NIU continues to make learning more accessible, and according to a recent ranking, those efforts are paying dividends for students in the School of Nursing & Health Studies of the College of Health and Human Sciences.
Public Health Online, a website dedicated to providing students and parents with expert-driven information and resources, has ranked the NIU Master of Public Health as the fifth-best online program in the country.
Utilizing a series of data collected by analysts and higher education experts, the online guide’s scoring system ranks an institution’s online cost, counseling service, placement of graduates and accreditation. Additionally, each program must be affiliated with a public, not-for-profit university offering a four-year program.
Jan Strom, professor and chair of Nursing & Health Studies at NIU, said it is important to provide an online option because the demographic profile of graduate students has changed.
Strom said a nationwide increase in non-traditional students, many of whom are working adults, has created a demand for programs with convenient, flexible and affordable courses that will help them advance their careers.
Arlene Keddie, program coordinator for the M.P.H program, echoes Strom’s sentiments.
“There are a variety of reasons why the population of nontraditional-aged students is increasing, relative to traditional full-time students,” Keddie said. “The online option is a far more flexible option that allows for adult students to combine working and pursuing their graduate degree.”
Keddie credits the NIU Health and Human Sciences faculty for the success of the M.P.H. online degree program.
“All of the NIU online M.P.H. courses are prepared by faculty with doctoral training who conduct research in public health,” Keddie said. “These faculty are among those who teach the online courses, assuring that every student has the highest possible quality of instruction.”
For more information on the Master of Public Health online degree program, call (815) 753-1384 or email phhe@niu.edu.