Public Health discipline is the field of study that promotes and protects the health and well-being of communities. As physicians treat ailments and injuries, public health professionals ensure that such health issues do not happen to the public. The discipline also focuses on extensive research to prevent diseases and to improve everyone’s quality of life.
Public health professionals are integral parts of society. Our modern way of existence is possible through the efforts of these health and safety professionals. To carry on these efforts to make the world better, various universities have excelled in creating better health professionals and researching more into the public health discipline. Here, we discuss some of the best public health schools in the world.
Top Public Health Schools in the World
1. Harvard University
Harvard University established itself in 1636. Harvard received its official charter years later, in 1650. As proof of its high regard for excellence, many political leaders and research field giants rose from its halls.
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is one of the best public health schools. It established itself in 1913 as the Harvard-MIT School of Health Officers. The school was the first professional public health training program in America. It was a partnership with the allied public health subjects of MIT until 1922.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health made many groundbreaking contributions to the discipline. It spearheaded studies about diseases, environmental public health dangers, and health policies. The school put Stanford University in the running for various awards and honors from around the world.
2. Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health started in 1916 as the first independent degree-granting public health school worldwide. Its history shows many contributions to advance public health as a field of study.
The Johns Hopkins philosophy is of academic excellence, pioneering research, and the translation of knowledge into practice. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health consistently provided population-level solutions to urgent global public health problems.
Johns Hopkins created various departments that cater to every possible aspect of international public health. The level of excellence exuded by its graduates and researchers ensured that the university remained at the highest groups of global university rankings.
3. London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine was established in 1899. It is an excellent public health institution and currently has two campuses in Bloomsbury, UK, with two other sites in Gambia and Uganda. LSHTM is primarily known for its excellence in the research and post-graduate studies of global public health.
LSHTM focuses on research-led education to train future leaders of public health and health-centered policymakers. Despite lacking an undergraduate course in public health, the university still managed to elevate itself above others.
Its graduate and post-graduate programs remain some of the strongest worldwide. The efforts of its alumni and researchers gifted humanity with lasting contributions to the field of public health.
4. University of Washington
The University of Washington started in 1861 and is still the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university focuses on breaking through challenges in the pursuit of global progress and societal betterment.
The School of Public Health officially established itself in 1970, years after its first departments and components started post-World War 2. These departments raised the entire School of Public Health to the premier learning and research institution known today.
The efforts of its graduates and researchers gave significant contributions that put the university at the receivership of awards and the top of global public health university rankings.
5. University College London
The University College London started in 1826 in London. UCL is one of the premier multidisciplinary universities in the country. The university prides itself in its progressive approach in teaching its students in the pursuit of excellence.
Being one of the best public health schools in the world, UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care focuses on addressing health challenges in the 21st Century. Using various disciplines, the institute aims to understand all possible health issues while researching possible solutions.
The institute was successful in international public health endeavors due to its effective partnerships with government and non-government organizations. The unrelenting work of their research centers placed the University College London on top of global rankings for public health study excellence.
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6. Imperial College London
The Imperial College London dates its history back to 1845 when English Prince Albert created The Royal College of Science. The royal college merged with various hospitals and teaching institutions. This series of mergers continued until the Imperial College London, as known today, became a separate, independent university by 2006.
The goal of the ICL School of Public Health is to strengthen the public health field while positively affecting global policies. To do so, this top public health school consistently demanded excellence in its graduates and researchers while providing full training support.
The quality of research from the school has influenced policies regarding global public health. The range of awards and honors received by the university shows the efficacy of such methods. The Imperial College London remains one of the best public health universities globally.
7. Karolinska Institutet
Karolinska Institutet or Karolinska Institute is one of the leading medical universities in the world. The KI was started by Karl XIII of Sweden in 1810 as the first Swedish medical school and the only purely medical educational institution today.
The Karolinska Institutet Department of Global Public Health is among the top public health schools because it focuses on finding solutions to public health challenges in local, national, and international settings. It utilizes a multidisciplinary research approach to improve the field.
The Department of Global Public Health, due to its exclusive focus on the discipline, successfully made groundbreaking contributions to public health science. The research results become real-world policy suggestions for world leaders. Rightfully, Karolinska Institutet remains one of the premier universities in the top ranks of public health universities.
8. University of Oxford
The University of Oxford has a robust medical sciences program, and within it is the Nuffield Department of Population Health, which handles public health courses taught at the postgraduate level.
