General introduction to the discipline

Our Public and Community Health program focuses on training students with the skills to understand the issues impacting the health of individuals, families, groups, and communities from diverse backgrounds. Public & Community Health Professionals seek to empower individuals and communities, emphasize strengths and abilities, and foster human growth and development.

The mission of the Public and Community Health Program at LaGuardia Community College is to contribute to the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Our program is designed to provide a solid foundation in the principles, theories, and skills needed to be effective in public and community health professionals who promote the values and ethics of working with diverse populations and respect the dignity of all individuals, families, and communities.

The Public & Community Health Program is based on interpersonal, multicultural, psychological, social, and behavioral theories and their application throughout public health programs and community settings.

Main Programs and tracks within the discipline

An Associate of Science (AS) Degree in Public & Community Health at LaGuardia provides a foundation for students to continue education and training in Bachelor’s degree programs in community health, health education, health promotion, health sciences, and public health.

Hybrid Learning and ePortfolio

Many of the Public and Community Health Program courses are offered as hybrid and will meet for two hours at a time. Students are expected to complete online learning assignments on their own time by given deadlines. Hybrid learning and ePortfolio help foster personal and professional growth in preparation for transfer.

Program Design

The curriculum for the Public & Community Health (PCH) program has been designed to align with the curriculum suggested by the League for Innovations in Community Colleges and Public Health (CCPH) Project Recommendations for Public Health Programs. The recommendations for general education courses in the PCH program include the background domains suggested by the Council for Education for Public Health Accreditation (CEPH) and the Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), specifically:

• Math/Quantitative Reasoning: Students should have an introduction to basic statistics.
• Science: Biological and life sciences and the concepts of health and disease
• Social and Behavioral Sciences: Foundations of social and behavioral sciences.

Learn more about the programs and tracks on the Public and Community Health website.

Approaches to inquiry and research

The Public and Community Health Program is dedicated to providing foundational and  experiential learning opportunities to engage students as proactive learners and to prepare them to be life-long learners.

Students are encouraged to become critical thinkers, learn inquiry and problem-solving, and embrace global perspectives.

The program emphasizes integrative and reflective learning from experience and building foundations and skills for lifelong learning.

The curriculum fosters the integration of theory and practice to develop the essential oral, written, and digital communication abilities necessary for success in 4-year programs and beyond by integrating assignments that explore, demonstrate, and apply the knowledge, skills, techniques, and values of public and community health professionals.

TOP CAREER FROM THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, WITH SALARY

• Health Education Specialists and Community Health Workers (Health Education Specialists and Community Health Workers salary information)