public health degree online

public health degree online

The Importance of Earning a Public Health Degree Online

1. Advantages of an Online Public Health Degree

The essay discusses the perceived stigma attached to online education, particularly within public health, and its impending role in providing global health education. The proliferation of online public health programs to meet a burgeoning global demand indicates the shifting realities of access to education in this field. Universities are keenly aware that public health faculty must learn to utilize distance learning as a way of expanding global access to education in the field and of providing active learning environments for students. Distance learning in public health provides a global forum to exchange knowledge and best practices in health and health education. In particular, the internet can provide a forum for learning beyond the constraints of time and location, and in this sense it is well-suited for global health education. An infectious disease course at the University of Minnesota provides a good example by offering a collaborative global learning environment to explore the spread of infectious diseases worldwide. This course is targeted to both local and distant professionals and is designed as a partnership between the University of Minnesota and the Caribbean Health Research Council to improve competency in the surveillance and control of infectious diseases in the Caribbean. An online format is ideal for small groups or work at a distance and with a global audience.

2. Specializations in Public Health

Earning a public health degree online can provide students with the knowledge and skills to enter a number of exciting and rewarding careers. Public Health Nursing, specifically the Community Health Nursing Track, focuses on health promotion and disease prevention with individuals, families, and communities. This is the only nursing specialization with a population focus. The advanced public health nursing community health program prepares graduates to assume leadership positions in the area of community public health nursing.

We highlight a few of the areas that a student might consider: Global Health – While an MPH focusing on this field is available from many schools, a new MS program is much more rare. Additionally, there are growing opportunities for veterinarians to specialize in this field as well.

Public health is an incredibly varied field, and although one might be earning his degree online, it does not mean that he should graduate without any specialized knowledge in a particular area. Each of the schools of public health listed on the website has anywhere from 5 to 10 years of specialized degrees, and most have one or two specialized graduate certificates. These programs prepare students to enhance their career in a specific field of public health. In general, they provide more in-depth knowledge and skills in that specific area, making the student more competitive in the job market. This is very important for someone who is getting his degree online because it can remove the supposition that he did it online only because he could not get into a real campus program.

3. Career Opportunities with a Public Health Degree

There are a multitude of career opportunities for individuals with a degree in public health. Some careers serve individuals specifically, such as a doctor or nurse. Other public health-related careers focus on populations, citing job titles such as an epidemiologist or an academic public health professional. Some of the fastest growing career fields are healthcare and related professions. In the past decade, there has been an increased awareness of the need for public health professionals, as well as a high demand for new public health graduates. With all the new growth in public health-related jobs, furthering your education can be a very shrewd move. The fact that the population is living longer means there will be a continued need for public health professionals. A degree in public health can open the door to a diverse set of career opportunities. In the federal government, there are health agencies in every branch, with most jobs found in the general category of GS-5 to GS-12. High levels of employment can be found at health departments at the state and local levels. Public health professionals employed in these settings may be involved with public policy or may devise a plan to improve the health of an impoverished region. A variety of other public health professional jobs exist in settings such as schools or businesses, and still more career options involve working with specific at-risk populations, such as immigrant workers. Finally, many public health professions involve some form of research or teaching. This may range from a university faculty position to a health scientist at a research and development firm.

4. Skills Developed through an Online Public Health Program

Public health degree programs are designed to teach students how to effectively manage public health by implementing educational programs, developing policies, administering services, regulating health systems, and conducting research. Education of this sort isn’t just about the implementation and application of methods, it’s also about imparting knowledge unto others around you so that knowledge can eventually be shared on a global scale. This type of teaching usually was conducted in a classroom environment, so one may wonder if a public health degree, effectively being able to use this degree in the future, can be earned through an online program. The answer is yes, a public health degree can be effectively earned through an online program. Information shared in online classes is equivalent to that of a classroom setting. Administrative services and diligent research still need to be conducted, and since it is a public health degree, using an online program will help to gain a better understanding of its implementation in worldwide health settings. An additional positive aspect of earning a public health degree online is being able to learn at your own pace. Being able to learn at your own pace will further enable you to understand the information you are reading, and it will aid in comprehensive learning of educational programs, research, and health regulations and methods. The most important reason for which an online degree is effective is that the information being learned can instantly be put into practice. This is crucial in understanding that current practice and understanding of the topics will provide a more up-to-date implementation of public health practices and methods, which is the ultimate goal for all professionals.

5. Choosing the Right Online Public Health Degree Program

b. Interaction between you, peers, and instructors is an acute aspect of an online program. A public health education involves much group work and community interaction, and these are factors you should look for in your online degree program. You should seek faculty that are enthusiastic about teaching and responsive to questions and problems. Some courses may require virtual group meetings or teleconferencing. You will want to know if you will be able to contact students and faculty through email, phone, or chat at your own convenience, and you should review a course’s syllabus to get an understanding of how instruction will take place.

a. Your first step will be to check the school’s accreditation. This ensures that the school and/or program meet certain standards of quality for education, and it indicates that they are legitimate. If you attend a program that is not properly accredited, you may have difficulty transferring credits to another school or getting an employer to recognize your degree. The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) also provides a list of accredited schools of public health.

Of course, as an individual unable to dedicate too much time to on-campus study, you will want to make sure your online public health degree program has all it needs to be a successful and convenient learning experience. The number of online courses and degree programs has increased greatly over the past 10 years, but they are not all created equal. Some of this will become clearer through research of individual schools and degree programs of public health. Other aspects will become clearer after you have been accepted to a program and begin coursework. Before starting your education, you should analyze all that a degree program has to offer and then compare it to your needs, goals, and abilities.