Public health is one of the fastest growing majors in undergraduate education and covers the five core public health disciplines: biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology, health policy and management, and social and behavioral sciences.
The public health major emphasizes problem solving skills, critical thinking, practical application, career exploration and an understanding of both clinical- and population-based ethics. Early in the program, students will build a strong foundation of knowledge in the natural and social sciences and become familiar with cultural and socioeconomic differences among populations. Further study will provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to identify evidence-based techniques for disease prevention and promotion of health, both in the US and from a global perspective.
Graduates of the public health program are prepared for entry-level public health positions in a wide array of agencies involved in public and private health, including local, regional and state health departments, consulting and advocacy organizations, healthcare organizations, and government agencies. Students can elect to take courses that will prepare them for graduate and professional programs such as public health sciences (specifically epidemiology, environmental and occupational health and biostatics), or other health sciences professional programs [with additional math/science courses].
The public health program allows students the flexibility to choose electives based on their professional goals or public health issues they're most interested in solving. Students can elect to take courses that will prepare them to sit for the Community Health Education Certification (CHES) exam and for entry level positions in program management and community health education, or courses to prepare them to become members of health care teams assisting individuals in reducing and eliminating barriers to health care access and in negotiating complex health delivery systems. The public health program will also prepare students for entry into graduate programs in the social sciences, policy and administration, and public health graduate programs.