Exploring the Public Health Program at University of Rochester
The Field of Public Health at the University of Rochester
Public health is a broad field that deals with the safety and well-being of entire populations. It involves everything from promoting healthy lifestyles to researching and combating infectious diseases.
College Factual has collected information about University of Rochester’s master’s program in public health. Read on to find out more about the school, including if it offers online courses and its average tuition cost.
Coursework
As a public health major, you’ll learn to tackle some of the world’s most complex global health challenges—including climate change, infectious disease, and social inequity. You’ll also become adept at analyzing and managing data, making informed decisions, and communicating your research to non-experts.
During your first three years of study, all PHS majors take biology, calculus, English and four public health core requirements at the undergraduate campus, Homewood. Then, as a senior, you’ll take a semester worth of graduate-level courses at BSPH with faculty and other students who have advanced degrees in the field.
Worker health is a complex issue that crosses political, disciplinary and economic borders. You’ll examine key accomplishments that have improved worker health and explore conditions that still put it at risk both nationally and globally.
Research
As one of the nation’s leading public health programs, our faculty members are conducting research ranging from the cellular to the societal level. They are exploring everything from how COVID-19 spreads through air, to how climate change influences human health, to the impact of physical activity on aging brains.
Our students are also involved in community-based initiatives aimed at improving the lives of people in small to mid-sized towns across the United States. In a recent interview, Whitney Zahnd, assistant professor of Health Management and Policy, discusses the challenges and rewards of this type of work.
The Lewis Scholars program offers a unique opportunity for students to engage in hands-on, research-based learning under the guidance of a faculty mentor. This honors project, which runs concurrently with a Honors Seminar course, is a requirement for students earning their BA in Public Health with Honors. The program includes a $3,200 stipend, on-campus housing and travel expenses to Atlanta for a research showcase at the CDC.
Internships
Students are required or have the option to complete a public health internship to satisfy a part of their Bachelor of Science in Public Health program. Internships provide students with a practical application of public health theory and skills, as well as help ease the transition from university to work settings.
The Lewis Scholars and Ferguson Fellowship programs provide an opportunity for undergraduate (and recently graduated) students to explore careers in public health at community organizations, state health departments, and universities/federal agencies. They are offered in conjunction with The Washington Center.
A one-week orientation at Columbia University Irving Medical Center introduces scholars to their mentors and field placement sites. Each scholar spends eight hours a week at their community site and participates in a weekly seminar with faculty. Upon completion, many interns have gone on to commonwealth employment. Ian Bankes ’24, for example, credits guidance from his Nazareth career coach and an immersive experience in his internship as his path to becoming a healthcare consultant.
Careers
The field of public health tackles crises on a larger scale and is concerned with the health of groups, rather than individuals. Its professionals use statistical analysis, education, bench research, and intervention to serve populations and communities. They are responsible for the advocacy of sensible, data driven legislation and for identifying and supplying quantitative solutions to local, state, and national problems.
Students in the health studies program can choose to begin their academic journey with a one-year certificate, two-year diploma, or four-year bachelor’s degree. The degree works well as a dual major with anthropology, business, and even analytics to provide valuable skills for a diverse career portfolio.
Graduates work in a wide variety of fields. The highest concentration is in government public health roles at federal agencies such as the CDC, or at city, county, and state departments throughout the country. Other graduates find employment in the private sector with firms such as medical device, pharmaceutical, or data management companies.