Department of Behavioral and Community Health

Community Health is a service-oriented profession with a variety of career opportunities that can make meaningful contributions to the health and welfare of the individual and society.

The Association of Schools of Public Health has developed a What is Public Health? website that gives an overview of public health and emphasizes the relevance of public health to everyone's lives. It features a two-minute Flash animation about public health on the home page, as well as number of resources for learning more about public health.

Today, with the emphasis on prevention rather than solely on treating the ill, many institutions are developing health promotion and wellness programs for community members.

Public & Community Health Encompasses	Public & Community Health Affects

Why University of Maryland?

President Mote's "Taking Stock: State of the University 1999-2004" address, presented September 13, 2004
From September 2002 Message from President Mote:
“…the University of Maryland has gained national recognition as one of the fastest rising public research institutions in the country.”
“One indication of Maryland’s stature is the well-traveled path of national and international leaders through College Park…Nelson Mandela…Bill Cosby…Bill Clinton…Kofi Annan …[for example].”
“Kaplan’s annual survey of guidance counselors just named us one of the top 10 hot schools in the nation, in the company of Harvard, Duke, UCLA and Princeton. The Unbiased, Unofficial Guide to Colleges compiles this list using the perceptions of counselors who guide college applicants in their college searches.”
“A big draw is the quality of our faculty, with six Pulitzers, a Nobel Laureate, scores of Fulbrights, and 31 faculty who are members of the national academies.”
More facts about the University of Maryland at College Park
From “Outlook,” the University of Maryland Faculty and Staff Weekly Newspaper:
“…[UMCP] moved up significantly in the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings in categories that reflect the quality of academic programs as well as the quality of the overall undergraduate experience. Among all national public universities, Maryland ranks 18th this year in a tie with Georgia, breaking into the top 20 for the first time.” According to Maryland’s President Dan Mote, “The improved rankings are a natural consequence of our broadly based movement into the ranks of the best universities in the country.”

Some Alumni Comments

My workwith the Association of Public Health Laboratories is really challenging and affects national policy. It's a perfect meld between my laboratory background and public health degree. (MPH)

As Program Coordinator/Health Education Specialist for Maternal and Child Health at the State Health Department in the Center for Health Promotion, Education, and Tobacco Use Prevention, I am using much of my MPH education - it's a lot of program planning, evaluation, health communication, etc. (MPH)

Some Thoughts from Prospective Students

People enter degree programs in Behavioral and Community Health with different goals, for different reasons, and from a wide array of personal and academic backgrounds and interests. Many are motivated by experiences of their family and friends, or by a unique sensitivity to a specific area of need. Among those considering graduate study, academic and professional backgrounds include medicine, dentistry, teaching, marketing, public relations, anthropology and Peace Corp work.

Take a look at some prospective students' expressions of interest in Behavioral and Community Health and attraction to UMCP and the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area.

Professional / Employment Opportunities

There is a growing need for health professionals who can interface between fields of practice, research, planning, administration and policy development.

The Doctoral program in Behavioral and Community Health prepares health education researchers of the highest quality. Students develop research skills essential in making significant contributions to the scientific and professional literature in health education. The goal of the program is to develop health professionals competent in understanding the health needs of the nation and qualified to conduct research that will result in setting the public health agenda for the future.

The MPH in Community Health Education program develops professional community health educators who understand the science, theory, and practice of public health and can apply this knowledge toward the enhancement of health status in communities. Students participate in both academic and applied training in program planning and implementation, program evaluation, public policy analysis, research and management.

Community Health Education MPH graduates are being sought in the field of public health, especially in the area of behavioral science. Career opportunities abound in both the private and public sectors - in public health agencies, volunteer programs, in business and in industry. MPH graduates are highly competitive in the fast-growing marketplace of community health education and public health.