Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi launches public health degrees
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is launching two new public health academic programs.
The university will offer bachelor of science and master of public health degrees starting in August 2024. The degrees will be housed in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
The degree programs aim to provide students with education to address the growing challenges in public health in South Texas, from infectious diseases to health disparities, with a focus on experiential learning.
The programs will include opportunities for internships, fieldwork and collaboration with community partners, according to a Tuesday news release.
"What is a distinctive factor for our programs is a focus on public health issues specific to South Texas, including cultural, political and historical perspectives; along with border issues,” College of Nursing and Health Sciences dean Hassan Aziz said in the release. “We believe that gives us an edge over the other programs in the state.”
According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board degree program directory, there are currently 28 bachelor degree programs in public health and related programs at Texas universities. There are 15 master degree programs.
Students will be recruited from Texas and other states, including working professionals, underrepresented students and those with backgrounds in the armed forces, according to the release.
Areas of focus for the bachelor of science in public health include disease prevention, environmental health, public health surveillance, health policy and health management.
“Student demand for a bachelor’s degree in public health degree program has rapidly grown in Texas, the region, and the nation,” Aziz said in the release. “We have seen a robust response to the addition of the bachelor’s degree plan to our website — and that’s prior to the official launch of our marketing plan.”
Curriculum includes a 120-credit hour degree plan combining interdisciplinary coursework, hands-on experiences and research opportunities.
The first cohort has the capacity for 30 students. The program will grow to up to 50 students in its fifth year.
According to the program website, students will be introduced to epidemiological principles, health care programs, emergency management, biostatistics in public health, outbreak investigations and primary care in public health.
Potential career paths include biostatistician, community outreach coordinator, environmental health scientist, health services manager, health education specialist, public health specialist, social or community service manager and public policy writer, according to the website.
Though the bachelor degree program is in-person, the masters program will deliver classes online for students who are already in the workforce and want to expand their skills and knowledge while maintaining existing work schedules.
The master of science in public health is aimed at addressing local and regional health care disparities, attracting students who are interested in leadership roles in public health organizations, governmental agencies and health care institutions.
“Our graduates will use the public health approach to focus on applications to a population instead of individuals, which helps create holistic solutions for broad problems,” Aziz said in the release. “This means that everyone in a community will be able to exercise their right to be healthy by having the knowledge and access to health care needed to make healthy choices.”
The program includes 45 credit hours. Students will learn how to manage public health information systems, including vital statistics systems, analytical processing tools and immunization registries.
The first cohort of the program will accept eight students. The university plans to expand the program to 35 students in five years.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: A&M-Corpus Christi introduces public health degrees
