Global Health Major

School of Public Health 
Suite 2234
Phone: 301-405-3530
gbhl@umd.edu
http://sph.umd.edu/gbhl-ug/

Program Director: Hassanatu Blake, Ph.D., MPH, MBA 

In the interdisciplinary Global Health major, students explore health challenges through the lens of environmental, biological, geopolitical, socioeconomic, and cultural factors. Combining classroom learning with real-life opportunities through research, internships, and field experiences, students develop cross-cultural and practical skills and competencies to address complex concerns in an evolving global health landscape. Course themes include epidemiology, policy, management, data analysis, world languages, as well as interpersonal and digital communication. 

Students in the Global Health major are advised in the School of Public Health’s Department of Global, Environmental, and Occupational Health (GEOH). Courses are taught by faculty across the university and in partnership with six UMD colleges and schools (Agriculture and Natural Resources; Arts and Humanities; Behavioral and Social Sciences; Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences; Information; and Public Health). 

The Global Health major prepares students for multiple career paths from biomedical to public policy, including scientific and applied research, public health, law, allied health and social service professions in the public, private, and non-profit employment sectors throughout the state, nation, and world.

Admission to the Major

Global Health is not a limited enrollment program. Admitted freshmen and transfer students may request Global Health as a major from UMD Undergraduate Admissions. Current UMD students who wish to change to or add the Global Health major may register for an SPH major declaration workshop at any time. See https://sph.umd.edu/declare for more information. All students declaring Global Health as their major meet with an advisor in the Department of Global, Environmental, and Occupational Health.

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Understand the underlying science of human health and disease including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the lifespan.
    2.
  2. Analyze historical foundations interactions between global health, colonialism, economic development, biological sciences, social determinants of health, power dynamics, technology innovations, One Health, and historical contexts that trace its evolution of health practice and initiatives shape global health approaches.
    3.
  3. Apply research and epidemiology to analyze global health challenges, and develop comprehensive evidence-based interventions and strategies.
    4.
  4. Employ data collection, statistical analysis, technology, and interpretation of health indicators across diverse contexts to map and understand global health disparities.
    5.
  5. Assess intersectional factors and diverse health needs of populations across different cultural, social, biological, economic, political, environmental, digital, and geographical contexts influencing global health outcomes.
    6.
  6. Develop culturally and context-appropriate, community-based global health intervention strategies and policies.
    7.
  7. Demonstrate skills in scientific writing, oral presentation, cross-cultural communication, narratives and media resources that promote health awareness and behavioral change.
    8.
  8. Engage in interdisciplinary collaboration to create, design, implement, and disseminate diverse cultural and linguistic health information and communication strategies.

Students will need to have math eligibility of MATH120 or higher to complete the Global Health Supporting Courses.

Course Title Credits
Global Health Supporting Courses (19-25 credits)
BSCI170Principles of Molecular & Cellular Biology3
BSCI180Principles Biology Laboratory1
or BSCI171 Principles of Molecular & Cellular Biology Laboratory
2 levels of a world language 16-12
BSCI213The Public Microbe 23
NFSC100Elements of Nutrition3
GVPT200International Political Relations 33
or GVPT282 The Politics of Global Development
Global Health Core (40 Credits)
GBHL200Introduction to Global Health (Introduction to Global Health)3
GBHL210Careers in Global Health (Careers in Global Health: Understanding the Public, Private, and Non-Profit Sectors)1
SPHL100Foundations of Public Health3
FMSC110Families and Global Health3
HLTH230Introduction to Health Behavior3
ANTH210Introduction to Medical Anthropology and Global Health3
EPIB301Epidemiology for Public Health Practice3
EPIB315Biostatistics for Public Health Practice3
ANTH310Method & Theory in Medical Anthropology and Global Health3
GBHL310Introduction to Global Health Literacy (Introduction to Global Health Literacy)3
MIEH321Environmental Determinants of Emerging Infectious Diseases3
HLSA320Comparative Global Health Care Delivery Systems (Comparative Global Health Care Delivery Systems)3
INST420Data Applications in Global Health (Data Applications in Global Health)3
GBHL497Global Health Capstone (The Global Health Experience (Capstone))3
Global Health Experiential Learning (6-9 Credits) 4
Global health experiential learning (subject to advisor approval) 43
GBHL386Global Health Experiential Learning (Global Health Experiential Learning) 43-6
Global Health Options (12 Credits)
2 GBHL Option courses of choice (100-400 level) 56
2 GBHL Option courses of choice (300-400 level) 56
Total Credits77-86
1

Students take at least 2 courses in the same language. See Global Health major website for world language guidance, approved course list and exceptions, https://sph.umd.edu/gbhl-bs. 

2

Students considering allied health professions may substitute BSCI223 for BSCI213, but may not receive credit for both courses. 

3

If a student completes both GVPT200 and GVPT282, one will apply towards GBHL Supporting and the other towards GBHL Option.

4

Students complete two different experiential learning courses (at least 3 credits each) with prior approval of the Global Health program. These may include an internship, research, independent study, global classroom, field experience, or study abroad. Additional guidance and examples of Global Health Experiential Learning courses may be found at sph.umd.edu/gbhl-bs

5

Students select from a menu of approved 3 credit Global Health Options courses. At least 2 courses (6 credits) must be at the 300 or 400 level. A single course cannot satisfy both an Option and Experiential Learning requirement. See Global Health major website for approved Options course list: https://sph.umd.edu/gbhl-bs. 

Click here for roadmaps for graduation plans in the School of Public Health.

Additional information on developing a graduation plan can be found on the following pages: