About the B.S. in Maternal Child Health Program
The B.S. Maternal Child Health program provides the skills and training necessary for graduates to counsel expectant birthing and nursing parents about feeding and caring for their infants. Students may choose from three majors in Maternal Child Health: Human Lactation; Maternal Child Health: Disparities and Childbearing; or Maternal Child Health
About the Program
The B.S. in Maternal Child Health program provides an evidence-based interdisciplinary program for the lactation professional. Students come to this program as experienced lactation care providers or as novices entering the lactation field. Interdisciplinary scholar practitioners train students to be:
- Evidence-based, socially, and culturally appropriate practitioners
- Creative and critical thinkers with a global perspective
- Lactation professionals with a solid grounding in global maternal child health equity issues so that they may work to reduce disparities of care
In addition, graduates of the program are qualified to professionally counsel expectant parents and parents of infants about the best practice in infant feeding and care of the young infant, assist in the advancement of the field, and speak professionally to a variety of audiences including parents, health care professionals, and workers in community, governmental, and nonprofit agencies.
Accreditation
COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION OF ALLIED HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM
NLU's B.S. in Maternal Child Health is the only CAAHEP-accredited Pathway 2 program that leads to a bachelor's degree.
What You Will Learn
Throughout the Bachelor of Science in Maternal Child Health program, you’ll learn to examine critical concepts and emerging trends in health disparities and explore how racism, power, inequities, and social structures influence the health of birthing parents and babies.
At the completion of the B.S. in Maternal Child Health program, students will be able to:
- Analyze systems of power in relation to maternal child health from social, economic, and political perspectives.
- Apply the basic mechanics of language, oral expressions and scholarly writing to topics in Maternal and Child Health (MCH).
- Analyze maternal child health issues involving individuals and communities.
- Apply the principles of biomedical ethics and social justice to MCH policies and practices.
- Evaluate national and global MCH issues in relation to one’s own personal place in the global community.
- Understand the normal patterns of human growth and development.
- Explore social and cultural issues in healthcare related to systems of power, ethics, and social justice.
- Explore how racism, power, inequities, and social structures impact the health of birthing parents and babies.
Career Outlook
An MHC Specialist can work in both private and public sectors, including Federal and State Departments. Occasionally an MCH position will open on an international level, taking the professional abroad. A Maternal and Child Health Specialist can also work with nonprofit organizations, advocating for the benefit of the patient’s health and well being. While on the job, an MCH needs to show empathy, identify complex problems, and offer trust to their patients. In the past decade, Maternal and Child Health Specialists have gained more recognition than other public health workers.
With a Bachelor of Science in Maternal Child Health, you will be prepared for these fast-growing careers:
- Health Educator
- Community Health Worker
- Counselor
- Dietitian
- Epidemiologist
- Maternal Child Health Specialist
- Maternal Fetal Medicine Nurse
