Public Health

The interprofessional curriculum is designed to prepare entry level public health practitioners with knowledge and skills in the core concepts of public health including global health, health behavior, health services administration, environmental health, epidemiology, and biostatistics as well as in the ability to identify, assess, plan, implement, and evaluate the needs of populations to promote and protect the health of communities. The BSPH courses provide the strong science background necessary for entry into the field of public health, and for academic success in the MPH program.

Valpo’s public health program is ideal for students who desire to work in health promotion and disease prevention, the fastest growing sector of healthcare. The College of Nursing and Health Professions prepares graduates for the dynamic complexities of the public health field, where they promote and protect the health of individuals, families, communities, and populations.

Through the accelerated option, BSPH/MPH 4+1, students can earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in public health in just five years. The interdisciplinary, online curriculum is designed to enhance public health competence through either the epidemiology or global health concentrations, which aim to promote healthy living and prevent disease in human populations through ecological approaches across multiple determinants of health.

MPH students graduate prepared to apply principles of epidemiology or global health in diverse populations in the United States and around the world.  Students choosing to focus on epidemiology can receive a certificate in global health, and students choosing to focus on global health can receive a certificate in epidemiology.  These options enhance the marketability of Valpo’s MPH students in the workforce.

Travel Opportunities

Expand your worldview and become a global leader! Valpo’s public health students engage in service-learning experiences in local and global communities through trips to locations such as Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, China, Thailand, Tanzania, and Ireland. You’ll have the unique opportunity to visit hospitals, healthcare facilities, and public health agencies around the world, exploring the differences and similarities between various public health practices while strengthening your cross-cultural knowledge, behaviors, and skills.