Public Health Degree Programs at American Public University
The American Public University appears in our ranking of the 10 Most Affordable MPH Degree Programs Online.
American Public University offers online degree programs for undergrads and graduate students in public health. Those programs are available from the university’s School of Health Sciences. An online Associate of Science (A.S.) in Public Health allows students to start at the beginning of any month and spend only two years working on a degree. This program features 30 semester hours of general education courses and 22 semester hours of public health classes. They will also take eight hours of electives to complete a total of 30 semester hours of work. Their public health courses include Introduction to Health Care Administration, Foundations of Nutrition, Public Health in America and Wellness: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
This school offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Public Health too. New students can start at the beginning of any month and will need to take 120 semester hours of classes to complete their degrees. Students can take some of the 37 semester hours of required public health classes as they take general education courses. Health Services Organization, Research, Analysis and Writing, Leadership and Motivation and Health Economics and Finance are among the required courses in the public health program. Majors also need to take 21 semester hours from the general focus area or a concentration such as emergency and disaster management, public health informatics or nutrition and wellness. Each track includes a final seminar that majors must take.
Also available is an accredited Master of Public Health (MPH) program. Though it also has monthly start dates, this program takes two years to finish and features 47 credits. American Public University allows graduate students to transfer up to 15 credits. Students will do a public health practicum and take a public health capstone to earn the six final credits needed to graduate from the MPH program. They’ll also take courses in the public health core that include Health Care Administration, Public Health in America, Ethical Issues in Public Health, Disaster Health Management and Public Health Program Planning and Evaluation. Other programs available from American Public University include bachelor’s and master’s degree tracks in health care administration and health information management.
About American Public University
American Public University is a branch of the American Public University System. It uses the nickname APU to separate it from APUS, which refers to the whole system. This system also includes the American Military University or AMU. James P. Etter, a retired major in the United States Marine Corps, established the system in 1991 and saw the first campus begin offering classes two years later. AMU started as a private university that offered opportunities for enlisted men and women to work on their degrees and complete certificates before they left the military. It would later grow and incorporate classes for civilians working on military bases and later students of all types. U.S. News and World Report routinely ranks the system as one of the best schools for military students and veterans because of its flexible curriculum.
American Public University Accreditation Details
APU has full accreditation for the MPH program from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). During a recent review of the program, CEPH agreed to renew that accreditation for another five years because it meets all standards that the organization has. Both branches of the APUS system have regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) too. This means that students can transfer credits to and from both branches and other schools. It also gives students the option of using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if they want to get financial aid from the government.
American Public University Application Requirements
The main requirement for undergrads applying to APU is a GED or high school diploma. Students still in high school can sign up for an APU dual enrollment program too with permission from their parents and schools. The university asks students to pick the program that interests them and apply online. There isn’t an application fee, and it takes most students 15 minutes or less to apply. They will then need to speak with an admissions representative between 8 am and 9 pm on weekdays or 10 am and 6 pm on Saturdays. The representative will help students submit their transcripts and complete the steps needed to register for classes.
Students applying to the MPH program have more application requirements. In addition to applying online and speaking to an admissions representative, they will need to provide three references and their contact information. Those references need to speak to the character of the applicant. APU also asks for transcripts to make sure the applicant has a bachelor’s degree and a resume that makes note of the public health or health care experience that the student has. Other requirements include a general graduate admissions essay and a statement of purpose that expresses the interest the student has in the MPH program.
Tuition and Financial Aid
APU allows students to audit classes for $100 per credit hour, which lets them take extra classes for less money. Undergrads pay $285 per credit hour in their programs unless they qualify for the university’s grants that go to military students. Those grants reduce students’ costs down to $250 per credit hour in both undergraduate and graduate programs. Graduate students in any program who do not qualify for a discount pay $370 per credit hour. Students also pay a $65 technology fee for each course that they take. APU waives this fee for military students and veterans who use military benefits to pay for their classes. The university offers free e-books and textbooks for all students too.
Students who leave their classes within the first two weeks of the term will get a full refund. APU reduces the size of their refunds if they leave later in the term. Students who submit the FAFSA at least five weeks before the term starts can get financial aid for the next term. Federal loans and grants go to all types of students, and most students can get federal loans too. APU offers help for veterans, military students and others who qualify for military education benefits. Students enrolling in the public health degree programs at American Public University can use self-pay and payment plans too.