“Public” and “community” nursing are terms often used interchangeably—but they aren’t necessarily the same thing.

Community health nurses typically work directly with individuals, families, and groups to achieve better health outcomes.

Public health nurses usually take a broader approach to patient populations. They focus on advocating for change in systems, reforming policy, and health promotion.

In general—community health nurses directly help people make the best use of the systems in place, while public health nurses focus on improving those systems.

Of course, there are several factors behind why jobs are named the way they are. When you start looking for jobs in public health or community health nursing, be sure to thoroughly read through the job description to determine if it’s the right kind of role for your skillset and preferences.

No, we do not offer any “accelerated” programs at these degree levels. However, you can potentially transfer prior college credit earned to shorten how long these programs take to complete.

No, we do not currently offer any single-program offerings labeled as “dual degree.”  However, you can potentially combine multiple focus areas and degree levels to create pathways that make the most sense for your career goals.

Students who wish to complete two or more degrees at the same degree level (i.e., a second bachelor’s degree after completing their first bachelor’s degree at Herzing University) can do so by completing all of the degree requirements for each subsequent degree, including at least 15 semester credit hours of coursework not applied to their previous Herzing University degree(s).