Pre-Public Health Program at Hope College

Public Health is the science of protecting and improving the health of communities through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research for disease and injury prevention. Public Health professionals work primarily with prevention of disease and injury in populations of people rather than the curing of disease or treatment of injuries in individuals. Public Health involves the knowledge and application of many different disciplines and skills in its various areas of activities.

There are five core areas in the field of Public Health: environmental health, behavioral sciences/health education, epidemiology, biostatistics, and health services administration. In addition to the core areas, there are others concentrations; these include occupational safety and health, maternal and child health, public health program management and practice, biomedical and laboratory practice, nutrition, and international or global public health. To find out more about Public Health, visit the website, “What is Pubic Health?”

The most common degree for Public Health professionals is the Master of Public Health (MPH). Students pursuing a graduate degree in Public Health may have a variety of academic majors, but there is coursework that can better prepare you for the field of study you choose. For example, coursework in biology and mathematics is highly recommended for students who plan to concentrate in Epidemiology or Biostatistics. For Behavioral Sciences/Health Education or Global Health, courses in sociology, psychology, education, or anthropology are beneficial. Health Services Administration students need a background in business and economics. A strong biology or chemistry background is helpful for the study of Environmental Health. All Schools of Public Health require competence in verbal and written communication. Therefore, students should take advantage of undergraduate opportunities to develop these skills.

While Schools of Public Health look for students with high graduate entrance exam scores and good college GPAs, other aspects of an applicant's record, such as extra-curricular achievement, community service, professionally related experience, and demonstrated motivation to achieve career goals are equally important. Typically, each of the five core fields of Public Health are in separate departments within a School of Public Health, and each department may set different requirements for admission. Therefore, it is important for students to refer to individual departments for specific course requirements. Many Schools of Public Health now use the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) for primary applications to their programs, but some schools still use their own individual school application. You must check the school's website to determine the proper application procedure.

Useful Web Links to Information on Careers and Training in Public Health

• American Public Health Association
• Association of Schools of Public Health
• List of Accredited Schools of Public Health
• Council on Education for Public Health List of Programs and Schools
• Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS)
• University of Michigan School of Public Health

Links to General Information

• Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook - information for all types of careers
• Explore Health Careers- a large data base of links to other resources including information on many different careers, internships, and interviews.

For academic advising related to the Pre-Public Health Program at Hope College, please contact Professor Tahnee Prokopow (prokopow@hope.edu).