Global Public Health

Our program takes a multidisciplinary approach to creating a healthier, more equitable world

The foundation of Global Public Health is global equity, and the acknowledgment that social determinants play a significant role in informing individual behaviors and health choices. The Global Public Health (GPH) major provides transdisciplinary training for students interested in health, with a focus on disease prevention and health equity. 

The undergraduate Global Public Health program addresses the capacity to improve health at all levels, from local to global, by combining two complementary and closely related fields: global health and public health. GPH provides students with the knowledge, abilities and skills to engage in health-related study and research using the five core areas of public health: epidemiology, biostatistics, health systems and policies, environmental health, and social behavioral theories. At the same time, students will apply the fundamental principles of global public health — social justice and equity — in implementing and evaluating health programs irrespective of national boundaries.

Degrees offered

Digital & Data Studies (DiDA) Concentrations

Global Public Health is partnering with the Digital & Data Studies (DiDa) to offer two concentrations within the GPH major, one focusing on data analysis, and the other in digital communications. All of the courses on these tracks are chosen to be accessible to students at any stage of their career, as early as freshman year.

Students in the BA and BS can use up to 16 credits in these tracks towards their major. Such courses fulfill the "Electives" requirement of their major.

Data Science for GPH

These courses are designed to add quantitative skills in very applied contexts. In all courses, students will be working with data from a variety of sources to build models, produce visualizations, and effectively communicate those results. Students will have the opportunity to gain skills in a variety of industry standard tools and languages, including Tableau, R, Python, and SQL.

We recommend students take one course from each of the following categories:

Data Management and Organization

  • DIDA 110 - Database Fundamentals (SQL)

Data Communication

  • DIDA 260 - Data Visualization (Tableau)
  • DIDA 380J - Data Journalism (Datawrapper, Web Design)

Working with Data and Data Models

  • DIDA 325 - Data & Society* (R or Python)

Programming or an Advanced Data Course

  • HARP 150 - Intro to Programming (Python)
  • DIDA 370 - Spatial Fundamentals (R)
  • DIDA 310 - Text Mining (Python)
  • DIDA 380B - Advanced Data Models* (R)

* These courses have prerequisites: DIDA 325 requires any course from this list first, and DIDA 380B requires GPH 300.

Digital Communications and Media

These courses are specifically designed to build skills for students interested in the policy, communication, and impacts of global public health in a world saturated with digital and social media.

We recommend students take any four of these courses, with at least one from each category:

Digital Media Theory:

  • DIDA 220 - Critical Practice in Social Media
  • WRIT 345 - Reading and Writing Blogs

Visual Communication with Digital Media:

  • ARTS 265 - Digital Photography
  • DIDA 265 - Web Design
  • DIDA 280M - Intro to Digital Media

Written and Oral Communication

  • DIDA 380D - Digital PR & Crisis Management
  • DIDA 380J - Data Journalism
  • WRIT 310 - Marketing Communication
  • WRIT 344 - Writing & Producing Podcasts

Minoring in DIDA with GPH

Both of these concentrations can be converted into a complete minor in DIDA by taking a few additional courses. A sample path to doing so with each of the concentrations is shown below, switching to a minor with the [data science] or [digital communications and media] track. with courses that count both towards the major and minor shown in bold. Despite the large overlap, students must take 16 credits of courses that count only towards the DIDA minor and not towards GPH or another program.

DIDA Requirement GPH (Data Science) GPH (Digital Comm)
Programming HARP 150 HARP 150
Statistics GPH 300 GPH 300
Intro Elective DIDA 110 DIDA 220
Free Elective DIDA 380J DIDA 280M
Upper-level Elective DIDA 370 WRIT 344
Methods DIDA 325 (Python) DIDA 325 (R)
Capstone DIDA 426 DIDA 426

Internships, research opportunities and more

In addition to course work, students will conduct research for a capstone project over two semesters, and have opportunities for experiential learning. Students can also apply up to 8 credits of study abroad, internship, independent study/research or service learning to their degree's elective requirements.

Incoming students should consider the Community and Global Public Health First-year Research Immersion (FRI) Stream. FRI programs provide high-achieving first-year students with hands-on research experience. 

After you graduate

Students will be well-positioned for employment in public health, health advocacy, international development, non-profits and other service organizations, as well as further study in global public health, public health, health law and health/patient advocacy.

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