Welcome to Public Health at Lehman!

Upon completion of Lehman College Public Health programs, students will be trained in:

1. the history of public health as a discipline and practice
2. social justice and health equity as foundational public health principles 
3. determinants of health: environmental, socioeconomic, behavioral, and other factors 
4. concepts and application of public health ethics 
5. biological science (e.g., introductory anatomy and physiology)
6. scientific underpinnings of chronic and infectious disease: e.g., etiology of disease, environmental effects and interactions)
7. fundamental characteristics of the U.S. health system in comparison with other nations 
8. global health concepts (e.g., differing disease burdens, global health agencies, intersections with human rights, resource-specific challenges)
9. public health statistical literacy (e.g., preparing descriptive statistics, reading and interpreting public health statistical data and evidence, using relevant software (e.g., Excel), mastering terminology to communicate and collaborate with other professionals on data)
10. public health data collection and surveillance (e.g., common methods, challenges in real-world data collection, assessing data quality and limitations)
11. planning, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based interventions (e.g., community needs assessment; program delivery; process, formative, and summative evaluation)
12. critical thinking to define and address problems in public health practice (e.g., problem solving to address implementation challenges; applying basic public health frameworks, models, and theories; identifying misinformation)
13. legislative and governmental processes relevant to public health policy and advocacy
14. policy analysis (e.g., health in all policies, concepts of feasibility and impact)

Undergraduate and Certificate Offerings

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health is a competitive major that challenges students to think critically about public health issues and propose solutions using anti-racism and social justice frameworks. Students learn to analyze behavioral, social, and structural determinants of health. Students may choose either (1) the public health science or (2) environmental and global health concentration based on their career aspirations.

The Public Health minor is an opportunity for students of any major to integrate public health studies in their Bachelor’s degree. This interdisciplinary minor stresses the intersectionality of public health challenges and the need to develop skills across multiple disciplines to solve complex population health problems. The 15-credit program requires: HSD 269 Fundamentals of Biostatistics for Health Professionals; HSD 306 Epidemiology; and HEA 300 Equity in Public Health; and 6-8 credits in electives.* Electives include courses in American Studies, Data Analytics, Economics, English, Geography, Health Education and Promotion, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.
*Review the course bulletin for the full list of approved electives.

The Applied Research Methods Advanced Certificate in Public Health prepares students to examine population health challenges through rigorous quantitative and qualitative approaches. The certificate is designed to prepare health care professionals working in hospitals, community health centers, and other healthcare facilities in the Bronx and/or the metropolitan region to develop or upgrade their research skills and knowledge of public health. Courses include: PHE 600 Biostatistics in Public Health; PHE 606 Public Health Epidemiology; PHE 723 Advanced Methods in Epidemiology; PHE 710 Applications of Research Methods in Public Health; and PHE 700 History and Philosophy of Public Health.

The Lehman College – CUNY Graduate School of Public Health 4+1 Program is a partnership that allows current undergraduate public health majors and minors to apply to an MPH or MS program at SPH once they have completed 60 credits and, if accepted, pursue 3-18 credits of graduate-level courses that will dually apply to undergraduate requirements. A minimum 3.0 GPA is required. Current majors and minors should schedule an appointment with their faculty advisor to discuss their interest. Students are also encouraged to attend open houses at the CUNY SPH.

Graduates of our programs are equipped with skills and competencies to advance population health in the New York City region and to meet both national and global demands of current and emerging health trends. We are excited to embark on this journey with you!

For more information on any of our programs, please email the Director, Dr. Tailisha M. Gonzalez, at public.health@lehman.cuny.edu