Public health is dedicated to the assessment of health problems and risks, the creation of policies to solve or alleviate health problems, and the oversight and management of health care systems, including the promotion of well-being and disease prevention. Graduate programs in public health prepare candidates for successful careers in public health through an interdisciplinary approach, involving the study of both the politics and science behind health care and public health policy.
Whether investigating communicable diseases, working with the mentally ill, implementing nutrition programs, or studying policy, public health professionals strive to live up to the World Health Organization s ideal that Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
Public Health graduate programs vary greatly in terms of academic emphasis and training, so it is important to research which programs will best fit your interests and meet your career goals. Some of the most common specialties within public health grad programs are environmental health, health education, epidemiology and biostatistics, health services, international health, disease prevention, and child health. In addition to an education focusing on their specialty, most MPH programs also address program management, policy, and public health problems. Along with traditional classroom and lab instruction, MPH students also work outside the classroom, doing field research in a range of health care environments.