What is public health?
What is public health?
Public health is the work of keeping people and communities healthy.
That means focusing on prevention and making sure everyone has fair access to the things that help them thrive, from clean water and safe food to healthier neighborhoods and clear health information.
Instead of treating one person at a time, public health looks at the big picture and works to prevent health challenges before they start.
What do you study in public health?
As a public health major, you learn how everyday places — homes, schools, workplaces and neighborhoods — shape health. You'll explore how systems, behaviors and environments combine to impact the well-being of whole communities.
You'll study topics such as:
- How stress, food access, housing and transportation affect well-being
- How to share health information people can understand and use
- How diseases spread and how communities can prevent them
- How policies and public systems support or limit health
- Health promotion strategies in schools, workplaces and online
- How to read health data to spot trends and plan action
- Culture and community values that influence health choices
- How to design and evaluate programs that make a real difference in people's lives
Is public health a good major for me?
You might like public health if you:
- Want to help people and communities live healthier, safer lives
- Enjoy solving problems and turning ideas into real-world action
- Care about equity and improving systems that affect people's health
- Like learning about issues that shape daily life, such as the environment, food, stress, housing and safety
- Want flexibility after graduation, from community health work to policy, research or further study
- Enjoy working with people from different backgrounds and communities
What can you do with a public health degree?
Public health graduates help people and communities live healthier lives. Many work with schools, nonprofits, clinics, local agencies and public service organizations to design programs, share health information, or support teams that track and prevent health challenges.
Some go on to graduate study in areas such as health promotion, policy, global health, environmental health or health administration.
For detailed job titles and career pathways, explore public health career pathways.
Why study public health at Oregon State?
At Oregon State, you’ll learn how to make a difference right away.
Faculty connect lessons with real needs in Oregon and beyond, so you can learn through community projects, hands-on work and research experiences.
Public health undergrad program
Explore the public health undergraduate program.
Public health careers
Explore careers in public health.
Public health courses
View public health courses.
Frequently asked questions about public health
Is public health a science?
Yes. Public health uses biology, behavior and data to understand what affects health, then turns that science into programs and policies that help people.
Public health also draws from many social sciences, including sociology, psychology and economics, because community conditions and behavior shape health outcomes.
What is public health in college?
It’s a major where you study how to prevent health challenges, communicate helpful information and improve systems that support entire communities. For courses and degree details, visit the public health undergraduate program page.
Do I need to go to graduate school for public health?
Many roles are available with a bachelor’s degree. Some paths, such as epidemiology, certain policy roles or administration, may require graduate study. Chat with an advisor about your options.
What can you do with a public health degree?
You can support community health through education, programs, outreach and data-informed planning — working in schools, nonprofits, clinics and agencies. Our career advisor can help you explore options.