SUNY Potsdam Announces 100% Online Master's Degree in Community Health

SUNY Potsdam Launches Fully Online Master of Science Degree in Community Health -- One of the Fastest Growing Careers in U.S.

Potsdam, NY (03/09/2022) — SUNY Potsdam is proud to announce the College's new fully online Master of Science degree in community health-one of the fast growing careers in the United States.

The virtual graduate program in community health prepares students to take on leadership roles in agencies, non-profits and healthcare organizations that respond to the most pressing public health problems.

"This program is going to prepare students to lead organizations and agencies. Our graduates are going to be able to go out after this degree and lead our communities to better health. It's such an important field, and we have to remember that COVID is not going to be here forever. There is so much other work to do, besides just infectious diseases," said program director Dr. Kelly Bonnar, an associate professor in the Department of Public Health and Human Performance.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, community health workers and health educators are among the fastest growing occupations nationally. Job growth is estimated to be 15 to 17 percent between 2020 and 2030. New York State has the highest employment level of community health workers and is ranked fifth nationwide for the highest for concentration of jobs and location quotients in the field. In the North Country, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the Watertown and Fort Drum area has the fifth highest concentration of jobs in the community health field per metropolitan area nationally.

The newly redesigned online program was created to meet that demand and to fit the needs of busy working professionals, Bonnar said.

"Most of our classes will be asynchronous, where you progress on your own. We will have some synchronous classes as well, to be able to build community and navigate the applied work that we will be doing together," Bonnar said.

Graduates of the master's program are trained to plan and evaluate public health programs, analyze public health policy, manage healthcare organizations and conduct theoretical research in preparation for a doctoral degree. The curriculum fosters development of core public health competencies, with coursework in epidemiology, program planning and evaluation, health policy and administration, and applied fieldwork experience.

Whitney Callaghan '17 & '21 recently completed the in-person version of the program, while working full-time at the St. Lawrence County Public Health Department. She is now the director of the Northern Area Health Education Center, working to improve healthcare access, delivery and outcomes across the North Country.

"SUNY Potsdam's Master of Science in community health program provides students with the knowledge, sense of purpose, and experience they will need to succeed in the public health workforce. With support from the dedicated faculty, I was able to enter the job field feeling not only competent in the work I was doing, but also confident. No matter where you are in life, SUNY Potsdam will be there to support and guide you," Callaghan said.

More than 25 percent of the program coursework includes applied fieldwork, designed to provide practical experiences, so that graduates are well-equipped and prepared to make significant contributions in the field immediately after graduation.

"This is not just a conceptual program. Students will be coming in and using the skills they need out in the field, working with local organizations to conduct needs assessments, program evaluations and case study work. Our whole emphasis is on looking at real life public health problems and coming up with solutions to fix them," Bonnar said.

The culminating experience is also flexible, allowing students to expand their portfolio in the best manner for their career path. Students coming straight out of an undergraduate experience can complete an internship, locally or wherever they are located. Those working full-time can complete a professional project on the job. There is also a research thesis option designed for those interested in pursuing a doctorate.

Through this coursework, research and community engagement, students will acquire the practical skills necessary to work as leaders addressing public health needs in a local, national or international entity. Alumni of SUNY Potsdam's community health graduate program have gone on to a wide variety of careers, including as directors of public/community health agencies, health educators, medical service managers, grant writers, public health planners and policy advocates.

The community health graduate program is 48 credits, and students can study full-time or part-time. The online program will kick off in the Fall 2022 semester, and graduate scholarship funding is available for eligible applicants. To find out more, visit potsdam.edu/CommunityHealthMS.

SUNY Potsdam's Department of Public Health and Human Performance offers career-ready bachelor's degrees in community health and exercise science, plus its 100 percent online master's degree in community health. The department also has popular minors in wilderness education, therapeutic recreation and more. For more information, visit http://www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS/department-public-health-and-human-performance.

The School of Education and Professional Studies at SUNY Potsdam has been preparing educators for more than 200 years. Today, that legacy of educational excellence also stretches to undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, public health and human performance, to help students prepare for professions in the global economy. To learn more, visit http://www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS.

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