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Improve global wellbeing with a degree in public health
12 Nov 2019
How healthy are we today? The world is increasingly globalised; international travel and commerce are more extensive than ever; and in some places, the effects of the climate crisis are already being seen. Are we doing enough to prevent disease and prolong life? Are societies, businesses and governments ready for future threats on human health and wellbeing?
The answer is mixed. In the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) World Health Statistics report, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, wrote in the report’s introduction that there is still much to do before the deadline of the UN Sustainable Development Goals come 2030:
“While we have made remarkable progress on several fronts, huge challenges remain if we are to reach the targets for health we have set ourselves. In some areas progress has stalled and the gains we have made could easily be lost.”
Nine out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air, with more than half of the urban population exposed to outdoor air pollution 2.5 times above WHO’s safety standard. As many as 15,000 children below the age of five died every day in 2016 as a result of this.
In low and lower-middle-income countries, adults faced double the risk of dying from diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and chronic lung disease compared to those in high-income countries. There continues to be tens of millions of new cases of tuberculosis each year, of which 1.6 million die, making it the leading infectious cause of death worldwide.
But amid all this destruction, there have been exponential advances in health technology and research. Recently, an experimental new tuberculosis vaccine reported a 50 percent success rate, which though far from ideal, may have the potential to save millions of lives.
On top of this, scientists have managed to grow human stem cells in pig embryos, bringing us closer to the day where it will be possible to develop human organs in animals for transplant later on. Public policy and medical breakthroughs have increased the average life expectancy of a child born in the US from 50 to 80 years. In the US, similar milestones can be seen in the eradication of polio, improved oral health, decline in tobacco use, treatments in cancer, HIV/AIDS and so forth.
It’s never been more urgent for us to improve global wellbeing. Play a role in creating a better, healthier tomorrow with a degree in public health from these leading US universities:
COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES, OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
Taking on the world’s health challenges with a world-class degree begins at the College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University. Leveraging science and community engagement, the college is the perfect base to become part of the next generation of public health professionals.
Source: Oregon State University, College of Public Health and Human Sciences
The first in Oregon to be accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, the college offers a comprehensive Master of Public Health programme that ensures students have the knowledge and leadership skills, as well as a respected degree, to succeed on a local and global scale. World-leading faculty guide students toward their career goals in public health, while a dedicated support team provides the resources needed to foster success both in and outside of the classroom.
The Master of Public Health is rigorous and interdisciplinary – the ideal choice for recent graduates or professionals from across the globe. Students benefit from small classes, personal connections with faculty, experiential work opportunities all over the world, and a wide range of resources and support. Online students also receive a high level of personal support and the same quality of education, diploma and transcript.
The on-campus Master of Public Health is based in Corvallis, Oregon, which is one of the friendliest, safest, greenest and most innovative college towns in the US. The online programme is delivered through Oregon State Ecampus, widely considered one of America’s best providers of online education.
COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN FLORIDA
Founded in 1984, the USF College of Public Health offers several undergraduate and graduate courses in public health. It’s home to the first accredited undergraduate public health degree programme and is ranked by US News and World Report as 1st in the state of Florida, 2nd public school in the southeast, and 16th nationally among Council on Education for Public Health accredited schools.
Source: College of Public Health, University of Southern Florida
The innovative Bachelor of Science in Public Health lets students pursue specialised coursework in pre-health, epidemiology, biostatistics, food safety, infection control, nutrition, global health, environmental and occupational health and health coaching, among others. The degree can be undertaken fully online or through a mix of online and classroom-based courses.
The Master in Public Health (MPH) is designed to prepare students to be public health professionals. Core modules include biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy and management, environmental and occupational health, and social and behavioral sciences. There are several concentration areas students can choose from, from maternal and child health to global disaster management as well as humanitarian relief and homeland security.
The Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) refines students’ quantitative and/or qualitative skills and provides a comprehensive research experience. It focuses on research design, data collection, analysis and application of research aimed at improving and protecting the health of populations.
INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY (SDSU)
At the SDSU Graduate School of Public Health, aspirants can opt for the fully online Master of Public Health (MPH) degree without any need to take time off from their career or life commitments.
Administered by the College of Extended Studies, this 18-month degree is rigorous, but also one that pays off. The curriculum tasks students to use multiple sources of data, develop scientific papers and presentations and identify strategies and programmes related to population health. By the end of the course, students will be able to develop, implement, evaluate and critique public health programmes – providing a useful skillset for early- to mid-career professionals to advance their career in this field.
The degree is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and consists of 51 units, including three units (180 hours) of internship or practical field experience. With pre-recorded courses lectures, students can work at their own pace and around their work and family schedules. Students undertake two three-unit courses per eight-week session, with a one-week break between sessions.
Now in its second year, the affordable Master’s (each unit only costs US$562) is already ranked 21st in the nation by bestcolleges.com, an independent resource for online students.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
There are many reasons why students should consider a graduate degree in public health sciences at the University of Miami (UM).
Source: Department of Public Health, University of Miami
The major research university is one of US News and World Report’s Top 50 national universities. The Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Public Health Sciences is one of the most impactful public health graduate programmes in the country, which also boasts a faculty rich in industry experts and practitioners. Among the offerings here include the MPH, Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH), Master of Public Administration Joint Degree (MPH/MPA) and Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology.
Public health students are guided by a hands-on, intimate teaching. Through an individualised study experience, professors recognise the unique learning style of each student, allowing them to shape the learning environment around students’ needs to further enhance the effectiveness of graduate studies.
Then, there are the various opportunities for students to promote their professional portfolio. For a real-world experience in health-related settings (local, national, and international), the Capstone Field Experience allows students to apply public health academic theories and test out practical skills to find solutions to today’s public health challenges. Such valuable experience provides students with the crucial understanding of what it takes to advance your career as an effective public health professional.
*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International
