Fourteen accredited Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Nebraska are available for Midwesterners to crusade for improved population well-being and lifetime longevity. Ranked 10th by the United Health Foundation, Nebraska has excelled with below-average mental illness, low birthweight, drug death, and violent crimes rates. However, public health officials are concerned by binge drinking spikes, low immunization coverage, and big disparities.
Nebraska’s $114 billion economy has broad career prospects for MPH grads, especially in the least healthy counties of Kimbell, Thurston, Scotts Bluff, and Box Butte. The Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services ran 25 initiatives in 2016, including the Every Woman Matters, Colon Cancer Screening, and Child Welfare programs. Nebraska’s 98 hospitals, such as Bryan Medical Center, Methodist Hospital, and CHI Good Samaritan, are also recruiting public health gurus.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 59,560 Nebraskans have chosen health care professions for an average yearly wage of $70,460. Expand your network advocating for the greater good by considering these public health graduate schools in Nebraska.
Concordia University-Nebraska
College of Graduate Studies
Opened by Germans as Evangelische Lutherische Schulleherer Seminar in 1894, Concordia University-Nebraska is a private, nonprofit Lutheran Women’s Choice Award-winning school located on 85 acres in Seward to serve 768 post-grad Bulldogs. As a “Christian College of Distinction,” CUNE is ranked America’s 23rd best private value in Money Magazine, 257th best small college on Niche, and 445th top master’s-level institution by Washington Monthly. Directed by Jodi Groeteke Hockemeier, the College of Graduate Studies boasts two hassle-free Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Nebraska where concierge registration, GRE waivers, and free digital texts make admission simpler.
MPH in Community Health Education
Given the CUO Editor’s Choice Award, the MPH in Community Health Education at Concordia Nebraska admits post-grads with diverse bachelor’s majors and cumulative GPAs above 2.5 into eight-week online courses where strategies for teaching communities about healthy behaviors are emphasized. The 39-credit degree meets CHES exam requirements with courses like marketing public health, epidemiology, and program evaluation. Students might also take trips to Guatemala, conduct a practicum at the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, and volunteer with Campus Red Cross.
MPH in Health Policy and Administration
Recognized by the ASPH Education Committee, Concordia’s MPH in Health Policy and Administration is presently priced at $500 per credit as another of the Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Nebraska that takes just two years online. Grounded in Christian morals, the 39-credit degree starts every eight weeks with courses using a macro leadership perspective to train executive health directors. Although there aren’t campus residencies, a three-credit practicum is required at sites like Box Butte Hospital and CHI Health St. Mary’s.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
570 Fallbrook Blvd., Suite 203
Lincoln, NE 68521
(888) 505-2863
gradadmiss@cune.edu
Creighton University
Graduate School
Producing 20 Goldwater Scholars since 2005, Creighton University is a private, nonprofit Catholic school of the Society of Jesus that’s led by president Daniel S. Hendrickson on a $448.5 million endowment with 132 acres in the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metro. Designated a “Fair Trade University,” Creighton is lauded for America’s 298th best professors on Niche, 139th best private education in Forbes, and 58th top value by The Economist. The Graduate School was also ranked 61st nationally by the U.S. News for its 20 online degrees, including one of the Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Nebraska currently costing $980 per credit.
Online Master of Public Health
Chaired by Dr. Tanya J. Benedict, FACHE, Creighton’s Online Master of Public Health offers two tracks for Health Policy and Ethics or Healthcare Management to produce advanced practitioners capable of promoting healthful community changes in urban or rural areas. The robust, 44-credit curriculum is primarily online with courses like health planning and grant writing before eight weeks of field practicum. Those inspired to “Be the Difference” must submit $50 applications with transcripts showing a 3.0 GPA or better, three references, and two-page essays.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE 68178
(866) 717-6365
online@creighton.edu
Kaplan University
School of Health Sciences
Given The Guardian’s 2015 University Award for Teaching Excellence, Kaplan University is a private, for-profit distance learning institution that acquired Nebraska’s Hamilton College campus in 2007 to spread its competency-based education to Omaha and continue teaching its 45,355 online students. Kaplan is declared America’s 269th most diverse school by College Factual, 159th top online educator on the U.S. News survey, and 92nd best employer in Forbes. Reporting 93 percent student satisfaction, the School of Health Sciences uses the Kaplan Open Learning platform for another of the Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Nebraska.
