Global Public Health Bachelor of Science Degree
Global Public Health
Bachelor of Science Degree
- RIT /
- Rochester Institute of Technology /
- Academics /
- Global Public Health BS
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RIT’s degree in public health explores current health issues in order to prevent disease, improve health, and help people attain health equity across the world.
Overview for Global Public Health BS
Why Pursue a Degree in Public Health at RIT?
- A Cutting-Edge Public Health Courses: Innovative courses pertinent to today’s local, regional, national, and international public health issues prepare you for a high-demand position in global public health or graduate-level training in a wide range of clinical medicine and other health-related fields.
- Two Dynamic Tracks: A choice of concentration in two important subspecialties: global health management or infectious diseases.
- Hands-On Experience: Gain real-world skills via two required blocks of cooperative education or internships, and multiple research and study abroad opportunities.
- The Perfect Pre-Med Degree: StemJobs.com has rated a degree in public health as the best option for pre-med students.
- Engaging, Passionate Faculty: Faculty with deep expertise and experience in global public health and health care are committed to preparing you for a rewarding career.
What is Public Health?
In March of 2020, the world watched as the COVID-19 virus spread around the world. As the virus quickly reached every town and city across the globe, it became imperative for local, national, and international public health officials to communicate and collaborate to understand the virus, treat patients who tested positive, and identify ways to mitigate its spread. It was, perhaps, the first time many watched a worldwide public health crisis play out in real-time.
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
- Achieve 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.
The 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
- 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, 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 or health informatics.
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 that is directly related to medicine 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 public health 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.
Premedical and Health Professions Advisory Program
Learn more about how RIT’s Premedical and Health Professions Advisory Program to help you become a competitive candidate for admission to graduate programs in the medical and health professions (such as physician assistant and nursing).
RIT’s Pre-Law Advising Program
Law schools welcome applications from students majoring in a wide range of academic programs. Learn more about RIT’s pre-law program and how it 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.
Join us for a virtual admissions event
A perfect first-look for high school sophomores, juniors, and their families.
Careers and Experiential Learning
Typical Job Titles
International/Global Public Health Professional | Medical and Health Services Manager |
Health Care Consultant | Social and Community Service Manager |
Health Educator | Public Health Officer |
Maternal and Child Health Professional | Emergency / Disaster Preparedness Professional |
Public Health Specialist in Early Intervention Programs | Disease Intervention Specialist |
Industries
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Health Care
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Government (Local, State, Federal)
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Higher Education
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Environmental Services
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International Affairs
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Non-Government Organization
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Non-Profit
Cooperative Education
What’s different about an RIT education? It’s the career experience you gain by completing cooperative education and internships with top organizations in a variety of industries. You’ll earn more than a degree. You’ll gain real-world career experience that sets you apart. It’s exposure–early and often–to a variety of professional work environments, career paths, and industries.
Students in the global public health BS degree are required to complete two blocks of cooperative education or internship. These opportunities provide the hands-on experience that enables you to apply your public health knowledge in professional settings while you make valuable connections between classwork and real-world applications.
Careers in Public Health
RIT’s public health major provides you with the knowledge to address today’s most pressing current global health challenges, including mental health, climate change, reproductive health, and infectious diseases, to name a few. You will be well-prepared for high-demand positions that address these challenges 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 or health informatics.
Featured Work
The Transformational Power of a Medical Mission
John Oliphant
John Oliphant, global public health director, shares his extensive experience and research into best practices for working cross-culturally and participating in international medical missions.
Featured Profiles
Elevating Public Health through Scientific Inquiry: Exploring Bacterial Dynamics in Lake Ontario
Hands-on learning enables Marissa Schroeter to explore the bacterial landscape of Lake Ontario, gaining practical insights into environmental dynamics and their potential impact on community well...
