PUBLIC HEALTH MAJOR
at Meredith College
If you have a broad range of health-related interests and a passion for making a difference, the public health major at Meredith will be a good fit for you. This interdisciplinary program offers a strong liberal arts education combined with the opportunity to gain specific skills in a rapidly growing field.
Our Bachelor’s in Public Health
At Meredith, you will have opportunities to pursue in-depth research under the guidance of faculty mentors. You’ll be prepared for a professional position as a public health generalist, and you’ll be well-equipped to pursue an advanced degree in public health if you choose to do so.
Because of its interdisciplinary nature, the practice and study of public health assumes a systems- or broad-based approach to addressing issues. A core curriculum that spans across multiple disciplines is necessary to adequately prepare students as public health generalists.
In addition to the core curriculum, specific tracks within the public health major provide students with opportunities to specialize in one of three areas of public health.
Public Health Programs
Biological Sciences Program
Public Health Focus: Epidemiology, Environmental Health
- The underlying science of human health and disease including opportunities for promoting/protecting health across the life course
- Students that follow this track will gain more specialized instruction in subject matter relevant to biological and environmental determinants of disease in populations
Social and Behavioral Sciences Program
Public Health Focus: Health Behavior and Education, Health Policy and Administration
- Socioeconomic and behavioral factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities
- Students that follow this track will gain more specialized instruction in subject matter relevant to health behavior and education and health disparities
Policy and Ethics Program
Public Health Focus: Health Policy
- Basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic and regulatory dimensions of health care and public health policy and the roles, influences and responsibilities of the different agencies and branches of government
- Students that follow this track will gain more specialized instruction in subject matter relevant to health policy and management, and the promotion of diversity and cultural proficiency
Why Study Public Health at Meredith?
Meredith College’s public health curriculum stands out among other area programs by offering three focus areas, and students are informed about all aspects of public health in addition to their concentration.
- Those studying public health have access to Meredith’s Science and Mathematics Building (SMB), which contains 80,000 square feet of learning space, including 13 dedicated research labs.
- Our location in the Research Triangle gives students a plethora of internship and research opportunities with world-renowned companies.
- Students of the public health program can conduct extensive undergraduate research under the guidance of faculty mentors.
- Research projects include quantifying the indirect effects of community-level interventions on malaria incidence and the effectiveness of prenatal services on birth outcomes of mothers.
- Examples of student success in Meredith’s public health program include:
- Joselyn Marroquin Aparicio, ’22, studied maternal mental health and adverse birth outcomes and presented her findings during Celebrating Student Achievement Day.
- Katie Murphy, ’18, had the unique opportunity to study under the dean of the School of Natural and Mathematical Sciences while studying abroad in the U.K. After graduating, Murphy was accepted into the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.
- Graduates from Meredith’s program have become epidemiologists, public health advisors, health directors, toxicologists, health economists, and more.
- Students who choose to further their education have been accepted into schools and programs such as the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Campbell University and East Carolina University’s Master of Public Health program.
Careers in Public Health
Public health is a diverse and rapidly growing field. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, public health-related employment opportunities are expected to grow in the coming decade in response to global concerns such as emerging diseases, bio-terrorism, infectious disease surveillance, and water resource issues.
Meredith’s program provides a core curriculum spanning multiple disciplines to prepare students as public health generalists. Specific tracks will allow students to specialize in particular areas of public health.
Biological Sciences Careers
Public Health Focus: Epidemiology, Environmental Health
- Potential jobs for graduates with a Biology focus: public health laboratory technician, communicable disease investigator
- Potential jobs for individuals that seek a graduate degree in epidemiology, environmental health, or a professional degree: epidemiologist, environmental health specialist, toxicologist, disease investigator, public health physician, public health nurse, public health veterinarian, public health laboratory scientist
Social and Behavioral Sciences Careers
Public Health Focus: Health Behavior and Education, Health Policy and Administration
- Potential jobs for graduates with a Social and Behavioral Science focus: public health social worker, public health educator, community outreach worker
- Potential jobs for individuals that a graduate public health degree in health behavior or health policy: public health program coordinators, public health emergency response
Policy and Ethics Careers
Public Health Focus: Health Policy
- Potential jobs for graduates with an Ethics and Policy focus: public health program specialists, community outreach worker
- Potential jobs for individuals that pursue a graduate public health degree in health policy: public health program coordinators, public health emergency response coordinators, public health policy analysts, public health information specialists/analysts, health services manager
The opportunity to make a lasting impact on the health of patients and improve their quality of life is what drove Kate DeSilva Ray, ’19, to enter the healthcare field. After completing her degree in public health at Meredith, she earned her bachelor’s in nursing.
Kelsieanne Schmidt, ’21, who studied public health and biology at Meredith, found a strong support system of faculty and staff that solidified her passion for healthcare. Since graduating, she has followed that passion to become a pediatric nurse.
At Meredith, Rana Oueijan, ’19, pursued a focused academic path and enjoyed a variety of powerful hands-on learning experiences. Next up: the four-year Doctor of Pharmacy program at Campbell University.
Videos about Meredith's Public Health Program
Strong Story | Joselyn Marroquin Aparicio
With support from her research advisor, Joselyn Marroquin Aparicio, ’22, discovered a passion for studying the reproductive system and maternity. She hopes to encourage other Latina women to pursue their dreams and earn a college degree.
Why is it so difficult to eradicate some diseases?
Public Health Program Coordinator Carolina Perez-Heydrich explains what makes some diseases so difficult to eradicate.
Public Health News and Events
On Wednesday, February 16, the Office of the Chaplain began a three-week series for students about the pillars of health and wellness.
Meredith College received a grant from the BWF to support PERSIST, a program addressing the disparities in STEM for women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds.
Meredith College sponsored a virtual panel discussion, “Viruses and Vaccines: The History, Science, and Impacts of COVID-19,” on August 31, 2021. The session provided a layperson’s overview of what we know about viruses and vaccines, specific applications to COVID and North Carolina statistics, and concluded with an audience Q&A.
Public health and biology major Kelsieanne Schmidt, ’21, conducted research on vaccine hesitancy among undergraduate students at Meredith.
Contact Information
Carolina Perez-Heydrich
Public Health Program Coordinator
149 Science/Mathematics
(919) 760-8020
cperezheydrich@meredith.edu
Biological Sciences Department »
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