Public Health
About Public Health
Our Program and Courses
Public health is a major at F&M that blends perspectives from science, social science, and humanities to focus on what keeps the population healthy 鈥� and what makes it healthier. A major in public health can follow one of three concentration tracks: biology, government or sociology. You鈥檒l study the principles and history of public health, the burden of disease, how to measure health, health in the context of human rights, the health of communities and how it is affected by community-based action, and more.
By the time you graduate, you will be able to:
- Discuss public health challenges at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels.
- Evaluate and discuss multiple determinants of health 鈥� including behavioral, demographic, economic, environmental, genetic, sociological, and political 鈥� and relate these factors to their effect on health disparities and other population health concerns.
- Analyze and critique the role of health in the public policy agenda.
- Use multiple disciplinary methods to answer ethical questions and evaluate the effectiveness of solutions to problems.
- Demonstrate skills of analysis, problem solving, clear writing, and critical thinking.
Curious what public health classes are like? Take a look at our course catalog to see the depth and breadth of what鈥檚 available to you.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Your work in public health will extend far outside the classroom. The program has a growing tradition of encouraging students鈥� intellectual growth through internships, networking with alumni, off-campus study, independent research, and more. Our goal is to provide close supervision and mentoring to students in the classroom and around the world.
Research Opportunities
Do you want to explore health inequities during the COVID-19 pandemic? Or dive into
the methods epidemiologists use to trace and predict patterns of disease? You can
do all of that at F&M. As you explore all that a public health major has to offer,
you鈥檒l discover areas or ideas you want to further explore. The best part? You won鈥檛
have to wait until graduate school to launch your investigation.
Explore research at F&M
Internships
Internships allow you to explore fields and job functions of interest, building your
portfolio while shaping and inspiring your path in both expected and unexpected ways.
Recent public health student internships have involved workplace health and safety,
education on the effects of climate change on health, and traveling abroad to learn
about health disparities in Africa.
Explore internships at F&M
Off-Campus Study
At F&M, public health majors have extraordinary opportunities to study in the U.S.
and abroad. In recent years, students have gained experience in the field by studying
the health of communities in Honduras, Vietnam, Cambodia, Argentina, Kenya, Senegal
and beyond. You, too, can make study abroad integral to your experiences and research.
Explore off-campus study at F&M
Success Beyond F&M
By majoring in public health at F&M, you鈥檒l gain a holistic outlook that provides a strong background in critical thinking, analysis, writing, and public presentation 鈥� skills in high demand in any post-graduate pursuit.
Graduate School
Many of our majors choose to pursue graduate school after F&M, with a significant number seeking advanced degrees at the finest universities in the field, including:
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- French National School of Public Health
- Harvard University School of Public Health
- The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- University of Michigan School of Public Health
Career Paths
Public health alumni build a multifaceted foundation for a diverse range of careers. They find success in medicine, law, government, and more, and hold positions such as:
- Officer in U.S. Public Health Service
- Deputy Director of Global Tuberculosis Institute
- Chief Regulatory Counsel, Pharmaceutical Company
- Public Health Educator
- Biostatistician
- Clinical Research Coordinator
- Epidemiologist
- Health Policy Analyst
- Public Health Administrator
- Health Information Technician
- Professor
- Physician
- Dentist
Research Spotlight
Trailblazing Research Examines Cigarette Label Alternatives
Tripp wondered if including modified risk tobacco products (MRTP) alternatives on cigarette warning labels could lead to less harmful decisions among those who are not ready to quit using tobacco. The team recruited participants from the Lancaster community to assess the effects of cigarette warnings on smoking behavior, collecting biospecimens and qualitative data from non-campus participants.
鈥淭he fact that this was the first human subjects research of its kind is pretty amazing,鈥� Tripp said. 鈥淭hat means public health students 鈥� and even our pre-med students 鈥� can get these valuable experiences as undergraduates. That's pretty rare at a small liberal arts college.鈥�
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Alumni Spotlight
Hands-On Research Propelled Julia Dorf 鈥�24 to Her Dream Job
鈥淲hile my first-year self envisioned a career as a doctor, throughout my time at F&M, I learned there are so many positions within health care that all work together to advance medicine and impact patients鈥� lives,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 realized I was drawn to a career in researching and developing new therapies to improve patient outcomes.鈥�
Fueling this new ambition, Dorf immersed herself in hands-on research at F&M and 鈥嬧�媐ormed a strong foundation of the skills she needed for her post-graduate role as a research coordinator at New York University (NYU) Langone Health in the Department of Neurology.
鈥淭he opportunity to conduct research with professors at F&M was crucial in landing an entry-level position at NYU Langone Health,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he public health and biology curriculum at F&M improved my ability to read scientific literature, create research posters, and present scientific results, which are all critical skills for clinical research.鈥�
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Student Spotlight
F&M Students Launch Global Nutrition Nonprofit
The first seeds of the idea were planted when Samuels was a student at Ubuntu Football Academy School in Cape Town, which would eventually become Fuel for Thought鈥檚 first partner school. Loria鈥檚 passion for global health made her an ideal collaborator for the project. Loria was interested in researching infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue, and ebola, but through her friendship with Samuels became more aware of the role of nutrition in global health.
Loria and Samuels traveled to South Africa in May to visit Fuel for Thought鈥檚 partner schools, and said they are already seeing the immediate impact of their work.
鈥淧eople are donating to provide meals, but it鈥檚 really about what the food empowers kids to do,鈥� Loria said. 鈥淚t shows that people care about their well-being and they鈥檒l have what they need to succeed.鈥�
Read More 禄
Related Fields of Study
Biology
The biological sciences expand and advance frontiers of knowledge about all forms of life. From molecules to ecosystems, from oceans to deserts, from the distant past to present day, biology gives you insights into other species, ourselves, and our world.
Government
F&M鈥檚 Department of Government has earned a reputation as one of the finest in the country. Study government at F&M and examine power, politics, justice, equity, and change while developing skills in language, economics, mathematics and philosophy.
Sociology
Sociology studies human interactions, the consequences of those relationships, and the broader organizations and institutions that shape those experiences. As a student of sociology, you will explore these interactions to better understand how they shape the world and cultures that we live in.
A Glimpse at Public Health at 乱伦视频
November 17, 2025
乱伦视频 Nationally Recognized for Wellness Education & Violence Prevention
乱伦视频鈥檚 Office of Wellness Education and Violence Prevention has gained national recognition for a bystander intervention marketing campaign. Meet the dedicated group of 乱伦视频 peer health educators who provide health and wellness advocacy on campus.
November 13, 2025
Trailblazing Research Examines Cigarette Label Alternatives
Three 乱伦视频 students helped conduct a groundbreaking pilot study in Lancaster this summer, assisting Professor Hollie Tripp with tobacco regulatory research. It's the first 乱伦视频 instance of biospecimen collection from non-campus participants.
September 4, 2025
2025 Graduate and Dedicated Diplomat is Conference Finalist for NCAA Woman of the Year
A Diplomat athlete鈥檚 reach extends beyond their impact on scoreboards and win-loss records. Kennedy Wilburn 鈥�25 recently was named one of two Centennial Conference nominees for the NCAA's prestigious Woman of the Year Award.