This department is strengthened by the presence of globally recognized units for research, each of which is responsible for research in their specialized fields, resulting in groundbreaking discoveries that help with the medical problems we encounter every day as a people. Not only is the university’s department for studying under, as they are headed towards the betterment of human society as a whole. Thus, it is one the leading Public Health schools in the world.
9. University of Michigan
The University of Michigan houses the School of Public Health, which oversees several graduate degrees, as well as some dual degree and undergraduate programs, spread across eight study areas. If there are a few universities that have a rich public health program, the University of Michigan is definitely one of them.
Another noteworthy detail about the SPH is that they offer the flexibility of taking a master’s degree online for two of their courses, as well as the option of accelerating certain programs in partnership with certain institutions. On top of everything, they also have certificate programs that encourage their students to further their knowledge in their respective fields, as well as partnerships with other schools in the university for their dual degree and health informatics programs.
10. Columbia University
Founded in 1922, Columbia University’s school of public health, best known as the Mailman School, has been a leader in its field. Research done in the school is motivated by the urgent need of humanity to improve the health of the general population.
The school is top-ranked both in the city of New York and the entire country and is funded very well due to this status and performance. The school also has six separate departments, each focusing on a more specialized field. The institution aims to produce graduates that are ready to change the world for the better and is doing very well in that area, with more than 15,000 graduates doing their part all over the world.
11. University of North Carolina
From the beginning of a student’s college life to the highest and most prestigious status they could get, the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health is there to give quality education. For that, the school made it to the list of leading Public Health schools in the world.
On top of undergraduate, master, and doctoral levels of studies, the school also has a few more tricks up its sleeve. Students can take up dual degrees, which may be internal or could be taken with other departments in the university. There is also the alternative method of getting a graduate certificate, which has the option of being taken online. One way or another, this university is an ideal option for those in the field of public health.
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12. University of Toronto
With more than 800 students, the Dalla Lana School of Public Health of the University of Toronto envisions a healthier world and is not shy to make its moves towards the goal.
The school is among the top public health schools in the world, and this is one of the main reasons why the university as a whole is at the top of the Canadian university rankings. They have been known to produce remarkable graduates who contribute to groundbreaking research, in turn securing more external funding. This would mean that the school is in an upward spiral, and studying in it is almost guaranteed to help you grow.
13. University of Cambridge
The approach of the University of Cambridge’s public health school is based on relevance. They find the best methods to teach their students based on what the world is facing today, with social justice being another driving force for the curriculum. Considering that, the university has one of the best Public Health programs in the world.
Should a student wish to pursue a master’s degree in the school, several modules are offered to fit the student’s interests. The post-graduate studies also involve other schools to broaden the student’s learning, all while incorporating other aspects of life to the main focus of the degree, which is better public health for all.
14. Utrecht University
Despite not having several courses on public health, Utrecht University’s Epidemiology program is still a standout among similar programs from different schools and universities. They offer this post-graduate course to enhance a student’s understanding so that diseases will be easier to control in the future.
Since Epidemiology is the science behind public health, the university saw it fit to add a master’s program that teaches its principles. This course focuses on teaching strategies and techniques in disease control, which is based on historical accounts, statistics, as well as geographical patterns, and other factors. This level of teaching is best learned from a top university, and Utrecht University provides it.
15. Yale University
Whenever talking about top universities, it is impossible to leave Yale University out of the conversation. This extends to the Yale School of Public Health, which offers one of the best, if not the best, post-graduate studies on public health.
Being among the best law universities in the world, the school of public health takes justice very seriously. They are guided by the principle of making health available for all. Inclusion of all people in public health is a must, and their work reflects these values. Yale serves as the leader by educating the future and pushing for better health for all those who need it.
16. University of British Columbia
Inside the University of British Columbia is a specialized school that focuses solely on public health. In it are courses that offer undergraduate to doctoral degrees. They have been known to work with organizations inside and outside the university to make education more hands-on, making the university among the leading Public Health universities in the world.
The School of Population and Public Health envisions its graduates to be experts in their own fields, but also not strangers to what is outside their education. This is why they try to teach students with the help of field exposure, to ensure that they graduate with not only knowledge but the wisdom of the world they aim to make better.
17. University of California – Berkeley
When it comes to public health, the University of California – Berkeley does not take matters lightly. They believe that population health is a pressing matter, and this is why they strive to address it by educating the future with their top-of-the-line system.
Even if the reputation of the university is impressive, they back it up with its programs that ensure unparalleled mastery of the arts and sciences of public health. The school of public health has six divisions, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as thousands of brilliant alumni that carry the name of their proud alma mater. One way or another, UC Berkeley stands at the top of the list.