Master of Public Health Degree (MPH)
Estimated to cost $24,947 total, Kaplan’s Master of Public Health Degree (MPH) captures a “Different School of Thought” for online post-grads to develop the clearest possible picture of global health crises to coordinate effective humanitarian efforts as upper-level managers. Headed by Dr. Keith L. Smith, the 56-unit, 66-week program begins quarterly for cohorts choosing wide-ranging electives from infectious diseases to patient safety. Cornhusker MPH majors apply online didactic instruction at one on-site fieldwork placement, such as Nebraska Orthopedic Hospital or Heartland Family Services.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
5425 N. 103rd Street
Omaha, NE 68134
(402) 431-6100
infoku@kaplan.edu
University of Nebraska Medical Center
College of Public Health
Granted the 2016 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD Quality Leadership Award, the University of Nebraska Medical Center is a public, state-funded health sciences institution endowed for $641.6 million under Chancellor Jeffrey P. Golden to serve 3,790 post-grad Cornhuskers from a state-of-the-art, 52,500-square-foot facility in Omaha. UNMC is honored as America’s 59th best medical school by the U.S. News and World Report, 227th best college location on Niche, and 138th top university by the CWUR. Also placed 39th nationally, the College of Public Health operatives five departments with 11 degrees for master’s students committed to “fostering sustainably healthy populations.”
Master of Public Health
Approved by the CEPH in July 2017, the Master of Public Health is UNMC’s signature, values-based program that’s preparing innovative practitioners for addressing global health disparities through collaborative community services. The 45-credit degree has seven on-campus concentrations: Maternal and Child Health, Health Promotion, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Public Health Administration and Policy, Environmental and Occupational Health, or Community Oriented Primary Care. The Online MPH on Blackboard also allows 24/7 access to the Biostatistics, Environmental and Occupational Health, or Public Health Practice tracks.
M.S. in Emergency Preparedness
Coordinated by Sharon Medcalf, PhD, the Medical Center’s Master of Science in Emergency Preparedness stands out among Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Nebraska as the MPH alternative for practitioners focused on addressing natural, man-made, and viral disasters. Known for its biosecurity expertise, the 36-credit degree offers its practice-based and academic-based tracks in Omaha or online before the thesis. Post-grads might also intern with FEMA, contribute to the Do JuSTIce Project, add the Certificate in Public Health, and provide relief efforts from Puerto Rico to Poland.
BSES/MPH Dual Degree
Partnered with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the BSES/MPH Dual Degree lets Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies majors accelerate their master’s pathway in a 4+1 format for career opportunities resolving local, regional, and global ecological problems that threaten human life. The 155-credit combined curriculum maximizes your learning in the Environmental and Occupational Health Concentration with courses like forestry and green power. Students may also snag NSF internships, travel to Australia, join Ecoleaders, practice on the Organic Farm, and contribute to Sustain UNL.
BSIT/MPH Dual Degree
Starting in the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Peter Kiewit Institute, the BSIT/MPH Dual Degree is another of the 4+1 options where undergrads jump start their Master of Public Health after gathering cutting-edge computer skills in the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Innovation. The 151-credit dual curriculum includes the Biostatistics Concentration with courses like cybersecurity, biomedical informatics, and digital synthesis. Majors could also join the Maverick Club, hack with NULLify, intern at Douglas County Health Services, and earn the Walter Scott, Jr. Scholarship.
