International Health

The Department of International Health seeks to improve the health and well-being of under-served populations in low and middle-income countries through the education and training of our students, as well as through research, technical assistance, and service. The department strives to:

• Cultivate an active, practice-based learning community to develop leaders capable of creating positive change in public health; and to
• Empower citizens, governments, and organizations to improve lives and mitigate the effects of poverty using evidence-based policies, programs, and advocacy.

Members of the faculty are drawn from public health, clinical, and social/behavioral sciences, providing a multidisciplinary faculty equipped to address the complex issues of health and development, and meet the needs of a diverse student body.

The department has a strong emphasis on issues related to infectious and non-communicable diseases; research methods and decision analysis; sex, sexuality, gender, and health; health program management; and managing disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies.

Through the Center for Global Health & Development (CGHD), faculty members are involved in major research projects designed to identify and resolve economic, clinical, and behavioral issues affecting health in more than 24 countries. The majority of these research activities are located in Africa and Asia. There are specific research programs on child survival, the social and economic impacts of HIV and AIDS, malaria, and orphans and vulnerable children. CGHD is the host institution of the BUSPH/Harvard Medical School WHO Collaborating Center for Pharmaceutical Policy. CGHD research initiatives can be found throughout the IH curriculum, where the faculty draw upon their own scientific activities to enrich the classroom experience with examples of current, relevant, and applied research in international health.

Academic Programs

The Department of International Health offers the Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in international health and a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in International Health. The department participates in several interdepartmental programs; IH students can earn a dual degree (MBA/MPH) with the Graduate School of Management (GSM), and IH students can also enroll in the Pharmaceutical Assessment, Management & Policy Program (PAMP).