Getting Your Bachelor’s in Public Health at Concordia

At Concordia University, Nebraska, earning your bachelor’s degree in public health and fitness will set you on a path toward personal and professional success in the field as you gain the skills and knowledge necessary to bring health information to individuals and populations of all types. In addition, you will have the unique opportunity to jump-start your graduate education by choosing the 3+2 pathway culminating in the conferral of both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in public health after five years of study.  

Public health is “the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities.” It is different from the field of healthcare, focusing not on treating illness but preventing it before it begins. Because of the variety of factors that contribute to increasing or decreasing one’s risk of disease, the field of public health is accordingly broad. With a degree in public health, you could work for federal health agencies, in universities or nonprofit companies or even abroad. Opportunities for specialization are just as numerous.  

Within the public health discipline, specialists may choose to pursue further education at the master’s or doctoral level, receive more specific training or apply to specialized agencies that focus on one aspect of preventative healthcare. Community health, biostatistics, epidemiology and environmental health are just a few examples of narrower career paths that one can pursue.  

Dr. Jennifer Janousek is the head of Concordia’s Master of Public Health program, as well as a professor in its undergraduate health & human performance department. According to Janousek, “public health offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of communities and populations.”  

Concordia’s public health program is unique in that it allows students to finish both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in five years. The 3+2 bachelor’s to MPH degree is an option for students who wish to enroll in graduate courses during their undergraduate study and gain an early start on their path to an MPH. Earning a master’s degree in public health can open doors to many new career opportunities.  

Master’s degrees in public health are like those in healthcare administration and health science in the environments that students may find work post-graduation, but they are unique because they provide students with specialized skills that enable them to look at health on a community, instead of an individual, basis.  

At Concordia, students pursuing their MPH can choose to specialize in one of three areas: community health education, health policy & administration, or medication safety & pharmacovigilance. The latter is offered in conjunction with Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin. While public health is an inherently broad term that applies to many aspects of community-centered health practice, earning a master’s degree can make graduates more marketable. An MPH, especially with a specialty, demonstrates to employers that students have achieved specialized knowledge and skills at a high level.  

Choosing to accelerate your bachelor’s and master’s education can benefit your education in a variety of ways. Compared to traditional programs, the 3+2 program is particularly time-efficient.  

“This can be advantageous for [students] who wish to enter the workforce sooner or who have specific career goals that require advanced education,” said Janousek.  

Completing both degrees at the same institution also streamlines a student’s educational path. The setup of the 3+2 program permits them to apply for their master’s degree at Concordia while they are studying there as undergraduates and creates a structured plan for coursework between the two. The program also reduces the cost of both degrees by shortening the overall time of study.  

Finally, the networking opportunities offered at Concordia to students pursuing their bachelor’s in public health and fitness as well as their MPH are abundant. According to Janousek, “taking master’s classes as an undergraduate student offers opportunities to engage with faculty and master’s students who are already professionals in the field of public health.”  

These networking opportunities can be valuable for career development, connecting with internships, and discovering job pathways.  

Are you interested in discovering your calling as a public health professional at Concordia University, Nebraska? Learn more about the 3+2 accelerated bachelor’s-to-master's program.