Earning your Bachelor’s degree in Public Health online offers you the best of both worlds. Not only do you have the freedom and flexibility to work your full-time job, you are able to study when it best suits your learning capabilities. Many people have trouble learning in a classroom environment due to anxiety. Studying online gives them an opportunity to learn in an environment where they feel the most comfortable. It also allows them the option to take accelerated courses that will give them an opportunity to complete their degree much sooner.
Earning a public health degree online gives individuals who are already working a chance to continue to build their careers. Working in their chosen career field earns them valuable experience that learning in a classroom won’t provide. By working full-time and attending online courses, students can begin to utilize the information they are learning in class almost immediately. This means more opportunities for advancement and a possible increase in pay. Students may also have the opportunity for their employer to cover part of the cost of their education.
Methodology: Ranking the Best Online Public Health Degrees
To rank the best online public health degrees in the US, Bachelor’s Degree Center editors researched the most respected, accredited colleges and universities. With data from IPEDS and Niche, editors rank programs by their tuition rate, student satisfaction, and graduate salary.
1. Arizona State University
Arizona State University offers a Bachelor of International Public Health that is recognized among the best online public health degrees available in the marketplace. Degree candidates enrolled in Arizona State University’s bachelor’s degree in international public health are required to complete a minimum of 120 semester units in classes that include communicable diseases, international indigenous health, health policy and programs, and ethics in public health, to name a few. Students graduate from ASU’s public health baccalaureate degree to find rewarding careers as biostatisticians, health managers, to epidemiologists, among others.
Established in the mid-1880s, Arizona State University is now recognized to be the largest public institution of higher learning with nearly 145,000 students. ASU is managed by the state’s Board of Regents and operates a variety of academic centers throughout Arizona.
What We Like: The university offers more than 335 academic degree programs from its seventeen colleges/schools.
Degree: Bachelor of International Public Health
Arizona State University Bachelor of International Public Health
2. University of South Florida
The University of South Florida’s Public Health College offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Public Health degree program that is one of Florida’s best online public health degrees. The University of South Florida (USF) also offers a fast-track honors degree with either a Master of Public Health or a Master of Science in Public Health. The baccalaureate public health degree offers students the opportunity to further major in infection control global health, environmental health, or nutrition, to name a few.
Founded in the mid-1950s, the University of South Florida (USF) now operates as a multiple-campus university that is considered the 7th largest in the nation, with a student body that nears 51,000 students. USF is organized into fourteen schools/colleges.
What We Like: USF’s campuses are located in Sarasota, St. Peterburg, and Tampa.
Degree: BS Public Health
University of South Florida Public Health College
3. San Diego State University
San Diego State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Public Health completion degree that requires applicants to be able to transfer a minimum of 60 eligible credits toward one of California’s best online public health degrees. Students graduating from San Diego State University’s baccalaureate degree in public health find rewarding careers in the areas of health/medical research, healthcare administration, occupational safety & compliance, or project management for youth and children, to name a few.
Established as a teacher’s training school in 1897, San Diego State University (San Diego State) is now a member school of the CSU system in the state. San Diego State University is also a space-grant institution of higher education that generates the 2nd highest school that generates Fulbright Scholars.
What We Like: San Diego State University is recognized to contribute more than 2.3 billion dollars to the San Diego economy.
Degree: BS in Public Health
San Diego State University BS in Public Health
4. University of Arizona
The University of Arizona’s Zuckerman Public Health College offers a Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree that US News recognizes as one of the nation’s best online public health degrees. Students enrolled in ASU’s baccalaureate public health degree are required to complete at least 120 semester credits to graduate. Degree candidates can opt for three academic emphases – public health practice, global health, or health systems theory & practice.
The University of Arizona (U of A) was chartered in the mid-1880s under the Morrill Act. U of A is managed by the Board of Regents and offers its nearly 46,000 students a variety of academic degrees from its nineteen colleges/schools. Additionally, the University of Arizona is a space-grant higher learning institution.
What We Like: The University of Arizona was founded by the Arizona Territorial legislature.
Degree: BS Public Health
University of Arizona BS Public Health
5. Brigham Young University — Idaho
The Health Services Department at Brigham Young University Idaho offers a BS in Public Health that is considered among Idaho’s best online public health degrees. Degree candidates enrolled in Brigham Young University’s bachelor’s degree in public health include course work in epidemiology, biostatistics, hospital/health administration, and environmental health, plus a public health internship, among others. The total credits required to complete this public health degree is 120 to 123 units, depending on the exact course of study and the selected concentration – health science or health education and promotion.
Brigham Young University Idaho was established in the late 1880s. More than 26,750 students attend classes offered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints school’s campus and online.
What We Like: BYU Idaho is organized into six colleges/schools, with sister schools located in both Hawaii and Utah.
