Do you want to help communities thrive through education and outreach?
- Community Health Worker
- Health Educator
- HIV Prevention Specialist
- Public Outreach Specialist
What is a Public Health Major?
A public health major introduces students to the field of public health, where they learn to protect and improve community health. Unlike clinical majors that focus on one-on-one patient care, public health majors focus on improving health at the population level. By studying public health, students explore how factors like environment, behavior, culture, policy, and healthcare systems shape well-being. The major blends science, data, and hands-on learning to prepare students to prevent disease, promote health, and address real-world challenges affecting people and populations.
Common topics in public health include:
- Health equity and access to care
- Environmental health
- Infectious disease prevention (epidemiology and biostatistics)
- Health promotion and education
What Skills Do You Learn?
Public health majors develop skills that employers value. Those skills include:
- Data Analysis: Design surveys and use software and statistical methods to work with and analyze large sets of data
- Communication: Share health-related content through grant writing or policy analysis to diverse audiences that addresses structural inequities
- Project Management: Plan, assess, and evaluate projects related to public health
- Cultural Humility: Address public health problems from a global perspective and work with diverse communities
- Leadership: Apply techniques and skills that impact public health situations
- Collaboration: Work with professionals across different fields to achieve goals
At Willamette, our students constantly apply these skills in real-world settings. Our program emphasizes internships, research opportunities, and volunteer opportunities. Students develop a deeper understanding of public health and gain experience that sets them apart in graduate programs and with employers.
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Do you want to study health trends, track diseases, and shape health policy?
- Behavioral Health Scientist
- Biostatistician
- Epidemiologist
- Public Health Researcher
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Do you want to protect people from environmental risks?
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Do you want to improve health systems, guide policy decisions, and lead programs?
- Healthcare Administrator
- Health Director
- Health Policy Analyst
- Public Health Specialist
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Do you want to use data and analytics to improve public health decisions?
- Healthcare Data Analyst
- Health Information Specialist
- Research Analyst
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Do you want to address health challenges across borders or respond to emergencies?
- Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
- Disaster Response Specialist
- Global Health Professional
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Do you want to promote healthy behaviors and communicate information to the public?
- Communications or Marketing Specialist
- Community Advocate
- Health Communications Specialist
- Public Health Educator
Consider Graduate Degree Programs
Many students use a bachelor’s in public health as a launchpad into graduate study since some career paths require a graduate degree.
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Recent Willamette Graduate School Destinations
- Boston University School of Social Work
- Brown University
- Emory University
- Harvard School of Public Health
- Johns Hopkins University
- Oregon Health & Science University
- University of Copenhagen (Denmark)
- University of Sheffield (UK)
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Common Graduate Tracks
- Master of Public Health (MPH)
- Master of Health Administration (MHA)
- Master of Public Policy (MPP)
- Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH)
- MS or PhD in Epidemiology
- MS or PhD in Biostatistics
- MS in Health Informatics / Health Data Science
- Physician Assistant Studies (PA Program)
Real-World Examples
A public health degree appeals to a wide variety of employers. From organizations like the CDC, WHO, and Planned Parenthood to universities, hospitals, and even the private sector, students have a wide variety of industries to work in. Some pursue research roles in biotechnology, while others might make changes within a state health department.
At Willamette, our students have found impactful internships and employment outcomes with:
Is Public Health a Good Major?
Yes, public health is a smart, strong, and versatile major with strong career potential. Students gain practical skills that are relevant to today’s job market, like critical thinking, data analysis, communication, and problem-solving across diverse communities. Whether you're interested in medical school, want to improve health systems, or work in healthcare, a public health background gives you the tools to make a measurable, real-world impact.
Is Public Health a Good Major for Pre-Med?
Yes, public health offers an excellent foundation for medical school because it teaches students how disease, policy, environment, and behavior interact to influence patient outcomes. A public health major helps future physicians understand health at both the individual and population levels. Students can easily pair their public health coursework with the required pre-med science courses in biology, chemistry, and physics.
Is a Public Health Degree Worth It?
Absolutely! Demand for public health professionals continues to grow, and graduates enter one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country. According to a study by the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, the demand for bachelor's-level public health professionals has increased 38% in the West and 48% nationally. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also projects 1.9 million job openings each year from 2024 to 2034, reflecting strong and sustained opportunities for public health graduates.
“The Public Health department at Willamette has given me hands-on opportunities to become involved in public health early in my career. It has opened my worldview and taught me so much about how health is integrated into different systems in society.”
Emma Burtin BS'26
Public Health Major
Why Choose Willamette for Public Health?
Take the