What is Population Health?
Population health management is a new discipline in healthcare that has grown out of changes in technology, reimbursement and a focus on prevention and chronic illness management. Population health professionals step beyond the individual focus of traditional public health and clinical medicine. They look at trends and identify factors that impact the health of an entire population. The goal of this holistic approach is to shift people toward healthier lifestyles.
Healthcare of the Future
The healthcare industry is changing faster than ever before, and now, healthcare professionals are no longer in the industry of managing illness —they are in the business of keeping people healthy. At Missouri Western, we’ve developed the Bachelor of Science in Population Health Management, a brand-new program in the field and across the nation. The program reflects the ever-changing healthcare industry with the goals of improving health outcomes and shifting people toward healthier lifestyles.
National Leader
The Population Health Management degree is an innovative non-clinical Bachelor of Science program. It was developed in collaboration with population health industry leaders and is one of the first in the country. The program prepares graduates to enter the workforce prepared to meet the needs of this changing healthcare environment.
You will stand out with in-demand skills in information systems, healthcare finance, policy, community wellness and public health. You will graduate with valuable real-world experience gained through community based internships and other applied learning opportunities.
Dr. Fiona Sansone
Endowed Director
fsansone@missouriwestern.edu
Murphy Hall 309
(816) 271-5622
Population Health Management (Bachelor of Science, B.S.)
The Missouri Western State University School of Nursing and Health Professions offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Population Health Management. The degree program prepares students to step beyond the individual focus of traditional public health and clinical medicine and address factors impacting the health of entire patient populations.
Students learn how to work as part of an interprofessional team to shift patient populations and communities toward healthier lifestyles and apply precision public health solutions. The population health curriculum focuses on care coordination, advocacy, public health, social determinants of health, health education, integrated care, health informatics, and policy. The degree prepares students to enter the workforce or to continue their education through graduate work. Students learn to apply research, data, evidence-based practices, and policy to improve outcomes in workplace settings such as healthcare advocacy, care coordination, finance, policy, community wellness, hospital, technology, government, and public health.
Students will further customize their academic track through restricted electives, including coursework in a variety of population health-related focus areas such as human health, behavioral health, business, health informatics, and biology. All students must complete an internship in a field placement in their interest area to enhance their preparation for entering the workforce. Applied population health experience also includes student research, community service and other interprofessional applied learning opportunities.
Students intending to major in Population Health Management should declare their interest to the School of Nursing and Health Professions so they can be assigned an advisor. Students must have completed and received a grade of C or higher in BIO 101 Principles of Biology, BIO 250 Anatomy and Physiology, ACT 201 Microcomputer Applications, PSY 101 General Psychology, and ECO 261 Principles of Microeconomics and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies | ||
| Students must complete General Studies courses | 42-47 | |
| Core Requirements | ||
| ACT 201 | Microcomputer Applications | 3 |
| ALH 106 | Medical Terminology | 2 |
| ALH 320 | Community and Public Health | 3 |
| ALH 330 | Introduction to Epidemiology and Biostatistics | 3 |
| ALH 350 | Introduction to Population Health | 3 |
| ALH 351 | Applied Population Health Management Lab | 1 |
| ALH 402 | Population Health Internship | 3 |
| BIO 250 | Anatomy and Physiology | 5 |
| BIO 375 | Pathophysiology | 4 |
| ECO 375 | Economics of Health Care | 3 |
| EXS 391 | Personal and Environmental Health | 3 |
| GBA 210 | Business Statistics I 1 | 3 |
| or NUR 314 | Quantitative Analysis for Health Care Research | |
| or PSY 300 | Introductory Psychological Statistics | |
| HIF 200 | Health Care Delivery Systems | 3 |
| HIF 300 | Health Data Management | 3 |
| HIF 330 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Healthcare Management | 3 |
| NUR 424 | Care Coordination Across the Lifespan | 2 |
| PSY 220 | Health Psychology/Stress Management | 3 |
| SOC 360 | Sociology of Health, Illness and Medicine | 3 |
| Restricted Electives | ||
| Fourteen additional credit hours, with six or more hours being Upper Division from ACC, FIN, MGT, HIF, PSY, GEO, CSC, SWK, ECO, ACT, PED, BIO, CHE, ALH, or NUR | ||
- 1
PSY 200 Intermediate Psychology will be waived as a prerequisite for PSY 300 Introductory Psychological Statistics
Program Graduation Requirements
- Earn a grade of C or higher in all major coursework.
