Clarkson College

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Program:
Community Health

Degree Awarded:
Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health

Length of Program:
Students with Associate’s degree: 3–5 semesters
First-time college students: 9–12 semesters

Application Deadlines:
Accepted year-round
Apply Now


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Discover how a Bachelor’s degree in Community Health can support your calling to serve others.

Degree Overview

A Bachelor’s degree in Community Health expands your knowledge of health-related fields and prepares you to serve diverse populations. You’ll have the opportunity to tailor your coursework by choosing from concentrations in Gerontology, Human Services, Public Health, Women’s Health, Nutrition, and Healthcare Business. A traditional option for those with no transfer credit and a post-associate degree option for those with their associate’s degree are available. Options to enroll in multiple degrees are available in Nursing, Health Information Technology, Physical Therapist Assistant, and Radiography.

The Bachelor's degree in Community Health, Community-Based track is designed for three primary audiences:

  • Students interested in health and well-being, but not necessarily the more invasive aspects of medicine.
  • Students with an associate’s degree interested in earning a bachelor’s degree.
  • Employees interested in earning a bachelor’s degree to advance within their career.

The interdisciplinary curriculum of the Community Health program includes courses that address vulnerable populations, health literacy and patient advocacy, legal and ethical implications, environmental and cultural influences on health, trauma informed care, and grant writing. You will select from the following concentrations:

  • Gerontology
  • Human Services
  • Public Health
  • Women's Health
  • Healthcare Business
  • Nutrition -- new Fall 2025!

In the final two semesters of the program, you will integrate classroom material with hands-on experience at an agency or organization of your choice. This 90-hour fieldwork component allows you to work in and observe all aspects of the agency, develop advanced skills, apply concepts from your classes, and gain practical experience in your chosen concentration. You will develop a paper that incorporates your course work and fieldwork experiences in the Capstone course taken your final semester. 

Multiple Degree Enrollment Curriculum

The Community Health program is also ideal for students who have obtained or are in the process of obtaining an associate’s degree at Clarkson College. The major benefit of this multiple degree option is that it allows students to apply their credit hours earned in their associate’s degree program toward their Bachelor’s degree in Community Health. Students enrolled in the Multiple Degree program select one of the above concentrations as their focus (see curriculum plan for details). This route enables students to complete the bachelor’s degree in as few as three to four additional semesters. Contact your enrollment advisor for more information.

Multiple Degree Enrollment Options:

  • Radiography & Community Health Degrees
  • Physical Therapist Assistant & Community Health Degrees
  • Nursing & Community Health Degrees
  • Health Information Technology & Community Health Degrees

How we prepare
the best

  • Explore a variety of health professions with the guidance of a dedicated advisor.
  • Choose from concentrations in gerontology, human services, public health, women’s health, and nutrition.
  • Complete coursework on campus and online with flexible part- or full-time study options.
  • Enroll during the fall, spring or summer semesters.
  • Select fieldwork in your area of interest.

Required Courses for Bachelor of Science in Community Health, Community-Based Track

Healthcare Core

Students choose one course from each of the following Core groups (9 semester hours): Intercultural Communication (ICC) Humanities (HUM) Ethics, Empathy, and Advocacy (EEA)

Courses Semester Hours
◊ ICC Core - Intercultural Communication 3
HUM Core - Humanities 3
EEA Core - Ethics, Empathy, and Advocacy 3
Total Semester Hours 9
General Courses
Courses Semester Hours
IPE 301 - Interprofessional Education 0
GEN 101 - Strategies for Success 1
ENG 101 - English Composition I 3
ENG 102 - English Composition II 3
PSY 101 - Introduction to Psychology 3
MAT 130 - College Algebra 3
MAT 310 - Statistics 3
GEN 105 - Medical Terminology 1
BIO 122 - Nutrition Science 3
BUS 140 - Healthcare Delivery Systems 2
HIM 180 - Essentials of Pharmacology 2
SOC 220 - Medical Sociology 2
◊ CHL 244 - Vulnerable Populations 3
CHL 243 - Trauma Informed Care 3
CHL 248 - Introduction to Grant Writing 2
HIM 224 - Anatomy and Physiology OR
BIO 211 - Human Anatomy - Lecture and Lab AND
BIO 213 - Human Physiology - Lecture and Lab 		4
4
4

Additional General Courses

  • Traditional students choose four of the five concentrations to complete.
  • Post-Associate and Post-Bachelor degree students choose one concentration to complete.
Public Health Concentration

(18 semester hours)

Courses Semester Hours
BUS 470 - Issues and Policies in Public Health 3
CHL 250 - Epidemiology 3
CHL 251 - Environmental Risk Factors and Disease 3
◊ CHL 353 - Community Engagement and Social Change 3
MAT 410 - Advanced Statistics for Public Healthcare 3
CHL 355 - Health Program Planning and Evaluation 3
Total Semester Hours 18
Human Services Concentration

(18 semester hours)

