University of Southern Mississippi Public Health Degrees
The University of Southern Mississippi appears in our ranking of the Top 10 MPH in Health Policy and Management Degrees Online.
The University of Southern Mississippi offers a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with an emphasis in health education. The program includes training in health education, how to improve access to health information resources, tools for assessing individual and community needs when it comes to educating about health as well as methods for implementing health education strategies, interventions, and programs. Courses required include:
- Behavioral Interventions
- Communicable and Chronic Disease in Man
- Communication in Public Health
- Community Health
- Community Health Education Planning
- Comparative Religion
- Ethics and Good Living
- Health Education Foundations
- Health Education in Clinical Settings
- Health Education Methods
- Health Policy
- Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II with Lab
- Introduction to Biostatistics
- Introduction to Epidemiology
- Introduction to Health Systems
- Introduction to Information Literacy
- Introduction to Public Health
- Measurement and Evaluation in Health Education
- Medical Terminology
- Personal Wellness
- School Health Education Planning
- Social Psychology
- Workplace Health Promotion
Students must also complete a practicum. The program is available on the Gulf Park and Hattiesburg campuses.
USM also offers a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a concentration in health policy and administration. The program provides information on health services, organization, and delivery at the entry-level. Students gain an understanding of the economic and legal aspects of public health as well as measurements of health and disease. Classroom learning is supported by real-world examples. Courses required include:
- Communicable and Chronic Disease in Man
- Communication in Public Health
- Community Health
- Comparative Religion
- Concepts of Wellness
- Ethics and Good Living
- Health Administration
- Healthcare Financing
- Health Law and Justice
- Health Policy
- Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II with Lab
- Human Experience: A Global Perspective on Human Diversity
- Introduction to Biostatistics
- Introduction to Epidemiology
- Introduction to Financial Accounting
- Introduction to Health Systems
- Introduction to Information Literacy
- Introduction to Public Health
- Long-Term Care Policy and Administration
- Medical Terminology
- Personal Wellness
Students must also complete a practicum successfully in order to receive their degree. The program is available at the Gulf Park and Hattiesburg campuses.
At the graduate level, the 100% online Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Policy and Administration is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). 18 hours of core courses are required, as well as 21 hours for the health policy and administration emphasis.
About University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi began in 1910 as Mississippi Normal College. The school was founded to provide education to teachers with the first buildings constructed on 120 acres of land donated by H.A. Camp, A.A. Montague, and Dr. T.E. Ross. Classes began in 1912 with 227 students.
In 1924, the name of the school changed to State Teacher’s College. The Great Depression caused significant financial hardship for the school. In 1932, the state of Mississippi was unable to fund public institutions leading to staff at the college working without pay.
In 1940, the school became the Mississippi Southern College and, in 1942, the United States War Department established an administration school in order to provide staff for World War II military camps. In 1962, the school became the University of Southern Mississippi.
The school has earned the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education R1: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity. The University generates an annual economic impact of $600 million throughout the state with a student body of about 15,000.
University of Southern Mississippi Accreditation Details
The University of Southern Mississippi is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. As part of the accreditation process, the University undergoes periodic evaluation to confirm that they continue to meet criteria that indicate excellence in higher education and agrees to address any area that is deemed as needing improvement during that evaluation. In addition to regional accreditation, programs throughout the University are accredited by:
- Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
- Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism in Mass Communication
- American Bar Association Standing Committee on Paralegals Approval Commission
- American Chemical Society
- American Council for Construction Education
- American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
- Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
- Commission for Accreditation for Marriage and Family Education Therapy Education
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Committee on Accreditation of the American Library Association
- Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation
- Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language-Pathology
- Council for Accreditation of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
- Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Program
- Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions
- Council on Education of the Deaf
- Council on Education for Public Health
- Council for Interior Design Accreditation
- Council on Social Work Education Commission on Accreditation
- Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
- National Association of School Psychologists
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design
- National Association of Schools of Dance
- National Association of Schools of Music
- National Association of Schools of Theatre
- National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education
University of Southern Mississippi Application Requirements
Students who plan to enter the University of Mississippi without college credit earned after high school graduation are considered freshmen. They must complete an application and submit official SAT or ACT scores along with official high school transcripts. Students who have completed the requirements for a two-year degree or who have completed 30 semester hours with a 2.0 cumulative GPA at another college or university may apply as a transfer student. They must complete an application and provide official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
Graduate students must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher to apply for graduate programs at the University of Southern Mississippi. They must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 in their last 60 hours of graduate work and be in good standing at the last college or university attended. They must provide official GRE, GMAT, MAT or other graduate entrance exam, three letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose or writing sample.
University of Southern Mississippi Tuition and Financial Aid
Full-time undergraduate tuition is $8,624 for Mississippi residents and $10,624 for non-residents. Full-time graduate tuition is $8,218 for Mississippi residents and $10,218 for non-residents.
Financial aid is available and students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to receive any financial assistance. Undergraduate aid may include scholarships, grants or loans. Graduate students may apply for teaching or assistantships through each academic department. Graduate assistants are provided waivers for in-state and out-of-state tuition. There are a limited number of federal work-study assistantships available in each department.
The University of Southern Mississippi is dedicated to scholarship and learning, working closely with students to help them achieve their higher education goals.