Global Public Health Bachelor of Science Degree

COVID-19 illustrated to the world how vital the work is of public health officials who examine, evaluate, and respond to a range of health issues and challenges.

What can I do with a degree in public health?

Virtually all careers in public health strive to achieve the goal of preventing disease, promoting health, and prolonging life for people across the world. Public health professionals primarily pursue this goal via a pathway of education, public policy, or research to achieve the following:

• Educate the public on health and wellness
• Implement disease and injury prevention measures
• Equity in healthcare worldwide

A degree in public health is a wonderful launching pad for an exciting and dynamic career in individual patient care or efforts designed to improve the health of whole populations of people. RIT’s public health major gives you the knowledge and skills to promote health both locally and on a global scale.

RIT’s Public Health Degree

The public health BS is the study of health challenges locally and in communities across the globe, and the actions needed to resolve these issues. Infused with a global perspective, RIT’s public health degree empowers you to learn and understand:

• The various social, economic, environmental, and individual factors that impact people’s health.
• How to ensure the global population has the resources and knowledge needed to be healthy.

The public health major allows for significant customization according to your interests and aspirations, starting with your choice of two concentrations: 

• Global Health Management: This concentration is ideal for those who are interested in future management or leadership opportunities within healthcare systems, nonprofit, or humanitarian organizations and may want a more international emphasis to their education.  This is an excellent option for those who want to help shape future global public health and healthcare policies and practices.
   
• Infectious Diseases: This concentration is designed for the student who is more science-oriented and may be considering a career with a clinical or research focus. This may be the preferred concentration for future healthcare practitioners or those considering pursuing a graduate degree to research the best ways to prevent or treat infectious diseases.

Public Health Courses

With a range of related elective courses, immersions and minors, you can further explore many topics closely related to global public health, including:

• Culture
• Exercise and Nutrition
• Gender Studies
• The Climate
• The Environment
• Social Inequalities
• Public Policy
• International Relations
• Economics

The public health major will equip you to address the most pressing current global health challenges of today including mental health, the opioid epidemic, gun violence, climate change, reproductive health, and infectious diseases, to name a few. You will be well-prepared for high-demand positions that address challenges such as these in the public health workforce, health care systems, not-for profits, non-governmental or humanitarian organizations, academia, international relations, or government policy. You will also be prepared to pursue advanced degrees in medicine or the health sciences, or graduate degrees in fields such as epidemiology, health informatics, or law school.

RIT’s global public health BS degree is the ideal for students who are intellectually curious about science and the human body; forward-thinking regarding physical and mental health; advocates for social justice and the environment; and determined to make the world a better place.  

The following sample of minors and immersions are available to enhance this degree:

• Anthropology and Sociology minor
• Chemistry minor or immersion
• Cultural Anthropology immersion
• Environmental Science minor
• Environmental Studies minor or immersion
• Exercise Science minor
• Globalization minor
• Global Justice immersion
• Health Communication minor
• Health, Culture, and Society minor or immersion
• International Relations minor or immersion
• Nutritional Sciences minor
• Psychology minor
• Public Policy minor or immersion  
• Science, Technology, and Society minor or immersion
• Water Resources minor

View a full list of minors and immersions for a range of options that can boost your knowledge in public health and related fields, or allow you to pursue an area of personal interest.

Global Public Health as a Pathway to Medical School

If your goal is to attend medical school, you may be considering a degree such as biology or chemistry. What you might not realize, however, is that the best pre-med major might be less apparent.

An undergraduate degree in global public health is an excellent pre-med major. Not only do the major’s course requirements often parallel pre-med requirements, but a public health degree provides a strong foundation for health-related subjects such as epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, and community health. These subjects are distinctly applicable to medicine, as physicians must have a keen understanding of social and environmental factors that affect health outcomes.

A degree in public health also enables you to examine the policies and processes in the medical industry. Global public health can reveal a side of medicine that most students do not see in medical school. With RIT’s robust co-op and internship program, you will have the opportunity to work alongside medical professionals in areas such as health care policy, prevention, and substance abuse to gain valuable hands-on experience prior to medical school.

Medical schools consider strong skills in leadership and management as positive qualities for admission. The skills you will gain from a public health degree will allow you to enter medical school better prepared to be a strong leader in understanding contributions to policy, participating in advocacy, or directing research projects.

A background in global public health, paired with a medical degree, will position you well for a successful career as a medical professional.  

Pre-Med/Pre-Health Advising

RIT’s Office of Pre-Health Advising offers an advising program that’s open to all majors and provides personal, individualized academic counseling to help you create a comprehensive long-term strategy to assist you in building successful applications to medical, dental, and veterinary schools or graduate degrees in the health professions (e.g., occupational therapy, physical therapy, etc.). Our pre-health advisors will have in-depth conversations with you around critical topics that include academic planning and course selection, MCAT and other admission exams, undergraduate research opportunities, clinical experiences and field work, timelines, and much more. Learn more about pre-med/pre-health advising.

RIT’s Pre-Law Advising Program

RIT's global public health BS can be solid foundation for law school. You will have access to experienced advisors from RIT's pre-law program, who can help you navigate the admission process for law school, explore a range of legal careers, and guide you through course selection to ensure you build the skills and competencies required of competitive law school applicants. 

Global Public Health Association @ RIT

Global Public Health Association @ RIT is a professional organization with both student and faculty leadership that increases awareness of health challenges faced by people throughout our interconnected planet and challenges its members to generate innovative solutions that will benefit our global society. The group hosts monthly educational events and the annual Innovations in Global Public Health Conference each spring. Students (from RIT and elsewhere), faculty, staff, and the general public are welcome at all of our events.  Learn more about the Global Public Health Association @ RIT.