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Suggested Programs for Public Health

Take a child by the hand

Public health students have a wonderful opportunity to make an impact on a global level. Whether focusing on coursework toward degree requirements, pursuing field studies, or interning with a clinic, there are opportunities from the desert to the tropics, from rural communities to dense urban areas.

Programs Highlighting Public & Global Health

Australia: Univ. of Queensland

Study emerging health issues while you prepare for a career that can take you all over the world, change lives, and improve community health. The Univ. of Queensland offers a diverse and inclusive academic environment that fosters cross-cultural collaboration, enriching their global perspective on public health challenges. Additionally, the university is renowned for its cutting-edge research and practical training opportunities, providing students with valuable hands-on experience in tackling real-world public health issues.

Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application

Botswana: Community Public Health, Gaborone

Home to one of the most extensive healthcare systems of Africa, Botswana is the ideal location for exploring regional, social, and scientific health issues. This program offers an unparalleled chance to engage directly with local communities, gaining valuable insights into global public health disparities and solutions while experiencing Botswana's rich culture and diverse healthcare challenges.

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Dominican Republic: Community Public Health, Santiago

Experience seven life-changing weeks over the summer in Santiago, a commercial and cultural hub about an hour from the coast. This is a unique opportunity to interact with local patients and medical professionals in a health practicum and clinical rotation, improve your Spanish language living with a Dominican family, and study pre-professional topics such as preventive medicine, development, and health management in the Spanish Caribbean. Summer class studies and guided site visits are combined with rewarding experiences helping under-served communities.

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Ghana: Public Health and Society in Ghana

Head to Ghana’s rural villages for an unforgettable experience in community development. Combining academics and fieldwork, you’ll build marketable skills in your field. University of Ghana faculty and medical experts teach seminars that prepare you for community service outside the capital of Accra. In a team-learning setting, you’ll help improve access to affordable energy, provide health services, or learn about managing agricultural resources.

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Netherlands: Public Health & Neuroscience, Maastricht Univ.

Known for groundbreaking studies in Public Health, Maastricht University is an extraordinary place to focus on Public Health and neuroscience. Courses taught in English include Motivation and Emotion, Forensic Public Health, Cognitive Enhancement, and Hormones, the Brain and Behavior. Outside of class, enjoy one of the most beautiful cities in The Netherlands or pop across the border to explore Belgium or Germany.

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Thailand: Thammasat Univ.

Thammasat University offers a culturally immersive experience in a region with unique public health challenges. Studying here provides students with the opportunity to engage with Thai communities and gain firsthand knowledge of healthcare issues in Southeast Asia, enriching their global perspective in the field of public health.

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Immersion & Exchange Programs Suggested for Public Health

National Univ. of Singapore (NUS)

Highly ranked in nursing and medicine with coursework in epidemiology and health communication, NUS is a top choice for almost any student.

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United Kingdom: Univ. of Edinburgh

With strong rankings in both medicine and nursing and course offerings like health communication, the Univ. of Edinburgh offers a world of opportunities to public health students.

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Chinese Univ. of Hong Kong (CUHK)

Teaching in English and with public health coursework in areas like epidemiology and great international rankings, CUHK offers a great learning opportunity in an urbanized environment.

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Ireland: Univ. College Cork

With a pair of highly ranked universities, the Univ. College Cork program offers public health majors a variety of courses to tackle major requirements and electives.

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Denmark: Univ. of Copenhagen

With courses like epidemiology taught in English, Copenhagen is a favorite for students seeking a program in a socially progressive society.

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United Kingdom: Univ. of Manchester

Among highly ranked universities, the Univ. of Manchester program allows public health majors to choose from a variety of host universities and programs.

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National Taiwan Univ. (NTU)

With strong course offerings including health promotion, health communication, and epidemiology, NTU is an excellent fit for public health majors with Chinese 2, the equivalent, or beyond.

Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application

 

By no means is this list comprehensive, but you may also search additional program opportunities.

Photo Story: How I studied abroad in three countries (Lyon, France)Photo Story: How I studied abroad in three countries

Read about Sierra Alef-Defoe’s study abroad experience first in interdisciplinary studies and then global health.