Degree: BS Public Health
Brigham Young University Idaho BS in Public Health
6. Oregon State University
Oregon State University Ecampus offers a BS in Public Health degree program that offers students four start dates per year. Oregon State University’s best online public health degrees require students to complete a minimum of 180 quarter credits (equivalent to 120 semester credits) to graduate. This baccalaureate public health degree from OSU is CEPH-accredited. Classes for OSU’s public health degree include epidemiology, introduction to human disease, health policy, health data analysis, and environmental health, to name a few.
Oregon State University was founded in the late 1860s but is now Oregon’s largest institution of higher education with a student body that is approximately 31,550 students. OSU offers more than 190 degree programs online and on the school’s Corvallis campus.
What We Like: Oregon State University is a sun, space, land, and sea-grant higher learning institution.
Degree: BS in Public Health
Oregon State University Ecampus BS in Public Health
7. University of Maryland Global Campus
The University of Maryland Global Campus offers a BS in Community Health degree program that is ranked among the available best online public health degrees in the marketplace. Graduates of UM’s public health degree find rewarding careers as outreach specialists, public health educators, community health advocates, or violence prevention specialists, to name a few. UM’s BS degree in community health requires the completion of 120 semester units, which includes a capstone internship at the program’s end.
The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) was originally known as University College. University College was established in 1947 and currently serves approximately 89,000 students across the globe. The school operates several campuses across the Washington, DC, and Baltimore areas.
What We Like: The University of Maryland’s Global Campus began as an evening adult program at the university in the 1920s.
Degree: BS Community Health
University of Maryland Global Campus BS in Community Health
8. University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro offers a BS in Public Health Education that is a completion program and among North Carolina’s best online public health degrees. Students enrolled in UNC’s baccalaureate degree in public health education must complete a total of 120 semester units, of which 36 semester credits must be from courses above the 300 level. The core coursework for this bachelor’s degree in public health includes environmental health, gender and health, public health data analysis, and public health diseases, among others.
The University of North Carolina’s Greensboro campus was established as a state teacher’s college in 1891. UNCG is a research school that offers nearly 200 undergraduate and graduate programs.
What We Like: The University of North Carolina is home to one of the largest modern art collections in the nation, located at the Weatherspoon Art Museum.
Degree: BS Public Health Education
University of North Carolina at Greensboro BS in Public Health Education
9. Murray State University
Murray State University offers a BS in Public and Community Health (PCH) that offers several tracks – healthcare administration, health education, and promotion, health informatics administration, or medical information technology. Murray State University’s best online public health degrees prepare graduates for careers as a health promotion officer, elder care coordinator, health advisor, policy writer, health planning coordinator, research assistant, or mental health worker, to name a few.
Murray State University (MSU) was founded in 1922 as a public higher learning institution by a legislative act. The university maintains several campuses throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Additionally, this space-grant school serves approximately 9,340 students. The school is named for William Murray, chief justice in Great Britain from the 1750s.
What We Like: The first classes for Murray State University were held in the local high school until construction was complete.
Degree: BS in Public and Community Health
Murray State University BS in Public and Community Health
10. Oakland University
Oakland University offers a BS in Environmental Health and Safety Program that is among Michigan’s available best online public health degrees. OU’s bachelor’s in environmental health and safety offers completion sequences for certified safety professionals or one that includes a MIOSHA Training Certificate holders. The core coursework includes basic statistics, physics of everyday life, health care safety, introduction to health/health behaviors, and contemporary world business, to name a few.
Oakland University is the second-largest institution of higher education in the City of Detroit. The university was founded in 1957 and now operates as a space-grant school with more than 20,010 students.
What We Like: In 2012, Republican presidential candidate debates were held at Oakland University and televised nationally. The candidates included Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich, among others.
Degree: BS Environmental Health and Safety
Oakland University BS in Environmental Health and Safety Program
11. Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University offers a Public Health BS in Health Sciences that is among Arizona’s best online public health degrees. Degree candidates enrolled in Northern Arizona University’s bachelor’s degree in public health are required to complete at least 120 semester credits, which includes a mandatory capstone project. Students graduate from NAU prepared for careers as researchers, health educators, program coordinators, or emergency response planners, to name a few.
Northern Arizona University was founded in 1899, a dozen years before Arizona was admitted as a state. This space-grant school serves nearly 30,000 students online and on the school’s Flagstaff campus.
What We Like: Northern Arizona University’s astronomy school has been a part of the discovery of astronomical bodies that include Sedna and Eris.
Degree: BS Health Sciences — Public Health
Northern Arizona University Public Health BS
12. University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati offers a BS in Public Health degree that prepares degree candidates to become eligible to sit for the CHES – the Certified Health Education Specialist national examination. The University of South Dakota is recognized by US News to be among the best online public health degrees available in the marketplace. Graduates of UC’s baccalaureate public health degree find rewarding work as data analysts, health educators, infectious diseases specialists, and health communication specialists, among others.
The University of Cincinnati (UC) was established in 1819 as a research and medical college. This space-grant university is recognized to be the oldest higher learning institution in the city of Cincinnati. The school operates four campuses that serve approximately 46,150 students.
What We Like: The University of Cincinnati is one of the green colleges as recognized by the Princeton Review.
