What is the Best Undergraduate Major for Public Health?

graduateIf you already have a plan in place to earn a Master’s in Public Health when you attend graduate school, you first need to explore the undergraduate degrees for an MPH program. Before you are granted admission into any type of Public Health program, you need to fulfill prerequisites and earn a relevant Bachelor’s degree from an institution that is regionally and nationally accredited. The educational prerequisites for Master’s degrees will vary from school to school and program to program, but generally they are similar in nature. If you are not sure which area of the field to major in as an undergrad in pursuit of their 4-year degree, read on and learn what you need to know.

Do You Need to Major in a Specific Discipline to Earn Your MPH?

Unlike some Master’s degree programs that are very technical, Instead, the programs may simply have a list of prerequisite courses that you will need to have under your belt before you can begin to take the advanced courses. For example, many MPH programs will have science prerequisite requirements.

You simply need to review the admissions requirements and see if you will complete all of the required courses if you proceed with the major you are interested in. If the courses are not required, you will need to make time to take them during your undergraduate career.

Taking Your Courses From a Reputable School

It is not necessarily the major that you choose that is important, but the accreditation status of the school where you earn your degree. If you earn a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences or even a Bachelor’s in Accounting, you need to be sure that the institution is accredited for your credits to count when you attend a reputable business school. To check the accreditation status of a school, you can review the accreditation database through the U.S. Department of Education and see which schools hold valid accreditation from various agencies that are recognized by the government. This is a step that you should take before you apply to attend college.

Choosing the Right Master’s Program

When you are near the end of your undergraduate career, you need to begin searching for the right MPH program. You can choose from traditional or online structures and larger schools and smaller schools. Whatever program you choose, just be sure that it is accredited by a specialized agency like the Council on Education for Public Health. If you want to search for a list of the programs that have made the cut, review the CEPH database and make your search easy.

There is a growing need for Public Health professionals to fill in a number of roles in administration and operations. If you would like to benefit from the projected growth in the field, it is now time to work towards your degree. Find undergraduate degrees for an MPH, and meet prerequisites without having to return to school.