As the demand for professionals in the public health sector rises, more schools are offering advanced degree programs to students who are interested in this field. By offering opportunities at the masters degree level, these schools hope to help individuals become better equipped with an education on preventative techniques needed to fight global health issues.
Kent State University recently announced the addition of a public health masters degree program, according to Med City News. Students who enroll in this program will have the opportunity to specialize in five different concentrations, including epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health sciences, social and behavioral sciences as well as health policy and management.
The school, which already offers certificate and bachelors degree programs in this field of study, aims to increase the knowledge future degree holders will need when facing a health epidemic such as the H1N1 virus, the news source reports. Professionals including lab technicians, health policymakers and food inspectors may all benefit from this new educational opportunity.
More than 140 students are already enrolled in four of the public health courses, and applicants are already being accepted into the new program, which will begin this fall.
The employment of epidemiologists is expected to increase by 15 percent in the next eight years, which is faster than the 10 percent projected for all other occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
