Public Health Studies
Available as a major or minor
Public Health Studies reveals how health is related to all aspects of human life and how societies serve the health care needs of people. The course of study will help you find a niche in the health field that matches your own personal passions and will give you an advantage over those who've pursued a purely technical approach to health education.
Curriculum & Courses
Sample Course Offerings
PHST 202: Global Health and Culture
PHST 301: Introduction to Epidemiology
PHST 420: Community Health Seminar
Learn By Doing
We offer many firsthand learning opportunities for our students.
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Around 90% of our public health students complete internships, gaining real-world experience in hospitals, nonprofits, government agencies, and community health organizations. These hands-on opportunities help students apply their knowledge, build professional networks and discover their passions.
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Our students don’t just learn about research—they do research. Students work side-by-side with faculty on projects that shape real-world outcomes. From day one, you'll have opportunities to contribute to meaningful research that informs policy, improves lives and advances the field of public health.
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We have a residential program that integrates intellectual and personal interests with residential experiences to enhance students' learning and personal development. H2O is where health, helping others and shared purpose converge. It is designed for students interested in health careers.
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Real on-the-ground transformation is possible here. Through the Center for Community Health Innovation, students work with faculty and local partners to take on pressing public health challenges, creating positive change in underserved neighborhoods while building valuable, career-ready skills.
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Mentorship, networking and access to industry leaders are all part of the essential toolkit available from the Center for Health Careers. Students benefit from expert guidance that helps them build connections, confidence and a clear path to a meaningful future.
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The Public Health Club has several major events during the year, as well movie nights and other events.
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The college regularly holds teach-ins with interdisciplinary faculty panels about what's happening in our community and world.
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Hannah Guthrie ‘20 started researching the relationship between social connection and childhood obesity. Guthrie, a Public Health Studies major who grew up in Salem, was particularly interested in the 42 percent of Roanoke children who were overweight or obese.
Many people are finding that they underestimated the importance of social connection to their health, Ackley said, and this study sheds light on that.
“I think her data really highlights that for the first time,” Ackley said. “It’s the first study that we’ve been able to find that actually looks at this relationship in small children.”
Ackley wasn’t the only one impressed by Guthrie’s research. The Council on Undergraduate Research, based in Washington, D.C., selected Guthrie’s project from hundreds of submissions nationwide to include in its annual Posters on the Hill session. During the event, student researchers have an opportunity to present their studies to members of Congress and their staff, who in turn, learn about the importance of undergraduate research. Only 30 students nationwide are selected each year to participate.
Student Experiences
Grad School Opportunities
Our graduates have attended these schools for their MPH degrees.
Generous Scholarship Opportunity to Boston University
Students recommended by Roanoke College faculty can apply to the nationally ranked Boston University School of Public Health and enjoy perks that include a generous scholarship package for early applicants.
Expedited Admission to Tulane Grad Program
Students of all majors can qualify for expedited admission, with a scholarship guarantee, at one of the nation’s leading public health graduate schools, thanks to a partnership with Tulane University and its Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine program.
Careers & Outcomes
The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects demand for medical and health managers to grow by 17% in the next decade, more than twice the national employment growth average.
Roanoke graduates go on to do great work in health care
Joining the front lines of health care
Joining the front lines of health care
While still a junior, Caitlin Sharkey ’21 landed an internship at the busy Bradley Free Clinic — just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Overnight, the world was turned on its head. For Sharkey, a public health studies major, it was also a call to action. She knew patients needed the free clinic’s services more than ever.
“If we close down, they aren’t going to get the medications they need or the treatment that they need,” she thought.
So, she stepped up. Sharkey joined the front lines, screening patients and providing testing. After graduating, she was inspired to pursue a master’s in public health at Virginia Tech, where she researched the diverse social factors that affect health and developed a framework for an infection control plan that now is the Bradley Free Clinic’s standard of care.
Today, she works at the clinic as its health administrator, managing hundreds of volunteers, overseeing complex federal compliance standards, and administering its electronic health records and IT systems.
And it all started with an internship that Sharkey's advisor at Roanoke first encouraged her to consider. Years later, she continues to answer the calling that she discovered here, stepping up to help those in need access essential care.
Photo by Andrew Mann of Virginia Tech
Faculty
News
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Catch up on the latest news from our impressive faculty members.
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The report, written by Dr. Liz Ackley and four student researchers, offers a detailed picture of health trends among elementary school students in Roanoke City.
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The final interior beam of the center’s new building was put in place July 23.
"With the rapid growth of specialties and the need for trained experts across the health sector, we want to provide an avenue for more students to find a place for their expertise and passions within the global health system."
Dr. Shannon Anderson, Associate Professor
We are fortunate to partner with great organizations, schools and employers.
