
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.
Welcome to the dynamic world of Public Health & Society (PH&S), the newest interdisciplinary undergraduate course of study in Arts & Sciences (A&S) at WashU. A degree in PH&S provides a robust foundation for aspiring professionals in diverse fields such as medicine, business, government, non-profit advocacy, and policy. By combining the intellectual rigor of an A&S degree with hands-on professional training, the PH&S program equips you with the skills to make a real impact.
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.
The undergraduate minor program is now enrolling students, and the major will be available in fall 2025.
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!
How is Public Health & Society related to the new School of Public Health?
Public Health & Society is an undergraduate program offered within the College of Arts & Sciences. All our courses are taught jointly by a faculty member in the Brown School (MPH program) and a faculty member in the College of Arts & Sciences.
The new School of Public Health will be exclusively a graduate school, offering MPH and PhD programs. The School of Public Health emerged from the same Here and Next strategic plan as PH&S. The School of Public Health will be the first new school launched by Washington University in 100 years and will offer significant opportunities for collaboration with our undergraduate program as well as with the School of Medicine, the Brown School, McKelvey School of Engineering, and Olin Business School. It is set to open in 2026.
upcoming
events
Love Data Week 2025
A week of presentations and workshops around all things data, presented by Bernard Becker Medical Library, Washington University Libraries, Office of the Provost, Digital Intelligence & Innovation (DI2) Accelerator and the Institute for Informatics, Data Science & Biostatistics (I2DB).
Civic Cafe: Healthcare Policy and Advocacy with Leann Chilton, MBA ’99
Civic Cafe is a weekly event series that occurs every Wednesday evening at Stix House, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Students of every level and discipline are invited to attend. Learn, eat, and meet other civically-minded individuals.