Courses Semester Hours
PSY 200 - Human Development 3
CHL 266 - Social Policy and Human Services 3
CHL 245 - Family Dynamics 1
EEA 210 - American Poverty and Healthcare 3
CHL 252 - Information and Referral 2
CHL 249 - Crisis Intervention 1
CHL 253 - Understanding the Criminal Justice System 2
◊ CHL 353 - Community Engagement and Social Change 3
Total Semester Hours 18
Gerontology Concentration

(18 semester hours)

Courses Semester Hours
GEN 220 - Gerontology 2
CHL 241 - Programs, Services and Policies in Aging 3
EEA 205 - Death and Dying 3
CHL 330 - Health and Physical Aspects of Aging 3
CHL 333 - Psychological and Social Aspects of Aging 3
CHL 334 - Managing Care of the Older Adult 3
CHL 335 - Seminar in Gerontology 1
Total Semester Hours 18
Women’s Health Concentration

(18 semester hours)

Courses Semester Hours
CHL 260 - Evolution of Women’s Health 3
CHL 261 - Women’s Health in Contemporary Society 3
CHL 265 - Literary Perspectives of Women’s Health 3
CHL 362 - Global Issues in Women’s Health 3
CHL 364 - Mental Health of Women Throughout the Lifespan 3
CHL 365 - Mammography 1
CHL 366 - Pharmacology in Women's Health 1
CHL 367 - Preventative & Restorative Topics for Women 1
Total Semester Hours 18
Healthcare Business Concentration

(18 semester hours)

Courses Semester Hours
HIM 218 - Data Analysis and Visualization 3
BUS 375 - Concepts of Leadership 2
BUS 357 - Healthcare Accounting and Financial Management 4
BUS 262 - Business Communication and Marketing 3
Total Semester Hours 12
Healthcare Business Electives

Students choose two of the following electives:

Courses Semester Hours
BUS 425 - Project Management 3
BUS 470 - Issues and Policies in Public Health 3
BUS 420 - Long-Term Care Management 3
HIM 360 - Compliance and Legal Applications 3
BUS 335 - Managing Healthcare Departments 3
HIM 333 - Classification Systems and Reimbursement Methodologies 3
BUS 411 - Operations and Quality Management 3
BUS 318 - Human Resources and Organizational Behavior 3
Major Courses

(4 semester hours)

Courses Semester Hours
◊ CHL 400 - Community Health Fieldwork (concentration related) 2
CHL 401 - Community Health Capstone (concentration related) 2
Total Semester Hours 4

Tuition and Fees

Estimated rates for the 2025-26 academic year. Rates are subject to change. Find out more information about costs, tuition, and fees.

Scholarships

Learn which scholarships you are eligible for as an in-coming or current student.
Learn More

Financial Aid

Explore the various loan and grant opportunities available to help fund your education.
Learn More

Undergraduate Tuition

Cost per Credit Hour
$691

Cost per Semester
$8,442 - Full-time (12 hrs)
$4,221 - Part-time (6 hrs)

View Tuition & Fees Breakdown

Tuition
Undergraduate Tuition$691 / credit-hour
Fees - Included in cost per semester
Enrollment Fee for first time students $150/ each
Degree Specific Fees - Not included in cost per semester
Interprofessional education – IPE Course Fee IPE 301 $140/ student
IDI Cultural Assessment Fee $45/ student
Lab Fee - General Education $40/ class

Career Overview

Median Salary

  • $41,410 Social & Human Services Worker/ Patient Advocate/Peer Specialist/Direct Support Specialist
  • $46,690 Program Manager/Direct Care Supervisor
  • $48,200 Community Health Worker
  • $62,860 Health Education Specialist
  • $77,030 Social & Community Service Manager/ Social Services Director
  • $110,680 Medical and Health Services Manager

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024

Job Outlook

Employment of community health workers is growing at a rapid rate of 13% from 2023 to 2023 (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

This degree commonly leads to pursuing a graduate degree in the following fields: Public Health, Social Work, Counseling, Law, Public Administration. Each of the following fields are projected to grow through at the rates listed below:

  • Social & Human Services Worker: 6-8% through 2033
  • Program Manager/Direct Care Supervisor: 9%+ through 2033, much faster than average
  • Community Health Worker: 13% through 2033, much faster than average
  • Health Education Specialist: 6-8% through 2033
  • Social & Community Service Manager/ Social Services Director: 6-8% through 2033
  • Medical and Health Services Manager: 9%+ through 2033

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024

Career Options

  • Administration
  • Educational settings
  • Environmental health agencies
  • Correctional institutions
  • Grant writing
  • Health departments
  • Health & wellness centers
  • Home health, palliative care & hospice agencies
  • Hospitals
  • Independent, Assisted Living & Skilled Nursing Facilities
  • Insurance companies
  • Medical clinics
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Public policy & government
  • Public safety & disaster relief organizations
  • Rehabilitation centers
  • Research
  • Shelters
  • Social service agencies
  • Substance abuse programs
  • Women’s health agencies

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.