BPH Bachelor of Public Health Rural Public Health Scholars Program

Rural communities across Kentucky face some of the most persistent health challenges in the nation, and they need a strong public health workforce ready to partner with them. The Rural Public Health Scholars (RPHS) Program gives undergraduate public health students a meaningful opportunity to learn directly from rural communities while developing the skills needed to support them. This one-year program connects classroom learning with practical, hands-on experience that prepares students to make a real impact in areas where public health professionals are needed most.

Designed for Bachelor of Public Health students, the program is built for those who want to understand how public health works on the ground. Through coursework and fieldwork, Scholars gain foundational skills in communication, cultural humility, and community engagement while learning from public health professionals across the state.

Mission & Commitment University of Kentucky’s Land-grant Engagement

The Rural Public Health Scholars Program reflects the University of Kentucky’s land-grant mission and commitment to serving communities across the Commonwealth. It strengthens the pipeline into Kentucky’s public health workforce and ensures students graduate ready to serve all populations—especially those who need public health support the most.

Program Structure A One-Year Applied Public Health Experience

Three 1-credit courses completed across spring, summer, and fall
Counts toward 400-level public health electives
Selective admission for BPH students in good standing
Designed to prepare students for community-engaged public health work

During this preparatory course for the RPHS program, students will build essential background knowledge and skills to promote a successful fieldwork experience for the student, the community stakeholders with whom they will be working, and community members the student will be serving. Topics covered will include strategies for successful communication and relationship building; principles of ethics and professionalism, and cultural context/cultural sensitivity; principles of health promotion and health literacy; and planning, implementing, and evaluating public health activities in rural communities.

During this course, students will complete 50-100 hours of an approved, planned, and supervised fieldwork experience in a rural Kentucky community to assist with the implementation of health promotion activities/projects. Possible placement sites include local health departments, cooperative extension offices, community nonprofits and youth programs, rural clinics, community health centers, and local government settings. This experience can be paid or unpaid, with variable hours and a mix of remote and on-site hours, allowing public health students to obtain professional work experience while developing public health competencies.

This course serves as the culminating course for the Rural Health Scholars Program, proving students with an opportunity to think deeply about what they learned in their fieldwork experience. Students will share on their fieldwork experience and lessons learned through a written reflection and oral presentation to their classmates, faculty, and invited guests. Scholars will collaborate on a shared experiential research poster to submit for the College of Public Health Showcase, which will be presented in March of the following year (March 2028).

Student Eligibility & Application

To be eligible for this program, students must be in good academic standing within the Bachelor of Public Health program and have an anticipated graduation date on or after December 2027.

Applications open in Fall for following Spring enrollment – speak to your Academic Advisor or the Program Coordinator for details.

Spring 2027 Application

Applications for the Spring 2027 - Fall 2027 cohort are now open. To apply, please complete the following application by November 6, 2026. Admission decisions will be communicated by December 4, 2026. If you have any questions about the program or the application process, feel free to contact Hannah Cardona, Course Instructor and Program Coordinator, at Hannah.B@uky.edu, or reach out to your academic advisor for support.

Application Link