THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

WHY STUDY BSHES AT ROLLINS?  

  • Come learn in an inspiring environment! Our outstanding faculty, many who are Delta Omega award-winning, continuously improve the curriculum and quality of the program with innovative teaching approaches informed by evidence-based learning. We actually study how to be better educators. 
  • Learn from faculty who contribute additional value to the classroom through their diverse career backgrounds. Our faculty are researchers, work in the community, and work at the CDC. 
  • Gain the skills necessary to apply theory and cutting-edge research in public health interventions, and to make a difference in the world around you.  
  • Receive career coaching and guidance that will prepare you for landing your dream job.  
  • Become part of a global network of alumni and current students who will open doors as you grow in your career now and in the future.  
  • Find your purpose, develop your passion, and emerge a public health professional ready to effect change. 

    • WHAT MAKES BSHES DISTINCT? 

    The BSHES curriculum prepares students with the skills to engage in theory-driven research and public health practice, approach public health topics at multiple levels in order to promote health equity, and work with interdisciplinary teams and community members. The core BSHES courses use the social ecological model to frame public health issues and practice, with an emphasis on social determinants of health and social justice. 

    We aim to facilitate inclusive classroom environments, where the perspectives and experiences of all students are valued and where all students can learn, thrive, and feel like they belong. A hallmark and strength of BSHES is that our students come from diverse backgrounds, have a wide array of public health interests, and go into a myriad of career paths after graduation. We work to support students in an exploration of their areas of interest in order to foster life-long learning. 

    Students in Dr. Dawn Comeau's BSHES class

    Traditional 2-Year Curriculum 

    The first year of the BSHES MPH program focuses on foundational skills in the behavioral and social sciences: theory, research methods, data analysis, and team work. 

    In the second year of the BSHES MPH program, students apply the foundational skills to key public health practice competencies (program planning, community assessment, program evaluation), to their Applied Practice Experience, and thesis or Capstone project. 

    Dual Degree Program Curriculum

    Each cohort has approximately 8-14 dual degree students who are completing their MPH in BSHES while also in another graduate program, such as law, medicine, nursing, physical therapy, business, or theological studies, among others. 

    Dual degree students complete the BSHES curriculum and RSPH core courses in a compressed 1-year timeframe. Typically, the dual degrees students take more credits per semester compared to students in the traditional program. 

    Dr. Kendra Moore

    Course Highlights

    Addressing Racism as A Public Health Issue to Promote Health Equity - This course provides an overview of racism as a driver of health inequities and interventions designed to dismantle racism to promote health equity. Racism causes harm at multiple ecological levels from the individual level (e.g., internalized racism) to the systemic level (e.g., oppressive & unjust policies & practices). This course will introduce students to how racism operates to create and maintain health inequities and proposed interventions (programs & policies) to promote health equity. 

    Health Equity capstone - The Health Equity Capstone seminar allows students to complete an individual project that allows them to integrate and apply knowledge, concepts, and skills learned in BSHES coursework to a Health Equity topic of high public health relevance. Students undertake an independent project that will result in a final paper and an oral presentation. 

    Community Assessment - The purpose of this course is to provide students with the academic background, technical skills and field experience to conduct a health-related community assessment (CA). The course encompasses the development of data about the health status, knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, motivation, and health practices of a population or community and its socioeconomic environment. Students will work with a team to prepare a community assessment report and presentation for a community/organization through community engaged learning. 

    P2P Group

    Peer-to-Peer (P2P)

    The BSHES Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Mentoring program was launched in Fall 2020 by the department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences at the Rollins School of Public Health. This program creates an inclusive and welcoming environment for BSHES MPH students in response to student requests for more opportunities to network across cohorts and student groups. 

    Student Engaged Research And Applied Public Health

    Students and alum conduct exciting work with faculty on a variety of topics:

    Lauren Nisotel won the 2022 Shepard Award for Outstanding Thesis for her work on the "Syndemic Pandemic: COVID-19, HIV, and antiretroviral therapy adherence among Black/African Americans in Atlanta"

    Dual Degree Student Spotlight

    Geetha Mahendran
    As an MD/MPH student, Geetha Mahendran (’22) published two articles on mentorship for women and underrepresented minorities in the field of surgery. These papers developed out of the mini-study she conducted during the Qualitative Methods for Research and Evaluation Course. See her articles here:


    Article: Suturing the gender gap through sponsorship: The role of sponsorship in female entry and advancement through their surgical careers

    Article: Qualitative Study of Mentorship for Women and Minorities in Surgery

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