Duquesne University Makes Dramatic Advances in Public Health Education; Pittsburgh’s Only Bachelor Level Degree Program

Duquesne seeks career-focused college applicants from across the U.S. and beyond for Public Health bachelor's degree—fall application deadline is August 1.

PITTSBURGH, PA, UNITED STATES, April 20, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Duquesne University, a private university in Pittsburgh, PA celebrating its 143rd year in 2021, has made a major commitment to help meet the rapidly growing need for public health and health administration professionals. Duquesne’s Department of Health Administration and Public Health¹ offers innovative bachelor-degree level programs in public health, the only ones of their kind in the Pittsburgh area.

Students seeking to enter the profession immediately after earning their bachelor’s degree will benefit greatly from the program, as the job opportunities for employees at the bachelor’s level are numerous and varied. The program combines academic learning with relevant practical experience such as internships, where students gain important on-the-job experience and become better prepared to launch their careers.

“With Duquesne's prime location in Pittsburgh, which is a major medical and technology hub, there are many opportunities for internships and jobs post-graduation that include, but are not limited to, data analytics, risk management, telehealth, public health in general, health administration, and so on,” said Emma Marx, a current student in the Health Administration Department.

“Our curriculum is contemporary and extremely relevant, as it focuses on the current public health and health administration needs of our society including COVID-19, the opioid pandemic, global health, etc,” said Dr. Faina Linkov, Department Chair and Associate Professor who was recently appointed to head the program. “Our innovative curriculum is delivered by world-renown researchers, educators, and public health/health administration officials. With a student-faculty ratio at Duquesne University of 14:1, students receive personalized instruction and individual guidance.”

Why the need for a bachelor’s level program?
Most public health degree programs start at the graduate level. One of the important elements of Duquesne’s program is that it equips students with an opportunity to gain the necessary skills to launch a public health career with only a bachelor’s degree.

“The reasons for pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public health and health administration are plentiful,” explained Dr. Linkov. “Today’s rapidly changing world has created a major need for people in the public health field, with jobs available for employees with bachelor’s level education. Public health and health administration bachelor’s degrees can also be valuable steppingstones to medical school or other clinical disciplines.”

“In the United States, from the top of the CDC down to the local community level, we are hearing of the severe shortage of trained professionals in a variety of public health and health administration fields,” said Dr. Linkov. “Our 4-year degree programs are helping meet this challenge by providing thorough professional-level training that enables our students to secure excellent job opportunities right after graduation.”

This need for a better trained public health and health administration workforce became especially clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health and health administration are among the most rapidly growing career fields, according to the US Labor and Bureau Statistics.

As a career field, both public health and health administration offer many choices in terms of job responsibilities and job settings. Medical and health services manager has been listed as best job #4 in the US News 100 Best Jobs. Graduates work in a variety of settings, from government agencies and hospitals to corporations and not-for-profits.

Global opportunities in public health and health administration
Career opportunities are global in scope. To enhance their learning and experience, many of Duquesne’s students study internationally while completing their curriculum, spending semesters in Italy, Ireland, and many other international locations. Duquesne strongly encourages international students to apply to the program as well.

As a private and highly rated university with 9,500 students, Duquesne offers a personalized, collaborative learning experience in a beautiful campus setting—all at a great value. Duquesne is ranked on the top 50 on the Great Schools, Great Price list, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. Ninety-nine percent of freshmen receive some form of financial aid.

Duquesne University’s public health program offers two academic tracks at the bachelor’s level: B.S. and B.A.
The public health program at Duquesne incorporates both academic and experiential learning such as fieldwork, internships, and team projects. Students who are more inclined toward the research, statistical, epidemiologic, and scientific aspects of the field can choose the Bachelor of Science curriculum, while those who are more interested in the policy making, legal, communications, and community health aspects may choose the Bachelor of Arts program. There is significant overlap in coursework for the two programs, but the specialized content differentiates them.

Students can expect a high quality of learning presented by a distinguished faculty. The beginning courses give students a broad overview of the various aspects of health management. The later courses drill down into the specifics of the field’s various specializations while building practical job skills. “We want to be proactive and forward-thinking, so our program covers many general topics and skills important for health administration and public health,” indicated Dr. Fevzi Akinci, Dean of the Rangos School of Health Sciences and a faculty member in the Department of Health Administration and Public Health.

Not only do Duquesne students gain a wide range of knowledge and practical skills, but they also gain a better understanding of the variety of career options available to them after graduation. “Coupled with our individualized coaching and guidance, including help with résumé writing and career counseling, graduating students are much more confident and comfortable when they take their first career steps,” said Dr. Linkov.

“In today’s globalized world, and with so many breakthroughs in medicine and technology, the time is now to create better-managed health care systems and standards around the world,” she said. “There are amazing opportunities but, as we have seen from the COVID-19 pandemic, also great challenges to meet.”

How to apply
The application deadline for Fall Semester 2021 is August 1, 2021. Students seeking financial aid should apply as soon as possible. To request an application to Duquesne University, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions office at (412) 396-6222 or apply online².

For more information about Duquesne’s degree programs in Health Administration and Public Health, please visit https://bit.ly/32tTIj2. Please visit the official website at https://duq.edu to gain more information about the university, its history, faculty, programs, financial considerations, and campus life.

About Duquesne University
Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and horizon-expanding education. A campus of nearly 9,500 graduate and undergraduate students, Duquesne prepares students by having them work alongside faculty to discover and reach their goals. The University's academic programs, community service, and commitment to equity and opportunity in the Pittsburgh region have earned national acclaim.

It's time for bigger goals. To learn more, visit https://www.duq.edu. Follow Duquesne University on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Cindy Kurman
Kurman Communications
+1 312-543-3928
team@kurman.com
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Cindy Kurman
Kurman Communications for Duquesne University
+1 312-543-3928
email us here
Visit us on social media:
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Twitter
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¹ https://www.duq.edu/academics/schools/health-sciences/academic-programs/public-health
² https://www.duq.edu/admissions-and-aid/undergraduate/apply-for-admission