Community Health

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The School of Education & Human Sciences offers a BSE in Community Health.  Community Health prepares students to effectively educate individuals, families, and communities about health issues. They are prepared for employment providing health education-related services in non-school agencies such as health care facilities, local, state, and national health agencies, and international health agencies in the government, for-profit, and not-for-profit sectors.

Community Health Department website

Sample of Related Skills

• Assess community needs and planning and evaluating health programs
• Interpret quantitative and qualitative research findings in the medical, nursing, public health and social science literature
• Examine the principal determinants of health problems facing the world’s populations within social, economic and political contexts
• Identify biological, behavioral and social principals of health promotion and disease prevention across the life span
• Describe the interactions between biological, psychological, environmental and cultural factors influencing public health and disease prevention strategies
• Examine healthcare policy, finance and regulatory environments, with attention to healthcare disparities
• Communicate and conduct presentations on public health problems, determinants and evidence-based interventions

Popular Career Paths

Individual and Community Health: Involves the promotion, maintenance, and improvement of individual and community health by assisting individuals and communities to adopt healthy lifestyles and behaviors

Environmental or Occupational Health: Involves the evaluation and examination of all aspects of the natural and/or work environment that may affect human health as well as the development and implementation of programs and procedures that prevent disease or injury

Disease Prevention and Management: Involves the examination of the factors affecting the health and illness of populations and the development of prevention and control methods

Jobs to Consider

Places to Seek Employment

View specific employers by state.

Employment Strategies

1. Gain direct experience within the areas that interest you most through research projects, independent study, internships, part-time jobs, student organization involvement, or volunteering.
2. Register for HireJayhawks.com and subscribe to the Internship Newsletter to receive automated weekly emails with specific internship information.
3. Consider obtaining the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) certification.
4. Become involved in health programming on campus through resources like the KU Center for Community Outreach, KU Student Health Services,  KU Recreation Services.
5. Consider getting involved with a student organization at KU related to your area of interest, such as: Community Health Club, Hawks for Health, Recreation Services Student Staff Ambassadors, Peer Health Educators, and Student Health Advisory Board.
6. Develop your resume and tailor it to your area(s) of interest: sample resume (pdf).
7. Consider obtaining your First Aid and CPR certification.
8. Develop strong public speaking and presentation skills.
9. Consider joining community health-related professional associations and, if possible, attend local and/or regional conferences to make connections with professionals working in your field of interest.
10. Earn a minor or take additional coursework outside your major when relevant.
11. Some career paths listed above may require an advanced degree. To help you determine if a graduate degree will be necessary to reach your specific career goals, schedule an appointment with a career coach at the UCC or with your academic advisor.

Job & Internship Search Resources

• American Association for Health Education - networking, professional development, and programming opportunities in health education
• A Guide to Public Health Careers - information about industries and sectors that attract public health professionals
• American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - health education job and internship opportunities
• American Public Health Association - job and internship opportunities in public health
• Explore Health Careers.org - community health worker career overview
• Idealist.org - local, national, and international internships in non-profit and government organizations
• KU Center for Community Outreach - local volunteer opportunities in a variety of areas, including poverty, seniors and youth​
• Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department - job opportunities with LDCHD
• National Commission for Health Education Credentialing - public health job postings by state​
• Non-Profit Connect - local non-profit job and internship opportunities as well as non-profit career resources
• Public Health Online - information on specialty public health careers including salary tools, career path timelines, and job resources
• USAJOBS - full-time, part-time, and internship listings with the federal government

The quick link for this page is career.ku.edu/communityhealth.

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