Degree: BS in Public Health
University of Cincinnati BS in Public Health
13. University of South Dakota
The University of South Dakota offers a BS in Public Health program that offers students several academic tracks – health care studies, pre-professional, undergraduate clinical informatics, health care advancement studies, research, or public health. The University of South Dakota’s best online public health degrees offer students the opportunity to study on their own time due to the flexibility offered by this online bachelor’s degree from the University of South Dakota.
The University of South Dakota was established in the early 1880s by the legislative body of the Dakota Territory. Nearly 10,000 students attend classes offered online as well as on the school’s rural campus in Vermillion.
What We Like: The University of South Dakota holds the distinction of being South Dakota’s oldest and flagship school.
Degree: BS Health Sciences
University of South Dakota BS in Public Health
14. Mississippi University for Women
The Mississippi University for Women offers a BS in Public Health that offers one of Mississippi’s best online public health degrees. Classes for this baccalaureate degree offered by the Mississippi University for Women include public health interventions, biostatistics, global health, and infectious diseases in public health, among others. The Mississippi University for Women offers students an impressive faculty to student ratio of 1 to 20.
The Mississippi University for Women (MUW) was established in the mid-1880s as an all-women’s college. Men have been admitted to the W since 1982 and now make-up nearly 20% of the student enrollment.
What We Like: The Mississippi University for Women has a number of notable alumni that include a member of the Mississippi supreme court and a co-discoverer of the drug Nystatin, among others.
Degree: BS Public Health Education
Mississippi University for Women BS in Public Health
15. Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University offers a BS in Health Promotion degree program that is ranked as one the best online public health degrees in Arkansas. Students enrolled in ASU’s bachelor’s in health promotion prepares students for caress in schools, community health agencies, hospitals, fitness facilities, or insurance companies, to name a few. Graduates of Arkansas State University’s baccalaureate degree in public health are eligible to sit for the CHES national exam.
Arkansas State University (A State) was established in 1909 and is the flagship university of the Arkansas state university system. A State is a space-grant school that serves about 13,750 students from its campus atop Crowley’s Ridge in Jonesboro.
What We Like: Arkansas State University is ranked among the top 60 regional universities in the southern United States.
Degree: BS Health Promotion
Arkansas State University BS in Health Promotion
Why Should I Get My Public Health Degree Online?
Online courses offer the same in-depth, quality curriculums as the courses taught in the classroom. Even though students are learning remotely, they still have access to instructors, faculty members, and all of the school’s resources. This gives them an opportunity to take full advantage of every learning opportunity available to them. Many colleges and universities offer internships and mentorships to students who enroll in their degree programs. The list of resources for students who take online courses is extensive and can provide additional learning opportunities.
An online BS in Public Health major can be earned in just a few years. If you choose an accelerated degree program, it will take even less time. With an online degree program, you are able to maintain full-time employment and still attend class. Study when it is most beneficial for you. It puts less stress on you so that you can commit fully to both your studies and your job. By enrolling online, you also have the option to enroll in an employer reimbursement program where your company or business would agree to pay for a portion of your educational costs.
Why Should I Choose a Career in Public Health?
The Public Health field is incredibly diverse and includes many different specializations. Public Health degrees can be used in many ways and are a great choice for students who are interested in enrolling in dual degree programs. By earning a Bachelor’s in Public Health, you can find work in both the private and public sectors. You can choose to explore opportunities that involve running for public office. You may even be interested in working in the healthcare field as an administrator or other managerial position.
Choosing a degree in Public Health also gives you an opportunity to make a difference within your community. If you choose to work in the Public Health field as part of your local government, you will be able to directly assist your community in achieving its health-related goals and objectives. A good example of this is working within the Emergency Management System or as a Health Educator. Both of these opportunities allow you to work directly with your friends and neighbors when the need arises.
What Will I Learn in a Public Health Bachelor’s Program?
A Bachelor’s in Public Health degree program teaches you how to work with the public when it comes to health-related issues. Public health and safety involve keeping our communities safe and free of hazards, both man-made and organic. It also involves helping people who are impacted by natural disasters. As a graduate with a Public Health degree, you will be able to identify threats to the public’s health and safety, as well as find solutions to contain them.
Another facet of this degree is keeping communities healthy and vibrant. Teaching the public about how to remain in good health is also important. Dietary and nutritional recommendations improved workplace safety guidelines, and general health knowledge that the public needs to know are all essential topics that can be taught in community-wide classes. As a Health educator, you can provide classes to groups of individuals who will gain the most benefit.
As a graduate with a Bachelor’s Public Health degree, you will be able to pursue almost any career that involves dealing with the health and well-being of the community at large. You will have the necessary skills to create necessary change that ensures the health and safety of the community you live in. You will also be able to work with other organizations in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. No matter what the situation, you will have everything you need to take control of a situation and create action plans that will keep the community as safe as possible until things can be brought back to normal.
Related Rankings:
25 Best Bachelor’s in Public Health
