Pre-Public Health

Portland State University

Public health professionals work to protect entire population groups from experiencing unnecessary, preventable injury or illness, and to help create the conditions that support life-long good health for everyone. They do so through a number of pathways: by detecting, measuring, and monitoring sources of risk and benefit to populations; developing and implementing policies that protect people from harm and that support healthful communities; exploring how the physical, natural, and 'built' environments can support or harm the public’s health, and identifying strategies to address risks; identifying and addressing the social, economic, and individual influences on behavior in populations; and by organizing health agencies and health care systems that can optimally adapt and respond to the changing needs of populations -- among others.

A public health degree has never been more valuable than it is today. Graduates at all levels enter high-demand fields with opportunities to work in communities around the world. For example, some Public Health professionals work in research and discovery, and others in local, national, or international public agencies. Some work in communities in health-focused, not-for-profit, advocacy, and/or direct-service organizations, while others work to promote the public’s health in service environments with other primary missions such as schools, public service agencies, and corrections. Some will focus their work on specific health conditions or risks, while others will focus on the broader health of specific populations, and yet others will focus on applying specific sets of tools and techniques to a variety of challenges.

In the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, degrees are offered in flexible formats (online or in-person), as well as dual master’s degree programs in social work, medicine, and urban and regional planning.

Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) in Applied Health and Fitness

Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) in Health Studies with 4 concentration areas in Community Health Education, Health Sciences, School Health, and Aging Services

Undergraduate certificate in Human Lactation, and Graduate certificates in Biostatistics and Public Health

Masters of Public Health (MPH) degrees in Biostatistics, Environmental Systems & Human Health, Epidemiology, Health Management & Policy, Health Promotion, Primary Health Care & Health Disparities (online)

Masters Degrees in Biostatistics, and Health Studies

Dual Masters Degrees in Health Management & Policy & Social Work (MPH/MSW), Health Promotion & Social Work (MPH/MSW), Health Promotion & Urban Planning (MPH/MURP), and Epidemiology & Medicine (MD/MPH)

Doctoral degrees (Ph.D.) in Community Health, Epidemiology, and Health Systems & Policy

The Pre-Public Health track prepares students who plan to pursue careers in public or clinical health including epidemiology, health administration, biostatistics, medicine, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, dentistry, and more.

Recent graduates have been accepted to OHSU, Oregon State University, Harvard, Linfield, Pacific University, SUNNY Binghamton, Mt. Sinai, Concordia, and other schools around the country.