What is Public Health?

Are you passionate about keeping communities well before they ever get sick? Do you find yourself interested in statistics and charts regarding the spread of diseases like COVID-19? Or is it your desire to teach others about the best practices for maintaining optimal health? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of those questions, then the field of public health might be where you find yourself most engaged. Public health is, according to the CDC, “the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities.” At Concordia University, Nebraska, you can find out if this field is right for you through a public health and fitness bachelor’s degree or a master’s in public health.  

If healthcare is concerned with treating the illnesses of various individuals, public health complements it by focusing on illness prevention in entire populations. The Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health puts forth five key domains of public health: biostatistics, environmental health sciences, health policy & management, epidemiology and social and behavioral sciences. Each of these domains contributes to the study of the overall health of a community or population and are fundamental components of the public health programs at Concordia.  

Furthermore, the field of public health is just as broad and wide-ranging as these five domains, since much work goes into preventing illness before it begins. Nutritionists, restaurant inspectors, social workers, health policymakers, epidemiologists and more all contribute to the mission of public health and can be included in its scope. The field of public health is broad – and that means that a broad range of students can find their calling under the public health “umbrella.” 

What about majoring in public health? With a degree in public health, you'll gain a holistic understanding of population-based wellness through courses in community health, applied epidemiology, human performance and many more. You’ll have the chance to study health topics as they pertain to particular age groups or life stages. Plus, you’ll graduate possessing a broad understanding of public health topics that will allow you to pursue a career or graduate school in a multitude of specialties.  

After college, as a public health professional, you will choose among one of many public health specialties, which align with careers or graduate school paths. With a bachelor’s degree, public health positions may include that of a community health worker, health education specialist, occupational health specialist or research assistant. With a graduate education, you can specialize further and pursue a career as a registered dietitian-nutritionist, epidemiologist or a professor of public health.  

A common graduate degree for students with a bachelor’s degree who are interested in public health is the Master of Public Health, which is offered by Concordia Nebraska’s graduate school. This master’s degree offers dedicated students a chance to examine public health policy, practices and specialties at a higher level to prepare them for more nuanced work in the field. Specialties offered at Concordia Nebraska include community health education, health policy and administration and pharmacovigilance (offered in partnership with Concordia University Wisconsin).  

Public health careers exist to stop illness and injury before they happen, not just to treat them – and its preventative nature means that its workers play a role in nearly every aspect of a population’s existence. Whether they’re providing low-cost healthcare to impoverished communities, tracking the spread of disease, or educating individuals on how to eat correctly for their body type, public health employees are essential and present in all parts of American society.  

Students who are in any way interested in general health and wellbeing, have a passion for promoting healthy practices, or simply want to make an impact in the lives of those around them may find their calling in public health. It truly is an outward-focused career that can spread the love of God to people in communities of all shapes and sizes through caring, meaningful and targeted action.  

The public health and fitness and Master of Public Health programs at Concordia Nebraska are designed to teach students to safeguard the health of the public, give them meaningful professional experience before entry into the workforce, and provide a unique, Biblically-based education that will prepare them to address contemporary public health issues in the world. Learn more about the public health and fitness program here and the Master of Public Health program here.