The College of Public Health is Iowa’s only accredited school of public health and is ranked among the top 10 publicly supported schools of public health in the nation. With an extensive network of community partners who support students’ experiential learning and a track record of offering high-quality education, students are prepared for rewarding careers in public health practice or further academic study in public health, medicine, law, dentistry or other graduate and professional programs. 

Special public health opportunities at Iowa

• Join the major right after high school as a direct admit, or add the major later as a standard admit
• Save time and money by pursuing our Undergrad to Grad program, which allows you to get both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in public health in five rather than six years
• Pursue our Undergraduate Certificate in Public Health
• Go abroad with our global public health initiative, which is helping students find and participate in global public health opportunities
• Apply for competitive undergraduate scholarships for public health students only

Our courses

Our students are prepared to tackle current and future public health challenges locally and globally.

• Understand how our health is impacted not only by individual decisions but also influenced by social and environmental factors and shaped through policy
• Gain useful skills that you can carry with you throughout your career, such as data analysis, program implementation and evaluation, and professionalism
• Experience real-world situations with public health professionals and agencies

Our public health core will provide both degrees with breadth in the biological, social, economic, quantitative, geographic, and educational components of health and health disparities within and across populations.

The Bachelor of Arts program is for students interested in the social sciences and public health. BA students will complete additional required course work in the social sciences and humanities.

The Bachelor of Science program is for students interested in the natural sciences and public health. BS students will complete additional required course work in the natural sciences and mathematics.

Our Community

Here at the College of Public Health, we pride ourselves on building an inclusive, diverse, and vibrant community of scholars. We invest heavily in our students’ success and support them in every way we can throughout their time with us.

• Enjoy mostly small classes, and have meaningful access to faculty and staff in the College of Public Health
• Live with like-minded students in our Public Health Living Learning Community
• Volunteer through our Student Ambassador Program and help with student recruitment and community outreach
• Join the Undergraduate Public Health Organization and get to know your fellow students, do volunteer work in the community, and participate in programming designed by students for students.
• Work with our highly productive faculty who collaborate extensively with campus colleagues and with community partners to provide innovative education, research, and public health practice programs.
• Study in a state-of-the-art facility that reflects the college’s commitment to sustainability. Centrally located on the university’s health sciences campus, the building houses auditoriums, classrooms, and student commons, as well as the college’s core administrative, departmental, and faculty offices.