Gather Here. Go Far

With locations in Tahlequah, Muskogee and Broken Arrow, NSU is Oklahoma’s immersive learning institution. Choose from in-person, blended or online learning options.

Scholarships

NSU is committed to assisting students in applying and earning scholarships. Whether you are an incoming freshman or a continuing/returning student, NSU has a wide variety of scholarship options for students to choose from.

Clubs and Organizations

From networking to leadership opportunities, NSU’s over 80 clubs and organizations allow our students to build lasting relationships while getting the full college experience.

Transfer Students

Whether you’re an incoming or current transfer student, NSU’s transfer advisors are available to assist you with transcript evaluation, information on degree programs and support services. NSU is where You Belong.

Graduate College

Whether transitioning to graduate school or returning to higher education, NSU’s graduate college is your next step. Choose from over 25 master's degrees and several certificate programs.

Competencies

Competencies

Profession & Science of Public Health

  1. Explain public health history, philosophy and values.
  2. Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services.
  3. Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population's health.
  4. List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the US or other community relevant to the school or program.
  5. Discuss the science of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc.
  6. Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge.

Factors Related to Human Health

  1. Explain effects of environmental factors on a population's health.
  2. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population's health.
  3. Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population's health.
  4. Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities.
  5. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease.
  6. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (e.g. One Health).

Evidence-based Approaches Public Health

  1. Apply epidemiological methods to settings and situations in public health practice.
  2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.
  3. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate.
  4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice.

Public Health & Health Care Systems

  1. Compare the organization, structure and function of healthcare, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings.
  2. Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels.

Planning & Management to Promote Health

  1. Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health.
  2. Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs.
  3. Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention.
  4. Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management.
  5. Select methods to evaluate public health programs.

Policy in Public Health

  1. Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence.
  2. Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes.
  3. Advocate for political, social, or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations.
  4. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity.

Leadership

  1. Apply leadership and/or management principles to address a relevant issue. .
  2. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges.

Communication

  1. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors.
  2. Communicate audience-appropriate (i.e. non-academic, non-peer audience) public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation.
  3. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.

Interprofessional Practice

  1. Integrate perspectives from other sectors and/or professions to promote and advance population health.

Systems thinking

  1. Apply a systems thinking tool to visually represent a public health issue in a format other than standard narrative.

Concentration Competencies - Global Health

  1. Evaluate the nutritional health needs of diverse populations at the national and international level.
  2. Compare and contrast public health programs, interventions, and policies that address the key determinants of health and disease for diverse communities throughout the world.
  3. Assess the management of infectious disease among diverse populations at the regional and global levels.
  4. Promote active community engagement in improving health outcomes in various societies. 
  5. Demonstrate an understanding of multicultural customs when designing, implementing, and evaluating public health programs and policies.

Concentration Competencies - Public Health Leadership

  1. Evaluate how individuals, teams, communities, and international organizations provide leadership related to the health of diverse populations.
  2. Assess the implementation, administering, and monitoring of existing health-focused programs, interventions, or policies for communities.
  3. Analyze leadership skills and systems thinking frameworks for tackling public health challenges in diverse communities.
  4. Compare and contrast various methods for serving as a leader in the community through whom diverse populations can be linked to needed public health resources.
  5. Analyze public health messages created using various communication approaches, methods, and tactics for use with diversified populations.

Concentration Competencies - Nutritional Health

  1. Examine existing community and population-based nutrition programs.
  2. Utilize public health frameworks to assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities' nutritional health.
  3. Evaluate the role of nutrition in the prevention and management of health conditions.
  4. Collect, analyze and interpret nutrition-related qualitative and quantitative data.
  5. Demonstrate the ability to communicate nutrition-related public health content.