“ Studying abroad qualified me for many more scholarships than I would’ve been eligible for otherwise.”

Feature: 5 Reasons STEM Majors Should Study Abroad

Group study session

Want to stand out on your next job application or boost your chances into getting into grad school? Or are you looking to expand your worldview, perhaps explore a side interest? Whatever your goal is, there’s a good chance study abroad can help you achieve it.

Completing Other SSHA Requirements Abroad

SSHA students, in general, can take advantage of the requirement to complete four (4) non-major upper-division general education courses—or equivalent—from SSHA areas as varied as English literature to economics. Most SSHA students complete one or more of these required courses while studying abroad. These courses must be reviewed through the   SSHA course approval form.

SSHA students must also complete a total of 60.0 semester units in order to graduate. SSHA students complete many of these units within their major but often need more and can complete these requirements abroad.

Course Approval and Course Approval Forms

With a few exceptions of previously approved courses (ask your academic advisor), courses will need to be approved to meet individual degree requirements. In these cases, students will use the Course Approval Form for the school that would typically offer such a course at UC Merced:

 

The school will often require a syllabus or equivalent in order to do a review. Keep in mind that syllabi may be protected intellectual property of certain professors or universities and may not be publicly posted online. If it is a UC Center program, you may be able to acquire syllabi through your study abroad advisor. If the program is with a local host university and the course is not posted online, you may be able to inquire with the instructor or host university in some cases.

Academic Planning

No matter your academic intentions while studying abroad, you should consult your academic advisor and your MyDegreePath report to plan out your study abroad academic goals. Once you narrow your search to 1-3 study abroad programs consult your program page or ask your study abroad advisor about resources for researching courses in your program.

 

Start planning for study abroad with your academic advisor as soon as you can. One of the keys to maximizing academic success abroad is early planning and scheduling course loads before, during, and after study abroad. This includes strategies such as targeting a study abroad term to exploit areas of flexibility in your academic plan.

Be sure to make use of UCEAP course credit resources below, too.

 

UC Merced Campus Credit through UCEAP

How to Explore Database of Courses Previously Taken

 

Campus Credit Abroad

Planning the courses you’ll take on study abroad is as important as figuring out when and where to go. All courses taken on the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) are guaranteed UC credit, but understanding how each class may fit into your academic plan is a critical part of the planning process.

UCEAP Database of Courses Previously Taken

How to Find Courses for UCEAP

One of the challenges with academic planning and completing the Academic Planning Form is finding courses. While there is never any certainty with course offerings and study abroad always requires a little calculated academic risk, there are some techniques to minimize the risk and exploit unique educational opportunities through study abroad.

Courses & Credit Tab

For nearly every UCEAP program page, there will be a tab labeled “Courses & Credit.” Within this tab you will find information and links in the “Course Opportunities” area. The course resources are listed in order of relevance. Depending on the program, you might find any of the following resources:

  1. Course syllabi
  2. Links to academic majors or programs with courses
  3. A bulleted list of courses

UCEAP Course Catalog

All UCEAP coursework taken in the last five (5) years is listed in the UCEAP Course Catalog. There are a few things you should consider when using the UCEAP Course Catalog:

  1. The list of courses is not comprehensive.
  2. Course units are listed in quarter units (to convert to semester units, divide by 1.5).
  3. Syllabi are not included.
  4. You may need to search less intuitive subject areas to find coursework (e.g. health sciences for public health, "engineering" for bioengineering, business for management and business economics).

Check Previously Approved Courses

There are a few resources available showing coursework previously approved for study abroad online. The resources are limited but they do represent some of the more recent course approvals:

A Note on Course Syllabi

Your academic advisor or school may insist that you need syllabi in order to determine whether a course abroad will substitute a particular degree requirement. While this is generally true, this does not prevent you from planning out your academic schedule abroad and determining what type of degree requirements a course may fulfill.

Sometimes your study abroad advisor or UCEAP can acquire a syllabus on your behalf; however, this is not always the case. Please understand that syllabi are often considered intellectual property and may not be shared until the course begins. Previously approved courses (see above) are often your first go-to resource to select courses.