Become a Leader with a Public Health - Emergency Medicine Degree
You’re ready to make a difference in your community and launch a rewarding career in health care. Find your fit with a BS in Public Health-Emergency Medicine from IUP.
Whether you’re early in exploring emergency medical services or you’re a current paramedic, the EMS degree program will prepare you for the challenges of public health. In the rapidly changing field of pre-hospital medicine, there’s an opportunity for leaders, educators, and administrators to shape the future of health care. Will you answer the call?
Why Major in Public Health - Emergency Medicine at IUP?
Become a leader in health care and prepare to practice emergency medicine at the highest level. The Public Health-Emergency Medicine degree is the right fit for you if you are:
- Interested in public health, emergency medical services, or pre-hospital care. If you’re not currently certified as an emergency medical technician or paramedic, you’ll pursue certification while working toward your EMS degree.
- A current paramedic looking to advance your education. If you hold a current paramedic certification, you can complete your degree in as few as three years.
- An EMT ready to earn paramedic certification and a bachelor’s degree.
Imagine Your Future
You’ll be well-prepared to serve as a first responder to emergencies or natural disasters as a:
- coach or athletic trainer
- fire/rescue personnel
- medical professional
- military personnel
- nurse
- police officer
- or other first-responder
You could also go on to become an educator or administrator in emergency medicine.
Join a fast paced—and fast growing—field.
Employment of EMTs and paramedics is projected to grow seven percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Roughly 20,000 openings for EMTs and paramedics are projected each year, on average, over the next decade (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Classes and Requirements
To pursue your BS in Public Health-Emergency Medicine degree and launch a rewarding career, you’ll take a set of classes and requirements based on your experience and interests.
What You’ll Study
EMT Certification and Paramedic Certification, 34cr. If you don’t have a current paramedic certification, you’ll complete both the EMT and paramedic certifications with our EMS degree program. These certificates are required and serve as the foundation for the program. Failure to complete one or both certificates will require you to revert to the BS in Public Health degree and complete the requirements for that degree.
There is a fee for both certifications, and you must undergo a background check; see details on the IUP Institute for Rural Health and Safety website.
- EMT Certification, 4cr. This 150-hour program takes 3–4 months to complete. You’ll gain direct experience working with patients under an authorized emergency medical service agency, hospital, or clinic. An EMT certification is required prior to completion of a paramedic certificate.
- Paramedic Certification, 30cr. Level up your knowledge by earning your paramedic certificate. This intensive 1,150-hour program has a combination of classroom, clinical, and field requirements: 230 interactive lecture hours; 370 lab hours; and a minimum of 550 clinical and field hours. This includes a summative capstone field internship.
Once you complete your EMT and paramedic certificates and additional EMS degree requirements, you’ll be awarded a BS in Public Health/Emergency Medicine. You’ll also be eligible to take the EMT and paramedic national registry exams for Pennsylvania and earn national certification as a paramedic.
Full Academic Catalog Listing
The course catalog is the official reference for all our degree and course offerings. Check it out for a full listing of the classes available and requirements for this degree.
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Accelerate Your Journey with Graduate Early Admission
Maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA or better, and you could apply for early admission to graduate school. Credits you earn as an undergraduate may also count toward your graduate degree, saving you time and money.
One example: The master's in Health Services Administration program allows up to 12 of its 36-credit program to be completed as an undergraduate, meaning you’ll complete your master’s in two fewer semesters. Those 12 credits may also count toward your bachelor’s degree.