Bay Path University Announces New Graduate Applied Health Programs

LONGMEADOW — Bay Path University announced the launch of two new programs, including its second doctoral program, now enrolling.

Bay Path’s master of public health degree is designed to prepare graduates to pursue positions either as a public-health professional or as a leader in government, business, industry, higher education, or nonprofit organizations. For those aspiring to high-demand careers such as epidemiologists, environmental health specialists, public-health policy advisors, advanced health educators, and health survey researchers, a public-health degree is a requirement.

Any college graduate interested in pursuing a career in public health, regardless of field of undergraduate study, is eligible to apply for enrollment. The program’s 100{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} online format provides flexibility for students to pursue graduate education while continuing with family life, work, and other commitments. Classes start this fall.

“Public-health careers are often misunderstood because the field can be difficult to define,” said Scott McPhee, professor and interim Public Health program director. “Public health may invoke images of community public-health medical clinics or awareness campaigns promoting healthy living, but this discipline is not nearly so narrow. At one level, public health involves medical care provided within a community and outside a hospital setting. In a different context, public health can have local, regional, national, and global repercussions and refer to efforts to prevent epidemics and improve the health of entire populations.”

The university is also launching a doctor of nursing practice degree, set to begin in spring 2019. Like the master’s degree in public health, this program is 100{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} online, ensuring flexibility for those nurses who wish to obtain the skills to become advanced nurse practitioners with a specialization in family practice (FNP). 

The doctor of nursing practice degree prepares students with the critical skills needed to translate evidence-based care into practice, improve systems of care, and measure outcomes of patients and communities. The program was designed for graduates to become strong, effective nurse leaders who will transform today’s healthcare system and advance the profession of nursing. Students can attend full-time or part-time (two or three courses per 15-week semester).