Opportunities to get an undergraduate degree in public health, which focus on prevention of disease and death at the population level through societal factors, have been increasing.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of public health related bachelor’s degrees more than doubled between 2011 and 2016, from 6,170 to 12,338.

Historically, public health education had only been at the graduate level. So why is it that public health education is spreading in the undergraduate level?

“People in the U.S., whether it’s physicians, politicians or the general public, [are] beginning to realize how important it is to prevent disease before it starts,” said Florence Dallo, Ph.D., MPH, chair of the Public and Environmental Wellness Department at OU. “For many years, the U.S. has been using this model of treating people after they get sick, though this model is not the standard for other countries.”

Although OU does not have a public health undergraduate program, related programs, such as the Wellness and Health Promotion undergraduate program and the Environmental Health and Safety program, have been around for over 15 years.

There are many reasons why students decide to pursue an education in public health. 

“I realized I need to help people at this higher level, I need to impact as many people as I can with any work that I can do,” said Jennifer McCullough, a public health student.

McCullough’s sister, Ashley, is also pursuing an education in public health at OU.

“There are so many different topics and so many different things that are interconnected within public health, and I feel like sometimes people don’t always realize how much public health is everywhere and how much it really does affect them,” Ashley said.

Public health’s broad thinking is what caught the McCullough sisters’ attention. And this is where the field is evolving.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the field is in a new era—Public Health 3.0—of “enhanced and broadened public health practice that goes beyond traditional public department functions and programs.”

Public Health 3.0 focuses on improving the social determinants of health—social factors, like housing, food security, employment and education—that effect a population’s health.

A person living in a dangerous neighborhood may experience chronic stress, putting them at an increased risk for heart disease, obesity, and mental health issues.

Looking deeper, social determinants like education policies and employment play a critical role in why that person is in that situation. Education level leads to employment opportunities and income. Income determines where you live.

In order to change these social determinants, public health professionals need a broader set of skills. Who we consider as public health professionals is changing. Others, like lawyers, politicians or social workers may be more effective in making change with a background in public health.

“If you think about (social determinants of health) a really great way to address those social, political, economic factors that impact health, is through policy change” said Rebecca Cheezum, Ph.D., MPH, director of the Master in Public Health program at OU. I think we need a lot of folks who are trained to educate policy makers on public health issues and strategies on improving health.”

This broadening of public health practice might be why public health education is also broadening into the undergraduate level.

Richard Riegleman, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, founding dean and professor of epidemiology at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, has been a strong advocate and pioneer of undergraduate public health education programs.

“I think people are beginning to realize that the big issues that we face, from climate change in health, to HIV and opioid crisis to the cost of health care, are issues that require public health, not just for health professionals, but for a broad range of people,” Riegelman said.