Pre-Public Health

Offered by Health Science Programs

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 UNK 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.

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. Concentration areas that are quantitative in nature typically require specific math and science courses in areas such as statistics, calculus, biology, chemistry, and physics.  Students should consult with their public health advisor regarding graduate admission requirements based on concentration area of interest.             

Recommended Courses: 

While many public health graduate programs do not have specific prerequisites, the following courses may assist students in gaining a background in public health areas of study. This is not an all-inclusive list, as many other classes also exist that have relevant information for public health. Some of these classes may have prerequisites. Please consult your pre-public health advisor for recommendations based on your area(s) of interest.