Curriculum for 2023-2024 for Global Public Health BS
Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements
Global Public Health, BS degree, typical course sequence
Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | ||
---|---|---|---|
First Year | |||
MEDG-101 | Human Biology I (General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective) | 3 | |
MEDG-102 | Human Biology II (General Education –Scientific Principles Perspective) | 3 | |
MEDG-103 |
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1 | |
MEDG-104 | Human Biology II (General Education –Scientific Principles Perspective) | 1 | |
GLPH-101 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 | |
GLPH-105 | Disease Awareness and Prevention | 3 | |
GLPH-107 | Human Diseases | 3 | |
STSO-120 | Introduction to Environmental Studies | 3 | |
YOPS-10 | RIT 365: RIT Connections | 0 | |
General Education – First-Year Writing (WI) | 3 | ||
General Education – Social Perspective | 3 | ||
General Education – Ethical Perspective | 3 | ||
General Education – Global Perspective | 3 | ||
Second Year | |||
COMM-344 | Health Communication | 3 | |
GLPH-355 | Introduction to Global Health | 3 | |
GLPH-500 | Experiential Learning in Global Public Health (Summer) | 0 | |
HLTH-320 | Legal Aspects of Health Care | 3 | |
NUTR-215 | Concepts in Human Nutrition | 3 | |
PSYC-101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 | |
PUBL-101 | Foundation of Public Policy | 3 | |
STAT-145 | Introduction to Statistics I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A) | 3 | |
STAT-146 | Introduction to Statistics II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B) | ||
General Education – Immersion 1, 2 | 6 | ||
Third Year | |||
GLPH-351 | Technology Innovations in Global Public Health I | 3 | |
GLPH-352 | Technology Innovations in Global Public Health II | 3 | |
GLPH-371 | Global Mental Health | 3 | |
GLPH-500 | Experiential Learning in Global Public Health | 0 | |
HLTH-328 | Finance for Healthcare Professionals | 3 | |
MEDS-430 | Epidemiology | 3 | |
Concentration Courses | 6 | ||
General Education – Immersion 3 | 3 | ||
Open Elective | 6 | ||
Fourth Year | |||
GLPH-450 | Senior Seminar in Global Public Health | 3 | |
HLTH-325 | Health Care Leadership | 3 | |
HLTH-330 | Health Planning and Program Development | 3 | |
HLTH-508 | Integrated Health Systems & Population Health | 3 | |
MEDS-402 | Biomedical Ethics (WI) | 3 | |
WSHN-560 | Health Sciences Research Foundations (WI) | 3 | |
Concentration Course | 3 | ||
General Education - Artistic Perspective | 3 | ||
Open Electives | 6 | ||
Total Semester Credit Hours | 123 |
Please see General Education Curriculum (GE) for more information.
(WI-PR) Refers to a writing intensive course within the major.
* Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information. Students completing bachelor's degrees are required to complete two different Wellness courses.
Concentrations
Students must select one of the following three course concentrations:
Global Health Management Concentration
HLTH-510 | Global Health Systems |
HLTH-511 | Emergency Management in Healthcare |
HLTH-512 | Cultural Competency in Global Health |
HLTH-521 | Leadership in Global Public Health |
Infectious Disease Concentration
MEDS-313 | Introduction to Infectious Disease |
MEDS-417 | Clinical Microbiology |
MEDS-418 | Clinical Microbiology Lab |
MEDS-421 | Parasitology |
Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees
The curriculum below outlines the typical course sequence(s) for combined accelerated degrees available with this bachelor's degree.
Admissions and Financial Aid
The BS in global public health will be available for matriculation in fall 2025. Prospective students who wish to begin the program in fall 2025 should submit their RIT application by these dates:
Early Decision I: Nov. 1, 2024
Early Decision II: Jan. 1, 2025
Regular Decision: Jan. 15, 2025
Beginning on May 23, 2024, current RIT students may begin the internal transfer process. Students are encouraged to contact John Oliphant, program director, to discuss the major and potential transfer options.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
100% of all incoming first-year and transfer students receive aid.
RIT’s personalized and comprehensive financial aid program includes scholarships, grants, loans, and campus employment programs. When all these are put to work, your actual cost may be much lower than the published estimated cost of attendance.
Learn more about financial aid and scholarships
Latest News
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March 8, 2022
Global Health Association holds donation drive for Ukraine with InterVol
RIT and the Global Health Association @ RIT are partnering with humanitarian organization InterVol in an urgent donation drive to aid the people of Ukraine affected by the Russian invasion. InterVol’s Ukraine Relief campaign is accepting donations through Thursday, March 10.
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April 7, 2020
RIT Rallies: Professor reroutes sabbatical travel to help local hospital system protect its workforce
The coronavirus canceled Professor John Oliphant’s international travel plans and led to an unexpected opportunity to help a local health system manage the impact of COVID-19 on its hospital workforce.
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February 19, 2019
RIT hosts Innovations in Global Health Conference
RIT’s first regional conference on Innovations in Global Health will showcase humanitarian efforts on campus and connect with other researchers in the area.