Studying Public Health at National University
National University appears in our ranking of the 10 Most Affordable MPH Online Degrees in the West.
Applicants to National University who are interested in studying public health have two degree options and may enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health or the Master of Public Health. The degree programs are available online or on campus, and students may participate in classes at more than 20 locations throughout California.
One of the innovative parts of the university’s classes is that the program features four-week classes, which can help individuals with full schedules find the time to complete their degree. Students who complete the B.S. in Public Health program will be eligible to take the Certified Health Education Specialists exam, which is administered by the National Commission on Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
Within the program, students will complete several degree requirements and core requirements in classes like Personal Heath, Introduction to Psychology, and Principles of Sociology. Degree-seekers will also take Human Anatomy & Physiology, Introductory Microbiology Lab, and Public Health Nutrition. Further, students will take Health Promotion Concepts, The Ecology of Public Health, and complete a Public Heath Field Practicum.
Similar to the undergraduate program, students enrolled in the Master of Science in Public Health program will be able to enroll in the university’s unique four-week class structure. At the conclusion of the program, students will be able to analyze and interpret health data, describe disease, disabilities, and death in human populations, and evaluate how the environment impacts community health.
The program requires that students complete at least 72 quarter units at the graduate level, as well as choose a specialization. Available specializations include those in health promotion, healthcare administration, and mental health. Each degree focus has a set of courses required that relate to the specialization, as well as core program requirements that all public health students take.
Graduate classes for the Master of Science in Public Health include Public Health Research Methods, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health Foundation, and the U.S. Healthcare System. Students can transfer into the program with the equivalent of 13.5 quarter units already completed at the graduate level. Each specialization requires a capstone project. For example, students in the Health Promotion specialization will enroll in the university’s 4.5 quarter unit Health Promotion Capstone class.
About National University
National University was founded by a retired United States Navy lieutenant commander who wanted to create a university for working adults. The university was established in late 1971 and had just 27 students attending classes by the time it opened in 1972. By the time the university held its first graduation ceremony, more than 140 students received their degrees. During its first decade of operations, the university would build additional facilities around San Diego County.
In the 1980s, the university would expand into Las Vegas, Costa Rica, and throughout California. Around 24,000 students attend the university, which has grown to offer associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, as well as several certificates, teaching credentials and continuing education classes. The university is divided into two colleges and four professional schools that include the School of Health & Human Services and the College of Letters & Sciences.
National University Accreditation Details
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) is the regional accrediting agency for National University. WASC accredits schools throughout the west in the United States, and students may benefit from attending a regionally accredited school because of the transferability of their credits and the opportunity to receive federal student aid. Many programs are additionally accredited by program-specific organizations.
Accreditations have been granted by the Council on Education in Public Health, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The university’s education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the business programs are accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.
National University Application Requirements
Admissions requirements for undergraduate study at National University include having a minimum 2.0 GPA on high school classes, submitting the completed application and enrollment agreement, and taking the ACCUPLACER evaluation for ability in mathematics and English. Students may be able to attend on a conditional basis if they have a GPA of less than 2.0 in high school, but the decision on provisional acceptance is based on the decision of the Committee on Application Standards.
Meanwhile, the admissions checklist for prospective graduate students includes having a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and having a 2.5 GPA or above. Students who are unable to meet the GPA requirement may gain conditional acceptance to the university but cannot qualify for financial aid or degree evaluation until they complete at least 4.5 quarter credits at the university and earn a GPA of 3.0 while enrolled.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The undergraduate tuition rate at National University is $370 per quarter unit, which means a 4.5 quarter unit course is $1,665. Undergraduate students may also need to pay some general fees when they attend. Fees assessed by the university are non-refundable. Some of the fees a student may need to pay include a graduation processing fee of $100, a transcript fee of $5 per transcript, and a $60 international fee. International students may also need to prepay their tuition.
Graduate students interested in attending National University will pay $442 per quarter unit, and the full price of a 4.5 quarter unit course is $1,989. Like undergraduate tuition and fees, the general fees that are assessed are non-refundable even if the student receives a refund on tuition for any reason. The international student orientation fee is $50, the credit-by-examination fee is $100, and the challenge examination fee is $50 per course.
National University offers its students several scholarships to students that can help reduce the overall cost of earning a degree or enrolling in classes. For example, California and Nevada students who have attended community colleges in those states may qualify for the Transfer to Success Scholarship. Students may receive up to $5,000 toward tuition paid in the pursuit of earning a bachelor’s degree.
The university also offers a Military Tuition Scholarship of up to $2,500 for military personnel, as well as the spouses and dependents of active duty and reserve students. There is also the Collegiate Honor Award for students at National University, which is for low-income students of high academic achievement.