Careers in Public Health RAP

Gaining an awareness of public and personal health issues is at the core of this RAP.

Careers in Public Health RAP is designed for 30 first-year students-with or without a science background.

When you join this RAP you will...

• Enroll together in a class that focuses on the principles of health promotion and personal wellness.
• Work with the Program Director and the Chief Academic Advisor in a 1-credit seminar to learn about the various areas and opportunities in the Public Health major at UMass
• Explore careers in public health, and appreciate how the Major requirements offer a foundation for understanding the interconnectedness of public health issues.
• Expand your understanding of current public health issues.
• Learn how this knowledge can empower you to have a powerful and long-term impact on the people and environment around you-and possibly throughout the world.
• Connect easily with classmates for study groups and class projects

Students who join the Careers in Public Health RAP will explore socially important challenges in our complex world, challenges ranging from

• Preventing epidemics
• Responding to natural disasters
• Investigating community health hazards
• Preventing the spread of disease.

Supporting students declared or interested in the new Public Health Sciences program, the fastest growing major on campus, this RAP opens the door to current public health issues in both the science and social science arenas. Understanding the different areas of public health helps students identify areas of interest and make appropriate choices for course selection. 

• Environmental health
• Health policy and management
• Community health education
• Biostatistics
• Epidemiology

In addition, better understanding the nature of both the field and the major is the goal of the one-credit RAP seminar:  "Making the Most of the Public Health Major."  This highly interactive course will:

• Introduce students to professionals in the field
• Increase understanding of the breadth and depth of public health
• Make sense of how course requirements work to deepen and integrate a solid knowledge base in public health. 

If you are interested in personal, community, and global health-related issues, this RAP is a great choice for you.

Be sure to visit the How to Join page on this website to learn about the process and important timelines you must follow to become a member of this fantastic program!