General Public Health

Overview

General Public Health is a track of study within the Accelerated MPH degree program intended for professionals from a wide array of fields. The track offers a broad participation in the field of public health as well as formal training in the methods and substantive areas of public health. The career needs of General Public Health candidates often require an interdisciplinary approach that goes beyond the scope of any single department within the School. One of the primary benefits of the track is that you can take advantage of the educational resources of more than one department.

When you apply to the General Public Health track, you are expected to identify your substantive area(s) of interest and the technical skills (administration, research, program development, etc.) you wish to acquire from the public health curriculum. Residencies and fellowships, such as the SUNY-Stony Brook Preventive Medicine Fellowship, the General Preventive Medicine Residency Program at the Weill Cornell Medical College, and the Public Health Scholars Program, are available by separate application.

Candidates to the program generally have either a higher-level degree,  such as an MD, or at least two years of full-time, healthcare-related work  experience.

The General Public Health Track is also available to students in the School’s dual degree programs offered in collaboration with other schools at Columbia University, including the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the School of Nursing, the School of Dental and Oral Surgery, and the School of International and Public Affairs, among others. The track is occasionally offered to students with other professional degrees, such as law, journalism, or business, for which an individualized, interdisciplinary curriculum is deemed particularly suitable.

Curriculum

Each student’s program is planned individually. The course of study includes all components of the Accelerated MPH, except that instead of focused work in a Discipline, GPH students draw their coursework from educational resources throughout the Mailman School. They may also choose electives from elsewhere at Columbia University to supplement a particular area of focus. (Learn more.)