Minor in Global Public Health and the Common Good
Our courses are open to students from across Boston College and are designed to introduce students in any field of study to core concepts in public health.
Students have the opportunity to delve deeply into epidemiology, the core science of public health, and to pursue coursework and research in diverse areas of public health such as infectious disease epidemiology, the epidemiology of cancer, children’s environmental health, environmental epidemiology, nutritional epidemiology and refugee health.
At a Glance
Academic Program
The minor in Global Public Health and the Common Good will prepare students for postgraduate studies in public health (MPH and PhD). And because public health is highly interdisciplinary and intersects many fields of human endeavor, the minor is open also to students interested in law, economics, international studies, mathematics, physics, chemistry, the humanities, business, social work and education.
The minor consists of 3 required courses and 3 electives, for a total of 18 credits.
The minor in Global Public Health and the Common Good is composed of 3 required courses and 3 electives.
The required courses are:
- Public Health in a Global Society (PHCG1210, cross-listed as NURS1210)
- Introduction to Epidemiology (PHCG2120) or (NURS9720 with CSON and GPHCG Dept. Permission)
- Either Global Public Health Law (PHCG2130) or The Ethics of Global Public Health and the Common Good (PHCG3223, cross-listed as THEO3223)
Recognizing that public health is an diverse field that draws insights and technologies from many disciplines, the approved electives span a wide range of schools and departments across Boston College. Additional courses at Boston College and in other institutions in the United States and overseas may be may be considered as approved electives subject to the approval of the program director and Associate Deans.
For electives, CSON Nursing students must take NURS4260 and NURS4261 and these both count as List A electives. CSON Nursing students must take one more elective and it must be a List B elective. All other students must choose three electives, at least one of which must be from List B.
- Two Elective Courses from List A
- Must take at least one List B elective
The goal of the minor in Global Public Health and the Common Good is to introduce students from a wide range of majors, disciplines and schools across Boston College to key concepts in Global Public Health. Program graduates will gain knowledge of:
- The theory, history and key issues in Global Public Health
- Epidemiology, the study of the distribution and determinants of health and disease in populations – the core science of public health
- The social, economic and environmental determinants of health and disease
- The contributions of public health to the stability and well-being of modern societies
- The moral, ethical and legal foundations of Global Public Health
The minor is open to students interested in medicine, dentistry, nursing, environmental health and public health. It will prepare students for postgraduate studies in public health and enrich the education of students headed to medicine, dentistry, nursing, law, economics, international studies, mathematics, physics, chemistry, the humanities, business, social work and education.
The acceptance to the Global Public Health and the Common Good program is by application, which occurs in January annually. The best way to stay informed of all things related to the Global Public Health program, is to subscribe to our newsletter.
Admittance to the major and minor in Global Public Health and the Common Good is by application. Students can apply in the Spring semester of either their freshman or sophomore year. Rising seniors will be considered only if they have already fulfilled many of the course requirements for the minor.
We seek a broad range of students from programs and schools across Boston College to apply.
- We invite pre-health and nursing students who wish to understand how the health of populations informs the care of individual patients.
- We invite students from the humanities, business, economics, environmental science, pre-law, political science, international studies and other majors who wish to learn how the health of populations and the social, political, economic and environmental determinants of health and disease influence public policy, drive economic growth, and shape the destiny of nations.
Students who wish to apply to the program are encouraged to take Public Health in a Global Society (NURS1210 cross-listed as PHCG1210) before applying. This course is open to students in all schools at Boston College, but it is not required to apply to the program.
Please contact publichealth@bc.edu with any questions regarding the application.
Student Ambassadors, 2024–2025
Because of their merit and passion for public health, GPHCG Student Ambassadors have been selected to represent the program at BC and beyond. It is their job to lead the next generation of public health professionals and help create meaningful impact in their communities.
Get Involved
Student Organizations
11
student-run organizations dedicated to key issues in Global Public Health
Research
Students are invited to learn about our research and to become involved in projects of significant importance to modern societies.
Areas of major research interest within the program are:
- The spread of pandemics,
- Nutrition and health.
- Health impacts of pollution and climate change, and
- The ethical and legal foundations of public health