University of Missouri

Public health includes activities needed to promote and protect the health of people and the communities that they live in. While doctors treat people who are sick, the field of public health is organized around trying to prevent illness and injuries in the first place, and promote healthy behavior. People in the field of public health work to assure the community living conditions are healthy by tracking disease and outbreaks, preventing injuries, and studying how and why some people are more likely to suffer from poor health and health inequities than others. There are many facets of public health. Some examples include speaking out for laws or policies that promote smoke-free indoor air, school nutrition, and seat belts, collecting and disseminating education about how to stay healthy, and offering science-based solutions to health problems, among others.

The Bachelor of Health Science in Public Health degree prepares students for introductory careers in all core areas of public health, such as health education, epidemiology, health policy, and environmental health. The courses introduce students to key concepts, theories, problems, and solutions in public health, and also focus on the links between public health and social justice and human rights.