Public Health

Along with interest in pursuing the main professions listed at left, many Bryn Mawr students are interested in public health. This dynamic, interdisciplinary profession addresses health care issues at the community level through research, education, public policy, and health care management and administration.

Because the public health field encompasses a range of services and responsibilities, graduate schools of public health are interested in applicants with various undergraduate majors. Almost any undergraduate course of study will prepare you to enter at least one of the public health specialties. 

The core areas in public health study are*:

• Behavioral Science/Health Education: developing methods, skills, and program strategies to help people maintain healthier lifestyles; designing and implementing programs that affect health.
• Biostatistics: applying statistical procedures, techniques, and methodology to characterize or investigate health problems.
• Emergency Medical Services: administering emergency response procedures, including training, licensing, quality control, access, research, or disaster preparedness.
• Environmental Health: the assessment of the impact of environmental factors on community health.
• Epidemiology: the systematic study of the distribution and determination of disease or disability in population groups.
• Health Services Administration/Management: applying business, policy, and science to manage resources and deliver public health services.
• International/Global Health: The effort to improve health standards in developing countries using the skills and techniques of all public health specialties.
• Maternal and Child Health: the integration of many fields in public health to focus on the needs of women and children.
• Nutrition: the study of the interaction between nutrients, food, and health, and applying sound nutritional principles to maintain good health.
• Public Health Laboratory Practice: The application of basic science and laboratory research to help diagnose, treat, and prevent infectious diseases in communities.
• Public Health Policy: the effort to effect legislation about public health issues from local governments to international policy-making organizations.

*The above summaries are adapted from the Association of Schools of Public Health. 

Special Opportunities in Public Health

Bryn Mawr College and Boston University have partnered to offer two accelerated programs:

• 4+1 Master's in Public Health
• 4+1.5/2 Master's in Public Health

The 4+1 program includes

• M.S. in Applied Biostatistics
• M.S. in Environmental Health and Data Analytics
• M.S. in Epidemiology
• M.S. in Health Systems and Services Research
• M.S. in Public Health Nutrition