Public health prioritizes a focus on the protection and improvement of health for individuals, communities and populations at risk for injury and disease. Muhlenberg's Public Health program includes study in the natural sciences, mathematics, social sciences and humanities to educate and empower students about health-related issues from varying points of view.

Students who major in public health will gain an understanding of behavioral, economic, historical, political and social determinants of health, and of the important relationships that statistics and science have on the design of public health interventions. A core class, Issues in Public Health, introduces students to a wide variety of public health topics and includes historical perspectives, epidemiological principles and health intervention practices, health promotion and health communication and global issues of health.

The major prepares students for graduate work and professional careers in public health. Students are encouraged to participate in public health related experiences including independent research study, service learning or internships. The minor offers students flexibility to choose electives appropriate to their interests in public health that also compliment their respective majors.

Chrysan Cronin, professor and director of public health, poses with students who are part of a public health research group.

Our Faculty

The public health faculty are active in community-engaged scholarship and draw from a wide range of disciplines.

Kevan Shah 22 has conducted research on the opioid crisis as part of his public health education at Muhlenberg.

Internships & Research

Public health students have opportunities to conduct research and pursue internships to gain invaluable field experience before graduation.

Ashley Lafferty 18 helped track the spread of COVID-19 while working in the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission in 2020.

After Muhlenberg

Muhlenberg's public health students have gone on to graduate study at prestigious institutions and have secured jobs within healthcare, research, nonprofits, government and more.

The Power of Hands-On Career Exploration

Our Students

Esther Schlossberg ’20, a project coordinator in a Yale lab focused on opioid-use disorder and infectious diseases, landed that job after shadowing there as a student. Now, she’s hosting current students through the Career Center’s Externship Program.

Public Health at Muhlenberg

From the Source

A Black woman with brown hair and athletic attire standing in a grassy field neutrally posing for a picture.
A person wearing a black tank top and gold necklace smiles at the camera.
A man in a black jacket leans against a railing along a river with the brilliant lights of a nighttime city skyline in the distance.
A person wearing glasses and a dress shirt and jacket smiles at the camera.

“The opportunity to take diverse classes played a significant role in helping me narrow down my options to public health and environmental science.” — Christina Dalton '24 , Public Health Major, Environmental Science Minor Read Christina's Story

“I think the opportunity to study public health in undergrad at a liberal arts school is still rare... Muhlenberg has really been on the cutting edge.” — Brittany Dube '17 , Specialist at the Department of Health in Stamford, Conn. Learn About the Public Health Curriculum

“I’m looking to deepen my passion for health and my ability to innovate and problem-solve on the issues that I care about most, which are based in community health and medicine.” — Kevan Shah '22 , Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University Read Kevan's Story

“Something that I found to be pretty cool is that the department is eclectic ... professors come from a variety of backgrounds.” — Michael Rainone '20 , Masters candidate at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Learn More About Our Faculty

NEWS AT MUHLENBERG

Contact Public Health

Chrysan Cronin

Director and Associate Professor
Address Muhlenberg College Public Health 2400 Chew Street Allentown, PA 18104