University of Nevada, Reno

university-of-nevada-renoUniversity of Nevada Reno Public Health Degree Programs

The University of Nevada, Reno appears in our ranking of the 10 Best MPH Degrees in the West.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that positions in the public health field will grow by 18 percent over the next ten years. In 2017, the average annual salary for someone with a public health position was almost $100,000. The University of Nevada Reno offers several degree programs designed to prepare individuals for careers in this growing field.

Bachelor of Science in Community Health Sciences

The Bachelor of Science in Community Health Sciences provides students with an understanding of bioethics, kinesiology and health policy, allowing them to explore health from multiple perspectives. The program prepares students for careers in public and private positions that focus on developing a healthier community. Students must complete 120 credit hours that includes 30 upper-division units that must be taken on campus. Courses required include:

  • AIDS: Psychosocial and Healthcare Concerns
  • Disability Issues in Health Ecology
  • Epidemiology
  • Environmental Health
  • Ethics and Professionalism in Public Health
  • Foundations of Personal Health and Wellness
  • Fundamentals of Behavioral Health
  • Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan
  • Health and Wellness Communication
  • Injury and Violence Prevention
  • Introduction to Biostatistics in Public Health
  • Introduction to Community Health Sciences
  • Introduction to Public Health and Aging
  • Introduction to Public Health Biology
  • Policy Issues in Health and Society
  • Seminar in Integrative Health
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • Social Psychology of Public Health
  • Spirituality and Health
  • Technical Writing in the Health Sciences
  • The History, Science and Politics of Vaccines
  • The World’s Health

Students must also complete six units of electives and practicums in addiction treatment and prevention. They also must complete field experiences in public health and gerontology.

Master of Science in Public Health

The Master of Science in Public Health provides students with the ability to research alongside world-renowned faculty. Students may specialize in the following concentrations:

  • Biostatistics – provides an understanding of methods used to interpret and report data related to health science
  • Epidemiology – examines the fundamental science underlying public health, helping students acquire skills in descriptive and analytic epidemiology
  • Health Administration and Policy – prepares students for leadership roles in public health, focusing on healthcare systems management, finance and policy, legislative implications and the management of public health programs
  • Social and Behavioral Health – designed for students who want to promote, educate, prevent and reduce health disparities over the life course

Ph.D. in Public Health

The Ph.D. in Public Health is designed to create graduates who ,on the wellness of people and communities. The program is designed for those who wish to teach, develop policy or conduct research and offers specializations in Epidemiology or Social and Behavioral Health. Candidates participate in research projects that have generated new public health knowledge. Students are able to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of epidemiological as well as social and behavioral health issues. They are able to apply theoretical and problem-solving skills to issues that face public health today. Students also gain strong research skills in order to generate new public health knowledge.

About University of Nevada Reno

The State University of Nevada was established in 1874, located 300 miles northeast of where it stands today. Initially, the school was a preparatory school but its location in Elko was impractical as the majority of Nevada’s population lived in the Reno area at the time. The school moved to Reno in 1885 and the first building on the new campus was named Morrill Hall in honor of US Senator Justin Morrill who wrote the land-grant act that created the new school.

By the early 1900s, the silver and gold mining days on Comstock Lake were over and this led to financial difficulty at the State University of Nevada. The school remained open only through the generosity of the family of John Mackay, an Irish immigrant, who owned two mines in Virginia City. Between 1907 and 1936, the family bequeathed more than $1.5 million in order to establish the Mackay School of Mines, an athletic field, additional land for the school and the Mackay Science Hall.

Today, the University of Nevada Reno delivers on its land-grant mission by investing in academics, facilities, and support to students that help them grow. There are currently more than 21,000 students enrolled at the University.

University of Nevada Reno Accreditation Details

The University of Nevada Reno is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. The accrediting agency is recognized by the United States Department of Education as a regional authority on institutional effectiveness and quality of education. Accreditation indicates that the school meets or exceeds the criteria set forth by the agency. The University also undergoes periodic evaluation to confirm that programs continue to meet the Commission’s criteria and agrees to address any areas that are identified as needing improvement. In addition, programs throughout the university are accredited by the following organizations:

  • ABET
  • Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
  • Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
  • Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
  • American Psychological Association
  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
  • Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
  • Council on Education for Public Health
  • Council on Social Work Education
  • Liaison Committee on Medical Education
  • National Association of Schools of Music
  • National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

University of Nevada Reno Application Requirements

Applicants who have not earned college credit after high school graduation must provide official high school transcripts as well as official ACT or SAT scores. They must have a GPA of 3.0, an ACT score above 22 or an SAT score of 1120. Applicants who have earned 24 or more credits from an accredited college or university must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. They must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. They must also have completed all general English and math requirements.

Applicants to the Master of Public Health program must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university. They must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended as well as official GRE scores. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all undergraduate work. Three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose and a current resume must also be provided. Two applications are required for the program with one submitted to the School of Public Health and Sciences and the second submitted to the Graduate School.

Applicants for the Ph.D. in Public Health must hold a master’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university. They must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their master’s studies and must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Applicants must also provide official GRE scores, three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose and a current resume. A writing sample and an interview with Ph.D. faculty are also required. An application must be submitted to the School of Public Health and Sciences as well as an additional application to the Graduate School.

University of Nevada Reno Tuition and Financial Aid

Undergraduate tuition for Nevada residents is $215.50 per credit hour and for non-residents is $452.50 per credit hour. Graduate tuition is $269.25 per credit hour for residents and $565.50 for non-residents.

Financial aid is available in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, and student work-study. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to qualify for financial aid. Candidates for the Ph.D. in public health are offered assistantships for the first two years of the program. This requires them to either teach or conduct research with continuous funding based on satisfactory performance of duties as well as academic standing. The assistantship receives a monthly stipend, health insurance, and a partial tuition waiver. Assistantships are not guaranteed after the first two years but students may be provided additional opportunities to fund their degree.

The University of Nevada Reno has provided an outstanding education for more than 100 years, allowing students to achieve their higher education goals. The University of Nevada Reno is recognized nationally for its research and faculty experience.