The Division of Population Health Sciences (DPHS) includes the Institute for Circumpolar
Health Studies, the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, an undergraduate minor in Public Health, and the Master of Public Health program. Advancing health sciences through the educational opportunities of academic
training, research, and community service to improve the well-being of the diverse
peoples of Alaska and the circumpolar north.
Population health sits at the intersection of medicine and public health spanning
the social sciences. Population health explores the social factors that influence
health using an evidence based approach and community engagement to reduce disparities,
measure health needs and implement effective health innovations.
Academic Programs
Set up a successful career in health education and health promotion, public and community
health, disease prevention, rehabilitation, or health care delivery.
Faculty members from the Division of Population Health Sciences held a reception to celebrate their graduating Spring class. Friends and family were invited to mark a milestone for students graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science (BSHS). Faculty held gold balloons that spelt out 2023 and posed with their students.
UAA Associate Professor of Environmental Health Micah Hahn is leading a research project around climate change, health, wildfire smoke and environmental justice in Alaska that recently received a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Hannah’s two degrees from UAA’s Division of Population Health Sciences have been invaluable to her as a program coordinator at Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.
At UAA, computer science Professor Shawn Butler has been using machine learning to debunk COVID-19 misinformation on social media. Butler’s efforts are part of the Division of Population Health Sciences and Department of Journalism and Public Communication’s mission to combat COVID-19 misinformation on public-facing Facebook pages with scientifically accurate information from credited sources through its ongoing Alaska Public Health Information Response Team project.
UAA has been ranked one of the nation’s best schools for online health care degrees and certificates for 2023. Six percent of regionally accredited colleges and universities earned a ranking position.