public health

Public Health

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creating a healthy future 

Study human health and wellness through the Public Health program. As a broad, interdisciplinary program, the major and minor provide courses cross listed in many subjects such as biology, anthropology and philosophy, giving you a full range of perspectives. The program will prepare you for a wide variety of positions in health related fields on the individual and communal levels including physician, occupational therapist, community health organizer and health policy analyst. 

Public Health News

 

Experiential EducationEducation to Empower

Discover local public health internship opportunities through the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education or attend lectures on health care inequality through the Fisher Center for Gender and Justice. 

At Hobart and William Smith Colleges, learning goes beyond textbooks and classrooms. You’ll gain high-impact practical experience that deepens learning and opens doors.

Explore Careers and Experiential Learning at the HWS Centers

 

Graduate with Leadership Distinction

Amplify your Public Health degree with the skills, knowledge and ethical foundation needed to be a leader in the 21st century. In partnership with the Centennial Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, our department offers the opportunity to engage in leadership development that culminates in a degree with leadership distinction and provides a competitive edge when applying to internships, jobs and graduate or professional school.

To graduate with leadership distinction, you will complete a series of foundational, action-oriented and reflective milestones within the Public Health and Leadership curriculum. We encourage you to begin your leadership journey as early as your second semester on campus.

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No Borders:Global Education

Study health care disparities in Denmark, medical ethics in Sweden, community health in Vietnam or pharmaceutical practices in South Africa. 

Wherever you go, you’ll apply classroom knowledge, develop cultural understanding and build global connections that expand your personal capacity and sense of purpose. 

Study Abroad Options
sweden

Belonging, Diversity and Equity

The Public Health program seeks to advance an approach to human health and wellness that embraces multiple perspectives, invites reflexivity, encourages critical thinking and centers justice as the foundational goal. The curriculum requires students to take at least once class that directly addresses diversity and equity issues in public health. Many other of the core courses address issues of diversity and equity as well. 

 

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Courses in Public Health cover a wide range of areas, topics and concentrations. 

PBHL 100 Introduction to Public Health

Gain the foundations and core functions of public health from U.S. and global perspectives. 

GSIJ 204 The Politics of Health 

Take a critical study of health politics, including the politics of gender, race and sexuality. 

PBHL 201 Epidemiology 

Learn the history, basic concepts and methods of epidemiology.

Program Steering Committee and Advisors:

  • Jonathan Forde, Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Gregory Frost-Arnold, Associate Professor of Philosophy
  • Keoka Grayson, Associate Professor of Economics
  • Jessica Hayes-Conroy, Chair, Associate Professor of Gender, Sexuality and Intersectional Justice
  • Justin Miller, Professor of Chemistry
Public Health Courses and Curriculum

Pre-Professional ProgramsCareers in Medicine

Hobart and William Smith Colleges is an ideal place to prepare for a career in the health professions. Over the past five years, our placement rate for medical, dental and veterinary school applicants has exceeded 80%, well above national averages. Recent graduates are now successful physicians, dentists, veterinarians, physical therapists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, and a variety of other clinical practitioners.

Learn More About Pre-Health Advising

Alum ImpactKayla Liszewski '21

With mentorship from HWS faculty, Kayla has utilized the skills and knowledge she gained during her undergraduate years to launch a career in public health.

 

 

 

Read Kayla's Story Meet More Recent Grads

UNIVERSITIES WHERE OUR GRADUATES ARE STUDYING

  • Albany Medical College
  • Boston University
  • Case Western Reserve University
  • Cornell University
  • Drexel University
  • George Washington University
  • Georgetown University
  • Harvard University
  • Mercer University 
  • New York Medical College
  • Ohio State University
  • Purdue University
  • SUNY Downstate
  • SUNY Stony Brook
  • SUNY Upstate Medical University
  • Temple University
  • Tufts University
  • University at Buffalo
  • University of California – Davis
  • University of Chicago
  • University of Connecticut
  • University of Maryland
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • University of Rochester
  • University of Wisconsin
  • Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Wayne State University