The College of Health and Human Development is now offering a new degree path, aiming to help meet the growing demand for trained professionals in public health fields.

The new Bachelor of Science in Public Health will focus on global health challenges, aging populations, and preventive health care approaches.

Classes will cover epidemiology, biostatistics, health promotion and education, global health, program planning and evaluation, among others.

The major is open to current and new students. Interested students can declare it immediately and begin taking the associated coursework through the College of Health and Human Development.

“The public health major is ideal for students who seek to understand the interconnected factors that shape population health and want to leverage science and data to make a difference in communities,” associate teaching professor of biobehavioral health and director of the program Kari Kugler said. “We increasingly see the value of public health and its importance, and I am thrilled to be involved with this robust new degree program that will prepare future leaders in public health and health-related fields.”

Coursework will also have a strong scientific foundation for students looking to pursue medical school after graduation.

The college also aims to create an Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate (IUG) program with the Master of Public Health program in the Penn State College of Medicine. Students could graduate with both degrees in five years.

Because 48 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are classified as rural, the major will also ensure students can address public health issues that may arise in rural populations.

More information about the major is available in the full release here or on the College of Health and Human Development’s page.