About Our Program
We are integrating perspectives from the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities around one of the defining local, national, and international endeavors of our times—public health.
What is public health?
Public Health is an expansive field devoted to enhancing the health and well-being of communities and populations. As social beings, our health is deeply interwoven within society's fabric, touching on everything from business and medicine to climate change, civil rights, agriculture, and more. The interdisciplinary nature of our program offers a holistic understanding of the historical, social, cultural, and environmental factors influencing public health. That interdisciplinary nature is why we are Public Health & Society.
How is Public Health & Society related to the Bursky School of Public Health?
- The Bursky School of Public Health is exclusively a graduate school, offering MPH and PhD programs.
- Public Health & Society is an undergraduate program offered within Arts & Sciences. Our core curriculum courses are taught jointly by a faculty member in Arts & Sciences and a public health faculty member.
By combining the intellectual rigor of an Arts & Sciences degree with hands-on professional training, Public Health & Society equips you with the skills to make a real impact.
Join our growing program by enrolling as a Public Health & Society major or minor!
Embark on this exciting journey with us and become a pioneer in shaping a healthier, more equitable world. Grow your capacity to tackle big problems and make a difference at home and around the globe. Your adventure in Public Health & Society awaits!
upcoming
events
Pellagra, Cotton Monoculture, and the Contested Boundaries of Public Health
Bernard Becker Medical Library
Pellagra, a nutritional deficiency disease, was once widespread in the southern United States, where it was concentrated in areas of high-yield cotton production. Join us to hear from historian Dana Landress about the many constituencies in the Jim Crow South that worked tirelessly to combat hunger through union organizing, community health care programs, freedom farms and collective action lawsuits, which together reformulated the boundaries of public health.
Hosted by the Center for the History of Medicine at Bernard Becker Medical Library.
The Longest Table 2026
Tisch Park
The Longest Table, a civic dialogue event featuring (you guessed it) a long table and guided discussion, has taken place in communities across the US.
This year, WashU will host its fourth annual Longest Table event to kick off the Gephardt Institute’s weekly civic dialogue and learning events, Civic Café.
Study Abroad Scholarship Essay Workshop
The Writing Center’s classroom space, Mallinckrodt 132
Planning on studying abroad and want to get ahead on your scholarship and funding applications? Join The Writing Center and WashU Overseas Programs for a writing workshop in advance of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship’s fall deadline.
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