Overview
Public Health at SIUE
Do you want to contribute to a society in which all people live long, healthy lives? If you are interested in the health sciences, concerned about health disparities and want to prevent disease, disability injuries and premature death, public health may be the field for you. In the public health program at SIUE, our courses provide majors with a basic understanding of social and behavioral sciences, educational strategies, health research, epidemiology, health policy and management, grant writing, and occupational and environmental health sciences.
The public health program is housed in the Department of Applied Health within the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior.
Why Public Health?
While healthcare practitioners treat diseases and injuries often one individual at a time, in public health we:
- Promote healthy behaviors, social and physical environments
- Conduct educational campaigns
- Improve health policies
- Monitor and prevent the spread of diseases
- Use data to improve effectiveness of health efforts for communities
In essence, public health focuses on the four "Ps":
- Prevention
- Promotion
- Protection
- Population health
Career Opportunities
There are hundreds of public health careers, including:
- Community Health Educator
- Disaster Preparedness Coordinator
- Environmental Specialist
- Injury Prevention Specialist
- Patient Navigator
- Outreach Educator
- Health Communication Specialist
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, public health careers have job outlooks that are growing much faster than average. Our graduates are employed in entry-level positions in a variety of settings, including federal, state and local health departments, profit and not-for-profit organizations, corporations, colleges and universities and medical care settings.
