Public Health B.A.

There is a growing number of threats to good health at the population level. Public health is the field of study that identifies and monitors these threats, while at the same time, developing and evaluating interventions that reduce their negative impact on community health. Multiple forms of knowledge—coming from analytical, creative, biological, psychological and socio-cultural bases—are needed to effectively work in public health. This bachelor of arts degree focuses on increasing student knowledge of multiple fields that create effective public health strategies to prevent disease, promote health in communities, and eliminate inequalities.

The University of Minnesota School of Public Health Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Public Health is a robust undergraduate public health degree to develop graduates who can apply a public health approach to address a broad range of societal challenges. A public health approach is grounded in social justice and emphasizes addressing challenges at the systems level with a focus on prevention and population health. Graduates will have an academic and experiential background that prepares them to understand, critically evaluate, and impact current and emerging challenges to the health of our global society.

Specifically, graduates from this program will be able to describe the foundational principles of public health, be able to understand basic methods for gathering and analyzing public health data (through surveillance and research), demonstrate understanding of how public health and social justice share common goals, and be able to communicate in both community and professional settings. This junior-admitting program prepares graduates for entry-level positions in the public health workforce with employment at local health departments, not-for-profit agencies, healthcare systems, or standalone research entities. Students interested in pursuing clinical degrees in other health-related fields would also benefit from this program. In addition, students interested in pursuing a terminal degree (a Master's of Public Health or doctoral degree) in public health should consider this degree program as an introduction to the knowledge paradigms used in the field; graduate-level training would build upon this program by providing greater skill development, depth of understanding, and advanced methodologies.

Students may not pursue both the Public Health minor and the Public Health BA.