Preventing Illness and Promoting Health
Public Health focuses on preventing illness and promoting health in individuals, communities, and society as a whole. Choose a concentration in human disease and epidemiology, health policy and administration, or health promotion and education. Learn to identify critical elements of health and develop a foundation to work in diverse environments.
Contact Info
Get in TouchCurriculum and Courses
The Public Health curriculum is interdisciplinary in nature and draws on faculty expertise across two colleges and multiple departments. Depending upon the concentration, students gain a greater depth of understanding of related areas, such as psychology, sociology, and gerontology (study of older adults); health disparities and global health, human diseases and epidemiology; and health policy and administration. A few of the courses you will take in this major include:
- KNH 125 or MBI 131 Introduction to Public Health
- MBI 361 or MBI 361W Epidemiology
- KNH 321 or GTY 365 Health Policy & Administration
- KNH 218 Applied Behavior Change
- STA261 or STA 301 Statistics
At Miami, there’s something for everyone
Course CatalogCareer Options
Public Health is a broad field that can lead to a number of diverse career opportunities. From epidemiologists who help prevent the spread of disease to community health specialists, environmental scientists, refugee coordinators, policy analysts, health administrators, and health education specialists, there are a wide variety of career choices for students in this field of study. In addition, it is a gateway to pre-professional schools (medical, dental, veterinary, physical therapy, etc.), as well as graduate studies in public health and related fields.
Additional Opportunities
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Combined Bachelors-Masters Program
Consider the combined Bachelors’s/Master’s Program in Health Promotion.
Check out the program -
Student Contact Tracing
Miami public health students gave back during the pandemic and worked as contact tracers to keep the community safe. Miami’s public health program supports students obtaining applied, real-world work experiences in the field.
See how we trained students as contact tracers -
Research with Faculty
Miami students have many opportunities to be involved with research or independent study with faculty through numerous programs including the First Year Research Experience (FYRE). FYRE aims to jumpstart student involvement in research and inquiry at the very start of your college experience.
Find Research Opportunities
Facts and Stats
Your college experience here will be one of the most exciting times of your life. To make sure of this, we’ll provide you with a powerful support system.
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90%
First-to-second year retention
Miami University Data
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21st
Among Public Universities in the United States for Four-Year Graduation Rate
The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac
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96%
of 2018-2019 graduates who were employed or furthering their education by fall 2019
Miami University Data
Testimonials

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The public health program really prepared me for graduate school as well as for working with the local health department. I've been able to use the knowledge I gained during undergrad to work as a contact tracing supervisor during a global pandemic as well as intern with the Butler County Health Department. Without my undergraduate education, I don't think I would be where I'm at today.
Megan Kelley '20
Public Health
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Explore what it means to be a college student at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where students prepare to go anywhere and everywhere. We’ll be here to help every step of the way as you prepare for college admission, enrollment, and success.
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