In today's complex world, the field of public health is becoming an increasingly vital part of our daily lives. It's a field in which professionals can make a difference, whether they're researching and tracking the spread of disease, running awareness campaigns in schools and community agencies, or advising corporations on health programs and policies.

Southern graduates work at local health departments, hospitals, insurance and pharmaceutical companies, and nonprofit agencies like the American Red Cross. Other options including working in a community center helping pregnant women get the care and resources they need, or consulting with healthcare manufacturers on how to promote their products.

The public health program at Southern is intensively hands-on, with internships and many classes centering on community-service projects. A common classroom project is to plan a public health program from inception to evaluation. One recent group of students was featured in the local media for an awareness campaign about binge-drinking on college campuses nationwide. Other students sponsored blood drives and developed campaigns to educate the public about hepatitis B, eating disorders, and breast cancer.

Southern's unusual bachelor's degree in public health is one of the only programs of its kind in the country, preparing undergraduate students to compete for jobs that usually require a master's degree.

ddresses environmental issues like sanitation, food hygiene, water supply and wastewater treatment, hazardous waste management, health law, and workplace safety.

is concerned with personal and social change as a way of preventing health problems. Students prepare for entry-level jobs in community, work site, and clinic-based health promotion and disease prevention programs.

Each summer, the department offers students an opportunity to take a firsthand look at the social, cultural, and political determinants of health in Guatemala. Participants explore a range of public health issues, such as how health care is financed, how it is delivered, and how nutrition influences health. Students attend daily classes, meet with Guatemalan health professionals, tour health facilities, and explore Mayan villages in search of vital health information about this developing Third World country. Highlights include visits to historic marketplaces, the rainforest, and the famed Mayan ruins at Tikal National Park.