History, Mission and Vision

Why choose us?

The Department of Social and Public Health offers a diverse selection of programs and degree options within the College of Health Sciences and Professions. Undergraduates can choose from Human Development and Family Science, Community Health Services, Environmental Health Science, and Health Services Administration.  Minors are also offered in Environmental Health Science and Community and Public Health. Master’s degrees are available in Human Development and Family Science, Health Administration, and Public Health.

The department has collaborations with and study abroad opportunities in multiple countries, including Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, England, and Paraguay. It is also home to dedicated and student-oriented faculty members who have previously won the University Professor, Presidential Teacher, and Outstanding Graduate Faculty awards at Ohio University. Students will have many opportunities to work in and be exposed to various industries, healthcare organizations, environmental agencies, government facilities, and public health departments, depending upon their interests and selection of majors. Each major has an active student organization designed to supplement and augment in-class activities. In the Department of Social and Public Health, you can find your niche and match your personal interests and motivations with a promising future career track.

Our History

The Department of Social and Public Health (SPH) was formed in 2010 during academic restructuring in what was then the College of Health and Human Services and is now the College of Health Sciences and Professions. From 2008 until 2010, the department was known as the School of Public Health Sciences and Professions; before then, it was the School of Health Sciences.

Human Development and Family Science (formerly a program area in the School of Human and Consumer Sciences) was added to the department in 2010. Consequently, the Department of Social and Public Health currently consists of a wide variety of diverse program areas.

Our Mission and Vision

Although each program area has its own individual mission, the purpose or mission of the department is to create well-prepared graduates, with an emphasis on developing critical thinking skills and abilities. Our faculty members are committed to creating and disseminating knowledge through research and scholarly endeavors, while simultaneously serving our professions through a variety of initiatives. All of our programs provide experiential opportunities for students in professional settings in order to maximize individual growth and development.

Our vision is to become the preeminent academic home for meeting and addressing the diverse needs of all our stakeholders and constituents, including, but not limited to, students, alumni, public health, and society as a whole.