18. Duke University
Duke University has a tradition and reputation for putting quality above anything else. Despite having only a handful of faculty and staff members, the department of population health stays true to the university code.
The strength of population health in the university is reflected in the curriculum, which incorporates interdisciplinary education, in coordination with other departments inside and outside the university. This is why the university has been chosen to handle resources of both local and national assets regarding population health. In part, this is also what Duke University does for its social responsibility, which is another thing they uphold dearly.
19. University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is the top university in Australia when it comes to public health, and is among the top 20 in the world. There is no other term that justifies the university’s school of population health other than “world-class”.
Other than its stellar global ranking, what makes the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health exemplary is its research capabilities. When it comes to public health, the school has produced a little short of 1000 research publications in 2019 alone, coming from 6 different research centers. These contributions have done wonders in the world, as they have connections that reach around 40 different countries.
20. University of Pennsylvania
Yet another well-known university that makes the most of its wide array of resources, the University of Pennsylvania’s MPH program utilizes interdisciplinary education to produce high-quality graduates that are prepared to make a difference.
What makes UPenn a top public health school in the world is the multiple paths it offers, all of which could be customized based on the student’s liking. They offer 16 dual degree options in coordination with other disciplines in the university, which could be completed on a part-time or full-time basis.
21. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Among the other heavyweights in the field of public health is MIT World Peace University, which stands out as one of the youngest. Despite having been founded only in 1983, the MIT-WPU in India is no pushover.
The reason behind the founding of the university by MIT is the global health crisis, which should be a good and noble reason for one to consider the programs offered by the university. Outside this, they offer postgraduate programs that not only give simple knowledge to their students but give graduates the skills to address issues in the healthcare system to contribute to the health of humanity itself.
22. University of Sydney
The University of Sydney aims to leave its own mark in the world, trying to make an impact in making health more viable in every corner of the world. Their approach is from all fronts, covering all bases to make the world healthier for all.
The Sydney School of Public Health addresses all of the issues of public health, with the knowledge that the issues faced are not just in the field of medicine. Their wide range of postgraduate options gives their students the freedom to choose according to their own passions, guiding them every step of the way.
23. University of Queensland
The University of Queensland houses its very own School of Public Health, which notably has the very first MPH program in the Asia Pacific to get validation from the APHEA, certifying high-quality education that passes European standards.
With a very modern approach, the University of Queensland is among the best schools for public health studies in the world. The quality of the education is mostly owed to the highly-experienced teaching staff that earned the university more awards than any other in the country.
24. University of Georgia
With two undergraduate degrees, and a total of eight Master’s and doctoral degrees for postgraduate studies, the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health offers a near-personalized education, fit for any student.
Should one wish for public health education that is focused and well-guided, the university has a 12-to-1 student-faculty ratio, allowing the faculty to tend better to the student’s needs. The university also has a strong focus on research, guiding students toward excellence that is worthy of future publications.
25. Rutgers University
With the endless widening of the scope of public health, Rutgers University makes its own moves to keep up. With a very good mix of social awareness and top-tier education, their school of public health does wonders in making communities healthier, be they local or global.
Still, to say all of those is not enough. It is not often that you find so many values in a public health school, but Rutgers incorporates concepts such as creativity and equity to make advancements in their students’ respective fields. They not only educate their students, but they train them to be solutions to the problems the world currently faces.
26. New York University
As the crises that the world face are not just a single nation’s, collaboration is the best way to combat them effectively. This is something that New York University realizes and is steps ahead of, proving its status as one of the best schools anywhere in the world for public health.
With a widely collaborative public health program, they join hands with other leaders in the field to try to put an end to the global health crisis once and for all. Before the students graduate, the exemplary teaching staff and cutting-edge curriculum train them to become experts who think outside the box to find solutions to problems that are ages-old.
27. University of Maryland
Not many universities or schools can claim to get millions of dollars in research funding, but the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health sure can. They make sure to return the $19 million annual research funding in terms of groundbreaking research, and they have not come short in that area.
The reason behind the success the school has found is what drives them. They are driven to break down walls, making health and wellness accessible to all. They do not believe that health should only belong to a select few, and their investors surely believe the same cause.
In conclusion, there are many universities that offer this program, and they all depend on and differ on different aspects such as tuition, living costs, and scholarships. The universities have different acceptance rates, so it is a good idea to check the information required beforehand so that you can be prepared in advance. If you are interested, feel free to also check out the 5 Best Universities for Public Health in Switzerland.
We hope this article on the best public health schools in the world was informative and insightful. To know more information on studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students.
