How to Become a Child Health Professional

How to Become a Child Health Professional

A master's degree in public health is required for the best opportunities in maternal and child health. These programs typically have five core areas in which the student must take a minimum of one course:

  • Behavioral sciences & health education
  • Biostatistics
  • Environmental health
  • Epidemiology
  • Health services administration

1. Earn a Bachelor's Degree (4 Years)

The first step to becoming a maternal and child health professional is to earn a bachelor's degree program. However, there is no specific program that must be completed to qualify for a graduate program in public health, popular undergraduate majors include:

  • Premed
  • Public Health
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Sociology
  • Political Science
  • Anthropology
  • English
Grade Level Example Courses
Freshman
  • Health Care Systems
  • Biology I & Lab
  • Biology II & Lab
  • Calculus I
  • Chemistry II & Lab
  • English I
  • Psychology
  • Humanities Requirement
  • Electives
Sophomore
  • Public Health
  • Anatomy & Physiology I & Lab
  • Anatomy & Physiology II & Lab
  • Statistics
  • Organic Chemistry I & Lab
  • Organic Chemistry II & Lab
  • Basic Skills for Healthcare
  • Nutrition
  • Humanities Requirements
  • Electives
Junior
  • Healthcare Communication
  • Healthcare Professional Writing
  • Genetics & Microbiology I & Lab
  • Physics I & Lab
  • Physics II & Lab
  • Problems in Healthcare
  • Healthcare Research
  • Biochemistry I & Lab
  • Humanities Requirements
  • Electives
Senior
  • Health in the US
  • Health Education & Planning
  • Healthcare Management
  • Health Policy
  • Capstone
  • Remaining Requirements & Electives

The Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health's (ASPPH) website provides data on schools and universities offering public health degree programs. The Council for Education on Public Health (CEPH) lists every accredited university and program available in the public health field.

2. Take the Graduate Requisite Exam (GRE)

Most graduate programs revolving around forensic science require the GRE for admittance. It's a 3 hour and 45 minute, standardized, multiple choice exam that covers analytical writing, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning.

The GRE is broken down into six primary sections:

Section Details
1 Analytical Writing Section
  • 2 writing assignments
  • 60 minutes
  • Tests student's abilities to assess arguments and communicate ideas
2 Quantitative Reasoning Sections
  • 20 multiple choice questions
  • 35 minutes per section
  • Tests student's abilities to solve mathematical problems and interpret data
2 Verbal Reasoning Sections
  • 20 questions per section
  • 30 minutes per section
  • Tests the ability to understand and analyze written material
1 Unscored Section
  • A duplicate of one of the above sections

You can find study materials, GRE registration, and your test scores on the GRE website.

3. Earn a Master's Degree in Public Health (2 Years)

Earning a master's degree is standard for public health professionals who want to specialize in maternal and child health.

These programs emphasize analytical and quantitative research, combining statistical analyses with public health program development and implementation.

The preparation timeline below provides an example maternal and child health master's curriculum:

Year Example Courses
1st
  • Probability & Statistics in Public Health
  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Epidemiological Methods
  • Maternal and Child Health Data Analysis I
  • Adolescent Health
  • Seminar
  • Electives
2nd
  • Applied Linear Models
  • Programming Planning, Development, and Evaluation
  • Evaluation of Health & Social Services
  • Maternal and Child Health Data Analysis II
  • Independent Study
  • Electives

Find an Accredited Master of Public Health Program