- Earn an overall GPA of at least 2.0 and a major GPA of at least 2.0.
University Graduation Requirements
- Earn a minimum of 120 credit hours (100 level and higher, maximum of 6 CED credit hours applicable).
- Earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in upper-division courses. Lower-division transfer courses accepted as meeting upper-division departmental course requirements cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.
- Earn 30 of the last 45 credit hours at MWSU in institutional coursework (exclusive of credit by examination).
- Participate in required departmental and campus wide assessments.
- Fulfill the Missouri Constitution requirement.
- Successfully pass the Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement exam.
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- Major: B.S. Population Health
- Pre-Major: B.S. Population Health
Mapping your degree plan is important. Consult with your academic advisor to create a plan and monitor it regularly.
Admission Requirements
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
- Completion of MWSU General Studies/Core42 Requirements and Completion of BIO101 Principles of Biology, BIO250 Anatomy and Physiology, ECO261 Principles of Microeconomics with a grade of C or higher
- Declare your interest in Population Health Management
- Complete a major declaration form
- A pre-major declaration is also available for the PHM Program
Griffons Are in Demand
Recent Graduate Job Titles:
- Business Consultant
- Claims Analyst
- Medical Informatics Liaison
- Community Health Worker
- Clinic Manager
Possibilities
Graduates Can Expect to Find Roles with the Following Types of Organizations:
- Hospitals
- Community Service Agencies
- Public Health
- Electronic Health Records Companies
- Wellness Providers
- Healthcare Reimbursement
Standout
Courses reflect the changing needs of the healthcare industry
- Sociology of Health, Illness & Medicine
- Health Data Management
- Health Care Economics
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Population Health
- Care Coordination
- Health Communications
- Health/Stress Management Psychology
Find out More
Have Questions About:
Online Options?
Transfer Credit?
Program Costs?
Recent Internships
Recent Student Internships Sites:
Primary Care:
- Clinic Management
Hospital Based:
- Health Informatics, 4th Grade Challenge, Market Research, Community Based Care Network
Other:
- Community Housing and Health
- Public Health
- Electronic Health Record Company
Admission requirements:
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
- Completion of MWSU General Studies/Core42 Requirements and Completion of BIO101 Principles of Biology, BIO250 Anatomy and Physiology, ECO261 Principles of Microeconomics with a grade of C or higher
- Declare your interest in Population Health Management
- Complete a major declaration form
- A pre-major declaration is also available for the PHM Program
Recent graduate job titles:
- Business Consultant
- Claims Analyst
- Medical Informatics Liaison
- Community Health Worker
- Clinic Manager
Graduates can expect to find roles with the following types of organizations:
- Hospitals
- Community Service Agencies
- Public Health
- Electronic Health Records Companies
- Wellness Providers
- Healthcare Reimbursement
Courses reflect the changing needs of the healthcare industry:
- Sociology of Health, Illness & Medicine
- Health Data Management
- Health Care Economics
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Population Health
- Care Coordination
- Health Communications
- Health/Stress Management Psychology
Recent internships:
Primary Care:
- Clinic Management
Hospital Based:
- Health Informatics, 4th Grade Challenge, Market Research, Community Based Care Network
Other:
- Community Housing and Health
- Public Health
- Electronic Health Record Company
Have questions about:
- Online options?
- Transfer credit?
- Program costs?