Immerse Yourself in Public Health Settings As You Learn About Epidemiology, Health, and Health Care Systems
Set a goal toward a future in one of the most in-demand fields in health care. There is a growing need for public health professionals to address emerging and re-emerging diseases, environmental health concerns, health care reform, social determinants of health, proliferation of agents and weapons of mass destruction, sociopolitical factors affecting health and health care systems and global health.
Nova Southeastern University’s Bachelor of Science in Public Health program will provide you with a strong foundation of population health, social and environmental determinants of health, and strategies related to disease prevention and health promotion—all critical to addressing health threats and strengthening the public health workforce. Students who complete this program will have a solid foundation in public health that is crafted from a combination of hands-on experiences, global and domestic travel opportunities and faculty-led instruction. Each semester expands your breadth of understanding public health through challenging activities, interactive lectures, community-based outreach opportunities and guest speakers from the public health sector.
Why Should You Major in Public Health at NSU?
Benefit From a Unique Learning Environment
NSU’s Public Health and KPCOM faculty share their expertise in areas relevant to public health, such as global health, social and behavioral health sciences, epidemiology, environmental and occupational health, and health care systems. The interprofessional education and experiences of our faculty will provide you with a realistic look into the benefits, rewards, and challenges of public health.
Find your passion for promoting and protecting the health of populations and communities. Build relationships with graduate students, medical students, public health practitioners, caring professors, and industry leaders through our community-based, progressive, and blended approach to public health.
Assistant Dean Kristi Messer
Average Starting Salary
Salaries for public health professionals vary by industry, occupation, level of education and experience, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median annual wage for epidemiologists was $69,660, and the median annual wages of health educators was $54,220 in May 2018.
Shark Destinations
NSU’s Public Health degree gives you the opportunity to apply core concepts to a myriad of fields, including public health, clinical practice, research or a non-health profession such as business or engineering. You can pursue careers as a health educator, health care administrator, health policy researcher or legislator, government employee, program developer, environmental scientist, physician or other health professional, policy advocate and lobbyist, epidemiologist, health inspector, disaster and emergency specialist, non-profit coordinator and more.
Experience What It's Like To Be an NSU Public Health Major
Any faculty member is really willing to come sit down next to you and help you discover what it is that you're passionate about and what it is that you want to fulfill and what it is that you want to pursue in your future.
Jhanvi Patel
The public health program opened a lot of doors for me. I got to work in different community-based programs, conduct research, and even present this research in national conventions.
Matthew Calaigian
During your undergraduate studies, you’ll have a number of hands-on opportunities to gain real world experience including participation in local health fairs, interactive lectures, domestic and global outreach opportunities and guest speakers from the public health sector that lead to full immersion into community-based public health settings. All outreach trips involve participating with underserved populations in a public health capacity. Trips have included India, New Orleans, Mississippi and Puerto Rico.
Case competitions are one of our most popular opportunities for pre-health majors. A case competition starts with a fictitious or real “problem.” Students then work individually or in teams to identify possible solutions and present them to a panel of judges. Each competition provides incentives for both the winners and participants, in addition to earning an ExEL unit credit.
Clinic Exploration Program
The Clinic Exploration Program (CEP) offers students the opportunity to shadow medical professionals on the job in many of NSU’s medical and health clinics. Program participants gain a broad perspective that shows how various medical fields work together and a practical, up-close review of several medical career options.
All undergraduate students may take part in CEP, no matter what major they pursue. Each rotation lasts two hours per week, for three weeks. Because this is a volunteer program, member commitments are flexible and voluntary.
Who Can Participate:
Any NSU undergraduate student in good standing who wants to participate in CEP must:
- have a 2.5 GPA or higher
- be registered for classes
- complete OSHA and HIPAA trainings
- be curious about various health professions
- conform to scheduled assignments, dress codes, and other professional responsibilities
How to Enroll:
- complete the Clinic Exploration Program Application
- schedule and complete OSHA blood-borne pathogen safety training
- take HIPAA Privacy and Security training
- turn in completed application to program coordinator in Parker building, suite 367
- Students are offered the opportunity to participate in CEP each semester. Registration for the program is open during the previous semester.
Participating Clinics:
- Athletic Training
- Audiology
- Dentistry
- Internal Medicine
- Optometry
- Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
- Pediatrics
Additionally, public health majors enjoy internships at organizations like the Atlantic Rehabilitation Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Department of Health and Human Services in Washington D.C., Red Crescent Clinic of Tampa and Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer and the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE).
Reserve your seat in one of NSU’s graduate or professional schools while you earn your bachelor’s degree. With NSU’s Dual Admission program, you don’t have to worry about competing with thousands of other students for a spot in a highly selective graduate program. This Premier Program gives you an opportunity to get a head start on your career, so you can start earning sooner.
Your NSU professors are dedicated to ensuring that you have a great academic experience. They regularly review the curriculum to make updates that give you an edge in today’s ever-changing world. As an NSU Public Health major, some sample courses that you could take include Organic Chemistry, General Physics, Public Health Issues in Disasters, Understanding Mental Health as Public Health and Domestic Outreach and Applied Learning. Visit the B.S. in Public Health curriculum to view detailed course descriptions and plans of study.
The M.P.H. Program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) (www.ceph.org). In 2021, the Program received a full seven-year accreditation from the Council through 12/31/2028. To obtain a copy of the Accreditation Self-Study Report, please contact Cyril Blavo, D.O., M.S., M.P.H. & T.M., F.A.C.O.P., Chair of the Public Health Department by email at cblavo@nova.edu.
Nova Southeastern University is authorized by the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) and meets the requirements and minimum educational standards established for degree-granting institutions under the Degree-Granting Institutions Act. This authorization is subject to periodic review and authorizes Nova Southeastern University to offer the following degree programs: Master of Public Health and Doctor of Education. Authorization by the HECB does not carry with it an endorsement by the board of the institution or its programs. Any person desiring information about the requirements of the act or the applicability of those requirements to the institution may contact the HECB at P.O. Box 43430, Olympia, WA 98504-3430.