MBA/MPH Dual Degree
Ranked 15th globally by Financial Times, the UNL College of Business admits post-grads with an average GMAT score of 600 into the MBA/MPH Dual Degree to simultaneously develop managerial acumen for public health with a Master of Business Administration. The AACSB-accredited, 58-credit curriculum in Lincoln adds on the Public Health Administration & Policy Concentration with courses like managerial economics and marketing. Students can also intern with McKesson, join the MBA Association, add the Business Analytics Certificate, and volunteer via the EMPOWER Program.
MD/MPH Dual Degree
UNMC’s College of Medicine coordinates another of the combined Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Nebraska with the five-year MD/MPH Dual Degree that meets LCME standards for producing licensed physicians from a population perspective. Available with all seven concentrations, the Medical Doctor costs $29,194 per year for building on clinical fundamentals with patient care clerkships from pediatrics to neurology. Post-grads could also research in the Cancer Epidemiology Lab, give back with Bridge to Care, join the AMSA, and pledge Alpha Omega Alpha.
JD/MPH Dual Degree
Admitting cohorts of over 130 post-grads with a median LSAT score of 156 yearly, the Nebraska College of Law created the JD/MPH Dual Degree to supplement the traditional, three-year Juris Doctor with public health knowledge for addressing biomedical ethics issues. Linked to alums at the FDA and HHS, the program prepares attorneys for the Bar Exam with courses from constitutional law to health equity. Law students may also attend the National Trial Team Competition, review statutes in the law library, and join Phi Alpha Delta.
MPAS/MPH Dual Degree
At the Omaha or Kearney campuses, the University of Nebraska’s MPAS/MPH Dual Degree is available for $313 in-state and $896 out-of-state per credit for graduates seeking hands-on clinical practice in the Master of Physician Assistant Studies. Approved by ARC-PA with a 100 percent National Certifying Exam pass rate, the 159-credit program covers basic medical sciences for four terms before diving into clerkships. Majors can also pursue the IPAP Program, intern at the Lincoln Department of Corrections, and attend the Advanced Rural Primary Care Conference.
MSW/MPH Dual Degree
Accredited by the CSWE, Omaha’s Grace Abbott School of Social Work partners with the College of Public Health for the MSW/MPH Dual Degree that blends interdisciplinary human services knowledge to advocate for social justice in clinical arenas. Chaired by Dr. Kerry Beldin, the 78-credit combined curriculum culminates in a thesis after courses like institutional oppression and behavioral health. Post-grads may also add the Managing Juvenile and Adult Population Certificate, join the SSWO, conduct fieldwork with Saint Francis Medical Center, and earn Project NETWORK stipends.
PharmD/MPH Dual Degree
Taking 4.5 years, the UNMC’s College of Pharmacy confers a PharmD/MPH Dual Degree with the Nebraska public health school to support post-grads seeking the pharmacological expertise for treating population-based health risks with effective drug treatments. The intensive, 181-credit program boasts a 95.1 percent MPJE pass rate. Budding pharmacists might also join Phi Lambda Sigma, research in the Center for Drug Delivery, intern at Kubat Pharmacy, and help addicts in the Finding a Voice Project.
Accreditation
- Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
- American Bar Association (ABA)
- Liaison Commission on Medical Education (LCME)
- Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA)
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC-NCA)
Contact
Maurer Center 984355
42nd Street and Emile
Omaha, NE 68198
(402) 559-4960
coph@unmc.edu
According to Creighton University, the outlook for MPH grads in Nebraska is extra sunny with public health employment bound for 37 percent growth by 2020. Master of Public Health courses are applicable in many community-oriented industries, including housing, education, social work, and transportation. Getting the terminal MPH degree is required for functioning as clinical biostatisticians, public health inspectors, health services directors, infection preventionists, pharmacoepidemiologists, and similar roles. Other jobs like policy analyst, lawyer, counselor, professor, and NGO administrator would benefit from an MPH background too. Since U.S. health care surpassed $3 trillion in 2012, it’s clear that the Midwest’s demand is high for professionals with community health awareness. Make yourself marketable by considering one of these Master’s in Public Health degree programs in Nebraska.
See also: 5 Examples of Environmental Justice
