Contact Us

Public Health & Health Sciences
Center for Health Education
414 E. Clark St.
Vermillion, SD 57069
Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

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Colleges
College Dean

Welcome to the Department of Public Health and Health Sciences

Health encompasses a wide range of careers, including many that do not involve direct patient care. When practitioners, caregivers, leaders and researchers come together to address complex health needs, healing is made possible. 

At USD, our faculty combine research with service and teaching with mentorship. They lead through their scholarship and community engagement, guiding students through the experience of identifying health needs and developing solutions. As students in the state's only comprehensive health sciences school, our students work alongside future leaders in a variety of fields ranging from nursing to physical therapy – developing essential collaboration skills so they can understand the big picture of health care and health teams. They graduate prepared to be educators and creative thinkers who promote health and help our health systems deliver high quality, evidence-based care.  

Join our community of problem solvers, leaders and scholars in the USD Department of Public Health and Health Sciences.

 

Programs

Meet the Department

Get to know faculty and staff in the Department of Public Health and Health Sciences. Our faculty are experts in their fields, contributing research and scholarship in productive aging and gerontology, management of chronic disease, health and culture, attachment, Native American health and more.
Bio Image for Faculty Member Musheera Abdellatif

Musheera Abdellatif

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member DenYelle Baete Kenyon

DenYelle Baete Kenyon

Associate Dean of Community Health & Engagement
Bio Image for Faculty Member Jonelle Hook

Jonelle Hook

Instructor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Amanda Huber

Amanda Huber

Program Assistant I
Bio Image for Faculty Member Shelby Jepperson

Shelby Jepperson

Assistant Professor of Practice
Bio Image for Faculty Member Wynette Mockler

Wynette Mockler

Fitness Specialist
Bio Image for Faculty Member Kerri Muehler

Kerri Muehler

Instructor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Susan Puumala

Susan Puumala

Professor of Practice
Bio Image for Faculty Member Brittany Schultz

Brittany Schultz

Academic Advisor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Minga Vargas

Minga Vargas

Instructor

Known for Excellence

With qualities like small class sizes, specialized programs and incredible student opportunities, USD is not your typical university. What makes us unique is what makes your education exceptional.

Department Opportunities

Explore the variety of opportunities and resources available to public health and health sciences students.

Departments & Facilities

Explore the departments, facilities and centers housed in the Department of Public Health & Health Sciences.
Woman in Red Blazer Seated at a Table.

Public Health & Health Sciences

The Department of Public Health and Health Sciences emphasizes collaborative learning, equipping students with a rich understanding of the health care field and preparing them to excel in careers such as advocating for health policy, promoting health through education, managing health data analytics and leading collaborative health care teams. The department offers degrees at the associate, bachelor's, master's and doctorate levels.

Professor Mentoring a Student in a Simulation Lab.

Unique Paths to Specialized Careers

The field of health care offers numerous career opportunities to those interested in helping others. Our department reflects this range of possibilities, providing students with mentorship and educational pathways designed to help them reach their unique goals. Students majoring in health sciences can choose from six pathways that align with different career paths, and our minors, certificates and graduate programs allow students to pursue the opportunities that interest them most.
A person working with a USD student physical therapist.

The Region's Leader in Health Care Education

USD is home to the only comprehensive health sciences school and medical school in the state. This advantage offers our students the unique opportunity to learn and train alongside peers in a variety of disciplines, equipping them with the collaborative experiences they need to be effective members of their future patients' care teams.

 

We are also proud to have strong relationships with the region's leading health care providers. These partnerships offer our students invaluable opportunities for developing professional connections, getting hands-on experiences and serving their communities early in their education.

hear from a usd alum

USD Alumna Marie Gross
I love the MPH program, it has me thinking about health issues more comprehensively. Plus, what I’m learning is directly applicable to the work I am already doing and to the goals I have set for myself. I will be one of the few people living on the Cheyenne River reservation with an MPH degree. I will be proud of that, of course, but more importantly, what I learn will enhance my abilities to help others, and that’s why I do this work.

Marie Gross, MPH

MPH, Public Health '19
Timber Lake, South Dakota