Community and Public Health

Department Chair: Kristin Van De Griend, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor
Associate Professors: Ryan Lindsay, PhD, MPH; Janette Olsen, PhD, MCHES; Diana Campanella Schow, PhD, MHE, MA; Irene van Woerden, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professors: Melissa Caudle, MHE, CWP, CHES; Jade Hans, MPH; Nnamdi Stephen Moeteke, MBBS, MPH, FWACP; Lisa Salazar, PhD, MPH
Professional Staff: Madalynn Treasure; Sarah Hibbert Johnson, MPH
Emeriti: Richard L. Kearns, Delane C. Kritsky, Willis J. McAleese, Lloyd E. "Mike" Morris, Linda L. Rankin
Master of Health EducationDegreeMHE
Master of Public HealthDegreeMPH
PharmD and MPH Dual DegreeDegreePharmD/MPH
Accelerated B.A./B.S. to Master of Health EducationDegreeBA or BS/MHE
Accelerated B.A./B.S. to Master of Public HealthDegreeBA or BS/MPH
Graduate Certificate in Public HealthCertificate
Graduate Certificate in Rural HealthCertificate
Graduate Certificate in Addiction StudiesCertificate

About Community and Public Health

Our Mission

We advance health for all through collaborative learning and scholarly activities, enabling students and communities to thrive.

Our graduates work at the frontlines of emerging health issues and strategically guide organizations and communities through evidence-based decision-making and cultural humility. Each of our programs prepares students in areas with projected job growth as organizations and communities recognize the need for better programs, healthcare, and environments that foster healthy people and communities.

Our graduate degree programs include a Master of Public Health, Master of Health Education, and a dual PharmD/MPH. We offer a B.A. or B.S. in Community and Public Health, as well as in Health Science. We offer accelerated BS/BA to MPH and BS/BA to MHE degrees. Our academic certificate offerings include graduate certificates in Public Health, Rural Health, Addiction Studies, Mindfulness, Geriatrics and an undergraduate Community Health Worker certificate.

Accreditation

The Master of Public Health program is accredited through the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), an independent agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit schools of public health, and public health programs outside schools of public health.

Degrees Offered

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Students pursuing the MPH degree complete 42 credit hours of course work including an integrated learning experience. The goal of public health is to improve population health. The MPH at ISU is taught fully online, and is designed to meet the needs of working individuals as well as those in rural areas. Courses focus on a community health emphasis and include training in public health knowledge and skills in the areas of epidemiology, biostatistics, health care ethics, health organization and policy, health program planning and evaluation, research methodology, and environmental health. The MPH Program at ISU is accredited by the Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH).

MPH Vision

Diverse communities co-creating sustained health for all. 

MPH Mission

The mission of the Master of Public Health (MPH) Program at Idaho State University is to improve the health and well-being of human populations through the application of the essential services of public health by excellence in instruction, community service, research, and continuing professional education.

MPH Foundational Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)

Evidence-based Approaches to Public Health                    

  • Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice         
  • Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context                               
  • Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, and computer-based programming and software, as appropriate                              
  • Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy, or practice                 

Public Health & Health Care Systems                     

  • Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings                            
  • Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities, and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community, and societal levels                    

Planning & Management to Promote Health                     

  • Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities’ health                             
  • Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs               
  • Design a population-based policy, program, project, or intervention                     
  • Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management                          
  • Select methods to evaluate public health programs       

Policy in Public Health                  

  • Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
  • Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes                             
  • Advocate for political, social, or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations                       
  • Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity            

Leadership                        

  • Apply principles of leadership, governance, and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration, and guiding decision making                         
  • Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges                     

Communication                              

  • Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors                
  • Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation                               
  • Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content                      

Interprofessional Practice                          

  • Perform effectively on interprofessional teams        

Systems Thinking                            

  • Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue

Dual PharmD/MPH

Students enrolled in the PharmD/MPH Program at Idaho State University may combine the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree with a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) degree with approximately one year of additional effort. This combined program is designed to give PharmD students the added benefit of the MPH degree, giving them an edge in the future job market, opportunities for more advanced practice, including in pharmacoepidemiology, and the potential for a greater impact on the community.

Students may pursue this opportunity through either of two potential entry points: 1) the Graduate Certificate in Public Health, which provides an excellent pathway to explore public health topics while completing PharmD studies to see if the full MPH degree is appropriate for them or 2) the full MPH program. Both options are detailed below. Through strategic course sharing between programs, students can efficiently complete both degrees while maintaining the high standards of each program.

Students should note that the PharmD program is face-to-face and MPH program courses are fully online.

