Public Health Promotion Mission
The purpose of the Public Health Promotion degree is twofold. First, to prepare exceptional public health promotion students that can serve in a variety of health settings of practice, including but not limited to schools, work-sites, communities, with individuals, and in the health care system. The second is to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent diseases within a given population.
The Public Health Promotion degree program provides students with an understanding of a wide range of health topics including public health principles; community health issues; risk factors and prevention; behavior-change theory and application; health promotion program assessment, design, implementation, and evaluation. The Public Health Promotion program educates students to utilize an ecological framework to approach the determinants of health.
Students may wish to begin their career, continue their education, and/or take the national exam for the certified health education specialist (CHES) after graduating from the Public Health Promotion program. No matter the goal, students will be prepared to address emerging individual and public health challenges.
Program Learning Outcomes
The B.S. in Public Health Promotion will enable students to:
- Locate, evaluate, summarize, synthesize and attribute information relevant to assessing and improving population health.
- Explain the relationship between and impact of social and physical determinants of health and their contribution to health disparities
- Identify the fundamental relationship between health, human rights, social justice, ethical practice and advocacy
- Effectively utilize oral and written forms of communication to disseminate health information to diverse audiences
- Demonstrate professional and ethical standards and capacity to work independently and collaboratively
- Apply techniques used to analyze, monitor and evaluate public health-related data
- Develop, implement and evaluate public health programs conducted in varied settings
- Practice cultural humility, responsiveness and respect when working with diverse populations
| Contact Name | Advisor for Last Name | Shedule an Appointment | Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brent Powell, Ph.D., CHES (Professor) | A - E | Schedule an Appointment | bpowell1@csustan.edu | FX 111 |
| Ping Luo, Ed.D. (Professor) | F - K | Schedule an Appointment | pluo@csustan.edu | FX 105 |
| Eric Conrad, Ph.D., CHES (Assoc. Professor) | R- Z | Schedule an Appointment | econrad@csustan.edu | FX 105 |
| David Veloz, Ph.D. (Assist. Professor) | L - Q | Schedule an Appointment | dveloz@csustan.edu | FX 107 |
| Gilda Zarate-Gonzalez (Lecturer) | gzarategonzalez@csustan.edu | FX 109 |
- B.S. Public Health Promotion Advising Sheet (pdf)
- Course Sequence Roadmap (4 semesters)
- Visit the Frequently Asked Questions concerning B.S. in Public Health Promotion
Is a Career in Public Health Right for Me?
Watch this video on various jobs described by individuals working in the field.
Health Education Specialists: Promoting a Healthy World
Learn about the Society for Public Health Education: Roles of Public Health Education Specialist
State of Global Health
"The State of Global Health" by Greg Martin.
Search Accredited Public Health Programs
- Search Accredited Public Health Programs (MPH - Masters of Public Health)
Select weblinks are provided below to assist with learning more about the topics.
- Public Health
- Health Education
- Health Promotion
- Certified Health Education Specialist
- What can you do with a public health degree?
- Guide to Online Degrees in Public Health
Public health practitioners work in hospitals, nonprofit or government organizations, doctors’ offices, private businesses, and university settings.
- Counselor Education
- Public Administration
- Social Work
- Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
- Traditional or Eastern Medicine
- Nutrition and Dietetics
- Epidemiology
- Healthcare Administration
- Nursing
- With other courses, can prepare students for Physician Assistant, Chiropractic Medicine
This degree also requires a practicum course your last semester. To learn more, please select the Public Health Promotion Practicum tab.
Frequently Asked Questions
The new degree is a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Promotion
The decision about whether to switch or not depends on your year in the program, how many courses you have left, your future career plans, and graduation plans.
To get guidance with making this decision, contact your advisor. They will assist with helping you with this choice.
Visit the Advising webpage. You can find information on who your advisor is and their contact information.
The concentration served students well and prepared students for Public Health related careers/graduate programs. The new degree clearly communicates students’ academic preparation and signals to employers, credentialing agencies, and graduate programs that such a student has been trained in the coursework relevant to the 4 P’s of public health: Prevention, Promotion, Protection, and Population- based care. Additionally, the new degree allows for growth of the program into other areas of public health.
Updated: September 18, 2026