General Public Health

The General Public Health Track gives students a solid foundation in the five core areas of public health: biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, health policy & management, and socio-behavioral sciences. In addition, students complete a practicum and master’s thesis.

General Public Health Track Checklist

Track-Specific Competencies

To make sure our students develop the skills necessary to be successful and productive in the field of public health, we have developed a list of skills and content areas for the students in this track.

  • Demonstrate ability to employ a public health systems approach to assess the health status of populations, to identify determinants of health and illness, and to determine factors influencing the use of health services.
  • Use basic biostatistical concepts and appropriate study design methodologies to address public health research questions and evaluate community-based interventions.
  • Apply descriptive and analytic epidemiology to population-based research, and develop disease control and prevention programs in conjunction with the community.
  • Specify approaches for assessing, preventing, and controlling environmental and occupational hazards that pose risks to human health and safety.
  • Design, implement and evaluate public health programs and policies within a socio-ecological framework.
  • Apply principles of cultural competency to health promotion/disease prevention programs, policies and research, to improve patient and community health, and to reduce health disparities.
  • Support, promote, and develop public health advocacy that informs, educates and empowers communities about public health issues and effects systems changes.