for teaching and research. They learn to identify biological, environmental, social and behavioral risk factors for human disease. They are also able to determine the distribution and etiology of health and disease in human populations. Courses required include Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Epidemiological Methods, Epidemiology of Infectious Disease and Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases. They must also complete a community practice.
The concentration in health management and policy gain a theoretical understanding of healthcare management and policy that may be used in hospitals, health systems, insurance companies, and other public health organizations. Courses required may include Health Insurance and Financing Systems, Health Services Organization and Management, Health Economics, Health Policy, and Marketing. They must also complete a field placement as well as a thesis.
The health promotion and behavioral science concentration is the only one offered both on campus and online. The program provides instruction in behavioral sciences as well as socio-ecological factors that may impact health-related behaviors that could lead to morbidity, premature mortality and health disparity. Courses include Motivating Health Behavior, Health Promotion Program Planning and Assessment, Health Communication and Health Services Administration.
San Diego State University also offers a Doctor of Philosophy with concentrations in Epidemiology, Global Health and Health Behavior.
About San Diego State University
San Diego State University began in 1897 and is the oldest institute of higher education in the area. Initially, the school was known as the San Diego Normal School, designed to prepare elementary school teachers. The first classes were held over a downtown drugstore before moving to a newly constructed campus on Park Boulevard.
By the 1920s, the school had grown to the point it needed additional space. Citizens launched a campaign to build a new campus on the eastern edge of the city. In 1931, the new campus opened in seven Mission Revival-style buildings, becoming San Diego State Teachers College. In 1934, the name changed again to San Diego State College.
The school became part of the California State College System in 1960. Just months before his assassination, President John F. Kennedy gave the commencement address at the school. The school gained university status in the early 1970s.
Today, San Diego State University ranks in the top 10 for students studying abroad and for ethnic diversity. Several periodicals rank the school in the top 25 for entrepreneurship and there have been 88 Fulbright student scholars since 2005.
San Diego State University Accreditation Details
San Diego State University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. The Association uses a peer review process and standards agreed to by members to confirm that San Diego State University fulfills its established missions in service not only to students but to the public good. In addition to regional accreditation, programs throughout the school are accredited by:
- ABET
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
- Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications
- Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
- American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education
- American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
- American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Council for Interior Design Accreditation
- Council on Education for Public Health
- Council on Rehabilitation Education
- Council on Social Work Education Office of Social Work Accreditation
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
- National Association of Schools of Theatre, Commission on Accreditation
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
- National Recreation and Park Association
- Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration
San Diego State University Application Requirements
In order to apply to the College of Public Health, applicants must have completed Public Health 101 and 290, receiving a “B” or higher. They must also complete each course required for the major with a minim grade of “C” and must have a GPA of 2.90 or higher in all courses attempted prior to application.
In order to apply to any Master of Public Health program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university. The degree may be in any major. All applicants must have successfully completed a statistics course while those applying to the Environmental Health concentration must have completed General Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. All applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.85 and must provide official GRE or GMAT scores.
San Diego State University Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate tuition at San Diego State University is $1,665 per credit hour and graduate tuition is $2,082 per credit hour. Financial aid is available in the form of grants and scholarships. Students may also be offered subsidized or unsubsidized loans. Those who attend on campus may be provided work-study, assistantships or fellowships to offset the cost of tuition.
In order to qualify for assistance, students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). All students, regardless of income should complete the form as some aid is merit-based. The FAFSA must be renewed each year.
San Diego State University has a mission to provide research-based education that will create graduates who contribute to the solution of problems. San Diego State University strives to impart an appreciation and broad understanding of diverse cultural legacies as well as the human experience in order to create leaders in their field of study.