Be part of the solution with a degree in Public Health

“I was inspired to study public health in order find a way to impact people on a grander scale. This means affecting not just the individual, but also the family, community, and society.” – Charles Chen, Public Health student at University of Miami

As we progress through the modern world, we start to see more complex, scary health problems than we’ve ever seen before. We’ve come a long way from early years when a simple cold could be a death sentence, but now, public health faces new challenges in the light of immunity, population growth and external climate threats.

Public health has the power to help everyone worldwide. It can increase the wellbeing, quality of living, and even lifespan of every individual. Studying public health prepares you to make life-changing decisions and policies that make the world a better place.

When we talk about societal advancement, the discussion often focuses on technology or politics. But these changes wouldn’t be possible if there were no pioneering public health graduates forwarding the wellbeing of public minds and bodies.

But the public health landscape is rapidly-evolving – and with this, the challenges public health professionals face are also subject to change.

That’s why universities are so committed to producing worldly public health graduates with strong problem solving and critical thinking skills. Institutions are preparing dynamic thinkers through public health degrees, consistently producing graduates with the competence to tackle 21st Century problems.

Image courtesy of University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine

Already, there are fears about antibiotic immunity forming around the world. Because antibiotics for minor illnesses have been over prescribed since the 1940s, questions are being raised regarding what might happen if an epidemic hits. If our bodies are already used to antibiotics, they will be ineffective at treating more serious illnesses that could lead to a deadly situation.

And what about the pressures of overpopulation? The world is already home to more than 7.5 billion people, heightening demand for clean water, nutritious food and medicine. And, with the world population set to increase to almost 10 billion people by 2050, these issues will continue to spread.

Studying public health in this climate will allow you to theoretically grapple with how you can apply what you learn to the world you will be influencing. Public health degrees often cover a vast spread of issues including ethics, sociology, economics and medicine.

Having such a well-rounded awareness of the subject will prepare you to tackle these challenging issues facing public health, making real-life impacts upon thousands of lives.

If you want to positively affect thousands of lives, make sure you consider these leading public health schools…

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MILLER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Committed to preparing the next generation of health leaders, UM Miller School of Medicine provides interdisciplinary collaboration with a diverse student body and faculty and state-of-the-art resources to transform the health of the global community.

The school is renowned for its graduate public health programs including the Master of Public Health, Accelerated Master of Public Health, Master of Science in Public Health, Master of Science and PhD in Biostatistics, PhD in Epidemiology, PhD in Prevention Science and Community Health, and many joint degree programs.

UM also provides opportunities for students to engage in international field experiences to make an impact in global health while they pursue their studies. Students recently conducted research and community work in Panama, Haiti, and the Central Plateau.

“The Department of Public Health Sciences has incredible faculty members that are enthusiastic about educating our country’s next generation of public health scientists. I know that I will be a better physician and patient/community advocate thanks to the public health education and training that I received at UM,” says Stefania Prendes-Alvarez, alumna of the UM Miller School of Medicine.

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH PROFESSIONS, UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO

The School of Public Health and Health Profession at the University at Buffalo believes in the value of a diverse health sector to promote the health of communities, both locally and globally.

All qualifications at this school are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) – an independent agency recognized by the US Department of Education to accredit schools and programs within public health.

Undergraduates can choose to major or minor in Public Health, while graduate students can follow the Master’s in Public Health scheme.

The school is respected for its ground-breaking research, including investigations into how exercise can limit marijuana use, and global health initiatives like preventing malnutrition in Uganda and cancer research worldwide.

FIELDING SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES (UCLA)

Studying at this university allows you to experience the sun-soaked cultural melting pot of LA, all while learning at one of the nation’s best public health schools.

Studying at the Fielding School of Public Health opens a world of academic prestige and pioneering research opportunities to kickstart your impact in the public health sector.

“I was drawn to the various opportunities available at UCLA, from research, to policy and community level work. FSPH places a high value on hands on experience, on learning outside the classroom and developing practical skills, something I was specifically looking for in a program,” says Veronica Viceñas, Master’s of Public Health Student.

Graduate students can study a range of Master’s of Science or Master’s of Public Health degrees. There’s also the chance to complete a PhD at the school. All courses here are focussed on preparing students for the complex and dynamic challenges of the professional public health world through industry tailored degrees.

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

The University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health is revolutionising public health education. This is the first and only US university to offer a Sexual Health minor, which guides students through issues surrounding sexuality with a career-orientated focus.

The school aims to produce innovative public health graduates who aren’t afraid to tackle difficult questions facing the industry. If you’re passionate about making changes in public health, the University of Minnesota could be the ideal fit.

Forty-eight countries are represented within the school, creating a truly diverse health community to learn within.

Students wishing to study a Master’s of Public Health can specialise in Biostatistics, Community Health Promotion, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Maternal & Child Health, Public Health Administration & Policy, Public Health Nutrition and Public Health Practice.

SCHOOL OF POPULATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (UBC)

The School of Population and Public Health has a strong history of solving global and local health crises. From students and staff helping with the 2014 Ebola breakout to researching the effects of air pollution, studying at the University of British Columbia allows you to work alongside some of the leading minds in public health.

Committed to producing forward thinking graduates, the school emphasises industry focussed degrees that allow students to advance the public health sector.

Graduate students can choose from Master’s of Public Health, MSc in Population & Public Health, or the Public Health & Preventive Medicine Residency Program.

“We work closely with local, provincial, national and international organizations, to provide students with exposure to the public health field through networking with public health practitioners and collaboration with our partners in their facilities. British Columbia also offers unparalleled research opportunities through accessible and linkable population-based datasets,” the school says on its website.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International

Liked this? Then you’ll love these…

Improve global wellbeing with a degree in Public Health

Public Health distance learning with a difference at Tulane University