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About the Pre-Public Health Program

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Public health is the science and art of promoting and protecting the health of people and the communities where they live, work, and play. Public health practitioners, educators, and researchers work to prevent disease, prolong life, and promote health at the community and population level. Conversely, in the medical field, clinicians focus on treating illnesses and injuries one patient at a time.

Schools of public health offer graduate programs in at least one of the five core disciplines of public health. These core areas of public health include:

  • Biostatistics
  • Environmental Health Sciences
  • Epidemiology
  • Health Policy and Management
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Pre-Public Health Program prepares students to pursue a Master’s Degree in Public Health (MPH) at the more than 100 accredited programs across the country, including the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Creighton University. Students interested in pursuing a master’s degree or graduate program in public health must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree. Therefore, students pursuing a pre-public health curriculum are expected to choose a major so that they can be working towards a bachelor’s degree concurrently with the pre-public health program. Given the interdisciplinary nature of public health, a wide variety of majors provide appropriate preparation.

A Minor in Public Health is available at bet36365体育 and can complement any major. The minor is not required as part of the Pre-Public Health Program but will provide a strong foundation of public health-related coursework. Students in the Pre-Public Health Program may consider applying for the 3+2 Master’s in Public Health (MPH).

Requirements for Graduate Education in Public Health
Students should consult each school of public health they plan to apply to determine if there is specific coursework required for admission. These requirements may vary widely by degree type and/or concentration. UNMC perquisites include: Epidemiology- B or better in college-level math course; Environmental & Occupational Health- one semester biology, chemistry, and college-level math courses; biostatistics- B or better in college level math course, differential calculus and integral calculus. Students should consult with their public health advisor regarding graduate admission requirements based on concentration area of interest.

PROGRAM INFORMATION GUIDE 

Responsibilities of a public health professional:

  • Assess and monitor population health
  • Investigate, diagnose, and address health hazards and root causes
  • Communicate effectively to inform and educate
  • Strengthen, support, and mobilize communities and partnerships
  • Create, champion, and implement policies, plans, and laws
  • Utilize legal and regulatory actions
  • Enable equitable access
  • Build a diverse and skilled workforce
  • Improve and innovate through evaluation, research, and quality improvement
  • Build and maintain a strong organizational infrastructure for public health

Salary and employment information for public health professionals

Biostatisticians

Median Pay: $99,960 per year
30% projected employment growth from 2022-2032 according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Environmental Health Scientists and Specialists

Median Pay: $76,480 per year
6% projected employment growth from 2022-2032 according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Epidemiologists

Median Pay: $78,520 per year
27% projected employment growth from 2022-2032 according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Health Education Specialists and Community Health Workers

Median Pay: $59,990 per year
7% projected employment growth from 2022-2032 according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

 

Bailey Reigle

“It’s a really special program because you get to know professors and students who are at UNMC while you’re still an undergrad. Having these connections before moving to Omaha made the transition a little less scary. I also appreciated able to take a UNMC course as an undergrad to help get me prepared for the course load at the graduate level.”

Bailey Reigle

Family science major with minors in public health and health care management