Overview of Public Health
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Professional responsibilities
Public health professionals strive to protect and improve the health of communities through:
- Education
- Promotion of healthy lifestyles
- Research for disease and injury prevention
There are many different types of public health careers, most requiring at minimum a master's degree from an accredited school of public health.
Professional education
There are seven different types of advanced degrees in this field:
- Master of Public Health (MPH)
- Master of Health Administration (MHA)
- Master of Science (MS)
- Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
- Doctor of Science (ScD)
Students pursuing an advanced degree in public health will be expected to focus in one of the following core areas:
- Environmental Health
- Biostatistics
- Behavioral Science/Health Education
- Epidemiology
- Health Services Administration/Management
- Maternal and Child Health
- Nutrition
- International/Global Health
- Public Health Laboratory Practice
- Public Health Policy
- Public Health Practice
Required coursework and college major
While there is no specific undergraduate major required by public health programs, certain courses or majors may be required by specific core areas within a public health program. For example, environmental health concentrations may require/prefer an applicant with a chemistry/physical sciences background; biostatistics and epidemiology core areas may require an applicant with a strong math and science background. At NU, the Global Health Studies minor provides a strong foundation for students interested in public health on a global level.