Program Options

  • Option 1: Graduate Certificate in Public Health (18 credits). This pathway is recommended for most students as an excellent entry point into public health education. All certificate credits can transfer to the MPH program as long as the student is accepted into the MPH program prior to  graduating with the certificate. Students who choose to have the Graduate Certificate in Public Health courses transfer to the MPH program will not be awarded the certificate. This is an excellent "trial" option to explore the fit and feasibility of the dual degree. Students must earn at least B- in courses for transfer into the MPH.

  • Option 2: Full MPH Program (42 credits)
PharmD/MPH Career Opportunities 

In addition to clinical work in pharmacy settings, graduates with a PharmD/MPH are prepared for advanced roles in:

  • Public Health Leadership and Administration
  • Population Health Management
  • Public Health Emergency Preparedness
  • Health Policy Development
  • Federal agencies (Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • Health systems administration
  • Community health program development

Master of Health Education (MHE)

The Master of Health Education (MHE) is a 30-credit fully online degree designed to educate students in strategies of health promotion/disease prevention. Coursework emphasizes the acquisition of skills to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate health education programs in the school, community, or worksite setting. The MHE can be completed in as little as one calendar year and helps prepare and advance health professionals.

Graduate Certificates

Graduate Certificate in Addiction Studies

The Addiction Studies Certificate is a 25-credit, fully online academic certificate for students interested in the core principles and practices of addiction treatment and recovery support. Participants explore ethical and legal considerations in behavioral health, theoretical approaches to helping, effective intervention strategies, and empirically supported treatment and recovery models. Coursework is structured to help students build a strong theoretical foundation and develop a personalized approach to working with diverse individuals, families, and communities.

As students progress through the program, they develop into ethically grounded, culturally responsive, and holistically minded addiction support professionals. Graduates are prepared to promote mental health and wellness, facilitate recovery-oriented services, and provide compassionate, evidence-based support to individuals, families, and communities affected by addiction.

Eligibility for Alcohol/Drug Counselor (ADC) or Substance Use Disorders Associate (SUDA) certifications through the Idaho Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselor Certification (IBADCC) includes the coursework offered through Idaho State University and a minimum requirement of internship hours, not offered through Idaho State University, working directly with substance abusing clients. Additional ADC/SUDA certification eligibility criteria is available on the IBADCC website.

Program Learning Outcomes:

  • Support strategies tailored to working effectively with individuals experiencing addiction, emphasizing engagement, motivation, and person-centered recovery practices
  • Holistic case management techniques that consider physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being and promote sustained participation in services
  • Group facilitation skills and group-based support approaches essential for working in addiction treatment and recovery settings
  • Comprehensive exploration of addiction’s impact on health, functioning, and interpersonal relationships across the lifespan
  • Pharmacological treatment awareness, including withdrawal management, stabilization, long-term treatment, recovery maintenance, and relapse prevention
  • Use of standardized screening and assessment tools to identify substance use concerns, process addictions, and co-occurring mental health needs
  • Knowledge of the addictive properties of substances and behaviors and their implications for prevention, intervention, and recovery support

Graduate Certificate in Public Health

The 18-credit, fully online Graduate Certificate in Public Health can be completed in one academic year. This certificate is designed for both working professionals who would like to expand their knowledge of public health, and graduate students currently enrolled in other academic programs. The Graduate Certificate in Public Health curriculum includes courses that address the public health core knowledge areas. 

Graduate Certificate in Rural Health

The Graduate Certificate in Rural Health is a fully online, solution-oriented program designed for people who are passionate about health and well-being in rural communities! The Graduate Certificate in Rural Health focuses intently on the least populated areas of the western United States, including communities in Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, South Dakota, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Montana. This 15-credit program is designed for graduate students and health professionals (primary care, allied health and public health) who currently practice, or intend to practice, in rural settings.

Program Learning Outcomes:

  • Effectively and inclusively address public health issues in rural communities to enable better individual and community health outcomes
  • Navigate formal and informal rural health systems and advocate and mediate for positive change
  • Build sustainable partnerships that increase health resources and capacity in rural communities - on communities' terms
  • Apply knowledge about rural public health and programs in clinical and primary care settings

Graduate Certificate Geriatric Certificate

The 8-credit Geriatric Certificate Program prepares students to support the increasing older adult population with healthcare needs and gain practical experience through 90 hours of hands-on educational rotation. The Geriatric Certificate Program at ISU is available online, and undergraduate and graduate students are awarded a Geriatric Certificate along with their degree upon graduation. Credits count towards upper-division elective credits for undergraduate students or elective credits for graduate students. The certificate cannot be awarded without completing a concurrent degree program.

Graduate Certificate in Mindfulness

The Interprofessional Certificate in Mindfulness allows the student to develop a broad understanding of mindfulness research and theory, as well as develop skills in mindfulness practice and its specific applications in a variety of settings. The online certificate requirements include core coursework (7 credits) and elective coursework (4 credits).