Finding Schools Well-Suited for Public Health Majors

Hello, I'm a junior in high school and I'm interested in going into public health. Can anyone give me some advice on the best undergraduate programs for a public health major? Thanks in advance!

It's excellent that you have already identified your interest in public health. This field is in high demand now, offering diverse career opportunities in healthcare, consulting, research, and policy work among others.

When looking at colleges, you're certainly going to want to find schools that not only have strong academic programs but also provide a wide range of experiential learning opportunities. Let's look at a few schools:

1. Johns Hopkins University: They offer a public health studies major at the undergraduate level. The program emphasizes quantitative aspects of public health, social and human aspects, and historical development. They also have an abundance of research opportunities and you can even start to take classes at their renowned Bloomberg School of Public Health.

2. University of California, Berkeley: Deserves a mention, as its School of Public Health is often ranked highly. As an undergraduate, you can major in public health and simulate the challenges faced by real-world public health practitioners in your coursework.

3. University of Washington: Also has an excellent School of Public Health. Undergraduates can major in public health, and complete internships and other hands-on learning experiences.

4. University of Michigan: Their Undergraduate Public Health program offers both a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Public Health, depending on whether you're more interested in the social sciences or natural sciences aspect of the field. Another unique feature is that students can participate in an internship (local, national, or global) during their course study.

5. Tulane University: It was the first school to offer a bachelor’s degree in public health and as such has a well-established program with collaboration across different disciplines like economics, environmental biology, and sociology.

6. Brown University: Their undergraduate Public Health program allows students to select a concentration in five different areas: Biostatistics and Informatics, Environmental Health, Health Policy, Epidemiology, and Sociomedical Sciences.

Remember that one critical factor is the opportunities a program provides for internships or practicums, as real-world experience is invaluable in this field. Take a look at the curriculum’s course listing, the faculty’s research interests, the resources available at the schools, such as labs and partnerships with local public health entities.

These are just a handful of the many excellent public health programs around the country. It's important to research schools thoroughly to determine which one will be the best fit for you. Best of luck in your college search!