New for January 2026!
Now online - Starting in January 2026, Union's Master of Public Health will be offered online with only a couple of short visits to our Lincoln campus.
New scholarship - After your first semester, you'll qualify for a special public health scholarship, which could save you up to $9,000 over the course of the program!
Contact Missy, your enrollment counselor, to find out how you can enroll in Union's Master of Public Health Program as soon as next semester.
Phone: 402.486.2504 | E-mail: enroll@uau.edu
Request information
Professional member
Why earn a Master of Public Health?
Do you dream of changing the world on a large scale? Consider a graduate degree in public health. This program will prepare you to improve the health of people and their communities. You will learn to research and find solutions for health issues and educate the public about healthcare best practices.
Public health professionals work in all kinds of settings including hospitals, non-profits, corporations, government agencies and schools to research and implement practices and policies that impact the health of large population groups.
High demand
In the post-COVID era, this fast-growing field will see job growth of 15-30 percent over the next ten years, which is much faster than average. Plus, median salaries for people who work in a variety of public health fields range from $70,000 - $100,000 per year (from BLS.gov).
Broaden your possibilities
A master’s degree in public health also expands the scope of many other professions including physicians, dentists, physician assistants, and global development professionals. Combined with Union Adventist University’s biomedical science or international rescue and relief programs, the master’s of public health can be a great “gap year” to broaden your health knowledge and experience before applying to medical or PA school.
Who should take this degree?
This graduate degree is open to anyone with a bachelor’s degree but is ideally suited for students with a variety of healthcare-related degrees including nursing, physician assistant, international rescue and relief, social work, psychology, and biomedical science.
Everyone is so supportive. The professors take the time to get to know you, to learn your background, to hear your story — to understand your why. You don’t get that kind of connection and support just anywhere. The welcome and support I have received from everyone I’ve met so far at Union is beyond anywhere else.
The professors at Union are very knowledgeable. It’s not just textbook knowledge. The faculty have rich work experiences in very different parts of the public health world. I’m learning from their insights and experience working in different industries and with different populations.
Public Health student
Why study at Union Adventist University?
Experienced faculty, Focused practicums.
Designed around your life
The Union Adventist University Public Health Program uses an asynchronous online format that allows you to structure your coursework around your work and life. You can enter the program in August, January or May, and the program only requires two short visits to campus in June and September.
Get a master’s faster
The Master’s of Public Health will typically take two years if you have already earned a bachelor’s degree. But if you combine this program with another Union Adventist University degree program, you can graduate faster.
- 3+2 for international rescue and relief or biomedical science — this means that if you take either of these two undergraduate degrees, you can finish it along with your Master of Public Health in a total of five years — one year sooner.
Scholarships that matter
After your first semester in the program, you'll be eligible for a special scholarship each semester that could save you up to $9,000 over the course of the program.
Real-life experience
In your final semester, you’ll complete an applied practice experience. Much like an internship, this experience will place you in a public health setting where you’ll help meet the needs of the community and sharpen your practical skills.
A tradition of healthcare excellence
As a student at Union Adventist University, you’ll be able to leverage the university's broad experience in healthcare education in programs such as nursing, occupational therapy assistant, physician assistant studies and international rescue and relief. You’ll have access to modern training facilities and highly-experienced professors who will give you the personal attention you need to succeed.
My training in global health introduced me to complex topics in international health systems, healthcare economics, and the social determinants of health, while giving me the practical skills to collect data in the field to answer my own research questions. It has provided a "big picture" context for my clinical practice and contributed to my personal drive and motivation to affect changes on larger scales. I would recommend a master's in public health to anyone who is driven to reduce suffering in a population level. In the Emergency Room, I can only address the needs of one single patient at a time. But the essence of public health is to focus on groups rather than individuals — which is where real change can happen. The nature of that change can look like many things: promoting preventative healthcare, mitigating disease epidemics, training healthcare workers, improving the efficiency of testing and treatment strategies, and so much more.
Union graduate now an emergency medicine physician
Curriculum
42 credits follows national standards.
Find out about the goals and objectives of the Public Health Program here, or learn more about your degree completion options in the following guides.
Degree completion guides
Students will take a total of 42 graduate credits over the course of five semesters, including one summer with a three-day intensive. Full-time study will take 2 years; part-time study will take 3-4 years
Data science
- MPH 500 Principles of Epidemiology (3 credits)
- MPH 520 Principles of Biostatistics (3 credits)
- MPH 540 Research Methods (3 credits)
Communication and leadership
- MPH 535 Public Health Communication Foundations (3 credits)
- MPH 565 Public Health Leadership (3 credits)
- MPH 600 Christian Healthcare and Bioethics (3 credits)
Management and policy
- MPH 550 Program Management & Partnerships (3 credits)
- MPH 610 Public Health Administration & Grant Writing (3 credits)
- MPH 620 Public Health Policy & Law (3 credits)
Health promotion and disease prevention
- MPH 530 Foundations of Public Health (3 credits)
- MPH 575 Chronic Disease Prevention and Control (3 credits)
- MPH 580 Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine (3 credits)
- MPH 570 Social and Behavioral Health (3 credits)
Applied practice in public health
Applied practice builds résumés and experience.
- MPH 650 Applied Practice Experience (APE) (3 credits)
- Summer and Fall Intensives (in-person, 3 days)
Some career options?
Epidemiologist
Work for public health departments for state and local governments investigating patterns and causes of disease and injury.
Job outlook
26% (much faster than average)
Median pay
$78,000
Data from BLS.gov
Health Services Manager
Plan, direct and coordinate the business activities and policies of healthcare providers or government agencies.
Job outlook
28% growth (much faster than average)
Median pay
$101,340
Data from BLS.gov
Biostatistician
Use mathematics and statistical research to help answer medical and public health questions.
Job outlook
31% growth (much faster than average)
Median pay
$96,280
Data from BLS.gov
Master of Public Health
Lead the change to healthier communities.
Apply
Everything you need to know to be accepted to the Master of Public Health Program.
Costs
See a breakdown of tuition and fees.
About the Public Health Program
Learn more about the program and the goals and objectives its students achieve.
Undergraduate
Not ready for a master's degree? Consider a bachelor's in International Rescue and Relief.