Global and Comparative Public Health
Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration
A concentration in Global and Comparative Public Health (GCPH) prepares students to be active participants in improving the health of their own and other communities worldwide. Students will gain an understanding of the determinants of the health of populations; the available options to improve the health of populations; and the evidence demonstrating the efficacy of these options.
Through the GCPH concentration, students will learn to:
- Identify the determinants of health. These determinants will include but are not limited to biological, environmental, economic, political, institutional and social factors;
- Describe the various public health interventions that may influence the health of populations and differentiate between them;
- Explain how the health status of a given population is interdependent with the health of all populations globally;
- Explain and give examples of how culture relates to health and apply this knowledge to conversations about health in different settings;
- Explain how the indicators of health of a given population may be assessed;
- Analyze the relationship between health and social justice;
- Describe the factors (social and cultural) that affect the relevant behaviors of a population;
- Devise the questions that may be asked to examine the health of a population;
- Apply evidence-based thinking to population health concerns.
The GCPH concentration complements various majors, including Biology, BCMB, Pharmacy, Health Sciences, International Relations, Politics, Law, Politics and Society, Sociology, Environmental Science and Policy and Philosophy. Students who complete the program will be well prepared for graduate study and/or careers in fields related to public health.
Graduate Programs in Public Health
Revised requirements for the Global and Comparative Public Health concentration were approved by the University Curriculum Committee in May 2012. Students who declared the concentration prior to May 2012 have the option of following the revised requirements (immediately below) or the old requirements (scroll down). Students declaring the concentration after May 2012 must follow the revised requirements.
Requirements for the Concentration:
A total of 21 credits are required, distributed as follows (see course catalogue to identify any prerequisites for listed courses):
Required courses (9 credits):
Hsci 144 Introduction to Public Health
Pols 127 Global Health
Hsci 143 Epidemiology
Electives (12 credits): Take at least one from Natural Sciences list and one from Social Sciences/Humanities list:
Natural Sciences:
Bio 021 Biological Basis of Disease
Bio 092 Introduction to Ethnobotany
Bio 145 Foodways: Plants and Adaptations
Bio 108 Emerging Infectious Disease
Bio 182 Immunology
Chem 012 Food and Health
Social Sciences and Humanities:
Hist 194 Public Health History
Phil 124 Health and Social Justice
Phil 151 Environmental Justice
Pols 169 Critical Perspectives on Public Health Policy
SCSS 071 Environmental Movements
SCSS 145 Food and Society
SCSA 138 Global Reproductive Politics
WLC 148 Intercultural Communication
Experiential Learning (Local or international. May count as an elective under either Natural Sciences or Social Sciences/Humanities, depending upon content; adviser approval required. The following course - open to Pharmacy students only - is pre-approved for 5 credits under experiential learning for GCPH: Phar 285 Belize Rotation [counts as Natural Science].)
Students may declare the concentration by filling out a form through your college administrative office. Inquires should be directed to Professor David Skidmore, Director, The Principal Financial Group Center for Global Citizenship.
Drake University is a member of the Heartland Global Health Consortium.
