Home   >  Programs   >  Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration
Students in a class for Drake's Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration take notes around a table

Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration

Examine health, healthcare systems, and policy from a global perspective in Drake’s interdisciplinary concentration open to all majors.

College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | On-Campus

Request Information
Loading...

What You'll Learn

Drake University’s Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration equips you to identify and address complex challenges related to population-level health. Under the guidance of faculty experts across multiple departments, you’ll build a diverse knowledge base and skill set that gives you a distinctive vantage point on a vital domain.

Your exploration starts with core courses in epidemiology, public health, and global health before you select 12 additional credits in the social and natural sciences and humanities. From medical ethnobotany to sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa, these in-depth areas let you develop specialized expertise that complements your core knowledge.

In the process, you’ll strengthen your career qualifications with a new understanding of healthcare and its broader context, whether you aim to work with patients one-on-one or in related areas like policy and administration.

About the Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration

  • Develop in-depth knowledge of public health in the U.S. and abroad.
  • Tap into insights and analytical tools from multiple disciplines to enrich your thinking.
  • Enhance your learning through internships, study abroad opportunities, research, and service learning.
  • Choose from extensive electives that match your career goals and interests.
  • Pair with majors in the sciences, politics, public health, and business to acquire niche expertise for the job market or advanced studies.

Program Facts

  • On campus
  • 21 credits for the concentration

Program Options

Learn more about the concentration’s structure and requirements.

Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration

Study biological, cultural, environmental, economic, political, institutional, and social determinants of health while investigating the interdependent nature of population-level trends and outcomes. A three-course core and 12 elective credits introduce you to these topics and help you evaluate broad-scale indicators and related interventions.

Complementary Majors

The Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration adds helpful context to majors concerned with health and/or public policy, including biology, pharmacy, health sciences, occupational therapy, athletic training, international relations, politics, sociology, environmental science and policy, and philosophy.

Meet the Faculty

Representing expertise in diverse areas such as Health Sciences, Anthropology, Spanish, Biology, History, and Political Science, program faculty expose you to complementary ways of analyzing and addressing challenges related to global public health.

Dr. Shauna Kaplan

Dr. Shauna Kaplan

Associate Professor, Biology

Cassity Gutierrez, PhD

Cassity Gutierrez, PhD

Professor, Health Sciences

Sally Haack, PharmD, BCPS

Sally Haack, PharmD, BCPS

Professor, Pharmacy Practice

All Faculty Members

Outside the Classroom

A variety of experiences on and off campus and across the globe extend your learning beyond the classroom and the lab. You’ll put your knowledge to work while growing your achievements in preparation for your career.

A group of Drake Global and Comparative Public Health students examine data from laptops around a table

Research

Don’t just read research on public health; help create it. Through internships, study abroad trips, and faculty research projects, you’ll have the chance to observe theories and contribute to new knowledge.

A student taking Drake's Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration plants sees for a community project

Service Learning

Drake commits to enriching the Des Moines community through service and outreach. Activities like health education and advocacy offer ways to contribute and develop career-related experience.

A group of Drake students taking the Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration pose outdoors during a winter study abroad trip

Study Abroad

Form your global perspective on the ground, as you take advantage of opportunities to visit a medical science university in rural India during J-Term or complete pharmacy rotations abroad.

Careers & Skills

Do you plan to pursue roles where you’ll analyze population-level health disparities, develop policies that improve healthcare access, or create programs intended to educate a community? The Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration, in conjunction with a wide range of majors at Drake, helps you acquire this framework, preparing you for further study or to make a unique contribution in your future organization.

Opportunities

  • Community health worker
  • Epidemiologist
  • Health economics researcher
  • Health education specialist
  • Health policy analyst
  • Health services manager
  • Nurse

Skills

  • Identify and understand population-level health determinants
  • Evaluate the potential and actual impact of public health interventions
  • Understand the interdependence of population health beyond national boundaries
  • Know the key indicators of population health and how to assess them
  • Possess knowledge of global-level health systems, policies, and issues
  • Communicate cross-culturally
In a class for Drake's Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration, a student wearing a baseball cap smiles as they use a laptop

Salary & Growth Outlook

$

The median salary for epidemiologists in 2024. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

“The concentration really helped me find my path. It shows a side of healthcare different from what I saw in my other classes. It really inspired me, and made me realize I could create positive change for entire communities. I loved learning about how healthcare looks in other countries, as well. Looking at the big picture challenges you to expand your thinking and become a stronger student.”
Marie Witt, AS’25
Currently Pursuing an MPH at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health

Related Programs

Drake’s many minors equip you with specialized skills to increase your opportunities and effectiveness in health-related careers.

Entrepreneurship, Minor

Embark on a proven process that equips you for entrepreneurial leadership, ready to distill your unique vision into a market-ready, changemaking business.

Leadership Education and Development, Minor

Grow into a transformational leader ready to multiply your impact and inspire positive change on campus, in your community, and in your career.

Spanish for Medical and Health Professions, Minor

Medicine is a science, but communication is an art. This immersive minor prepares you to connect with patients and coworkers in Spanish.

Take the Next Step

Think beyond patient-by-patient outcomes to examine and address population-level concerns in Drake’s Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration.

Request Info Visit Apply
Drake students in a class for the Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration analyze data on a computer with calculators