4 universities leading the forefront of global health equity

Public health plays an important role in maintaining society’s overall well-being. From developing vaccines to improving policies, from disease prevention to healthy diet promotion, the impact of a public health practitioner is wide-ranging.

In one analysis, there were 92 different occupations out of of more than 38,533 job postings that sought to hire public health graduates or that existed within the public health workforce. Public is a large, diverse, and expanding field — which is set to grow even more post-COVID-19 and in anticipation of future outbreaks.

Some public health schools in the US are at the forefront of leading the next generation of healthcare workers forward. With partnerships around the globe to a vast network of industrial connections, public health students will leave these universities as global changemakers. 

Below are four top US universities offering transformative master’s degrees in public health: 

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University’s (SLU) College for Public Health and Social Justice is the first choice for those looking to pursue a master’s programme in this field.

Apart from being one of the top Jesuit universities in the world with a strong mission toward social justice, SLU College for Public Health and Social Justice is also ranked among the top 25% of public health schools in the United States by US News and World Report 2022-23.

SLU offers a Master of Public Health — one of the oldest and largest programmes in the Midwest — that connects students to a vast network of alumni and public health leaders for applied practice experiences and job placements. Each concentration is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and spans 48 credit hours, taking two years to complete. Featured concentrations include, Behavioural Science and Health Education, Biosecurity and Disaster Preparedness (also available online), Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Global Health, Health Management and Policy, Maternal and Child Health, and Public Health Practice (also available online).

Graduates pass the Certification in Public Health Exam at rates over 90% on their first try, far above the national rates, as well. Students live in one of the nation’s most affordable metropolitan areas with access to local, cost-effective housing options. Students graduate with a fully accredited degree recognised by future employers from coast to coast – and even internationally. To learn more click here.

University of Washington

Priding themselves with an experiential learning approach, University of Washington provides students with internship, volunteering and capstone opportunities. Source: University of Washington / Facebook

The School of Public Health at the University of Washington (UW) has over 30 centres and institutes, five academic departments and five interdisciplinary programmes. With collaboration, innovation and community at the core of their mission, UW students will go on to solve the greatest public health challenges and improve health equity in local and international communities.

Students taking their MPH with UW will be graduating with an accredited degree by Council on Education by Public Health (CEPH). Some of these courses include: MPH in Community-Oriented Public Health Practice, MPH in Environmental Health Sciences and MPH in Health Services: Health Systems and Policy concentration.

Priding themselves with an experiential learning approach, UW provides students with internship, volunteering and capstone opportunities. These are put in place to ensure students gain field-based experiences by integrating their classroom learnings in a public health work environment. 

The Global Health major programme was ranked #1 in The Best Public Health Degree Programs by College Choice in 2022. The university was also ranked ninth among the top public health graduate schools by US News and World Report.

Apply to UW’s School of Public Health today. Click here for the full programmes list. 

University of Arizona

The University of Arizona is the first and only nationally accredited college of public health in the state. Source: University of Arizona/Facebook

The Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona is the first and only nationally accredited college of public health in the state. Here, students can expect an interdisciplinary professional MPH degree that will serve as a springboard to their careers. 

MPH students may choose from nine areas of concentration on campus, as well as three areas of concentration online. Similar to Saint Louis University, students also have the option to pursue one of six dual degrees offered, that are in partnership with other colleges in the university. 

Other than that, the university is actively conducting research projects that cover a wide range of research focus areas. Though most of these projects are research-heavy, the university makes an effort to integrate community capacity building to ensure the targeted community continues to benefit even after funding is ceased. 

Check out the admissions criteria before applying. 

Florida State University

Students enrolled in the MPH programmes at The College of Social Sciences and Public Policy at Florida State will prepare students for a lifelong career in healthcare. Source: Florida State University / Facebook

Students enrolled in the MPH programmes at The College of Social Sciences and Public Policy at Florida State University will prepare students for a lifelong career in healthcare. Their programmes are innovative and are focused on providing the best education to aspiring public health professionals.

The college offers students a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses across five disciplines – Epidemiology, Statistics, Environmental Health Science, Health Policy and Management, and Social and Behavioural Sciences.

Apart from that, the university also offers a fast-track degree – BS-MPH Combined Pathway. This pathway was designed for students who seek to expedite their undergraduate studies while getting a jumpstart on their graduate studies. 

Interested in studying at Florida State University? Click here for applications. 

*Some of the institutions featured on this article are commercial partners of Study International