Global Health Major

Notice of Addendum: Program description and learning outcomes were updated effective Spring 2026 and have been published on ADDENDA TO THIS CATALOG.

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 

The Global Health major offers rigorous scholarly and applied experiences designed to embolden future leaders to achieve the level of critical thinking, analysis, and application essential to improve worldwide social, environmental, and health outcomes. Specifically, students apply structurally competent, collaborative, multidisciplinary perspectives to the understanding, assessment, and intervention of sustainable strategies necessary to effectively address current and future global health issues within local, national, and global arenas. The Global Health major prepares students for multiple career paths from biomedical to public policy, including scientific and applied research, medicine, and 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 concepts, theoretical frameworks, and analytical methodologies underlying successful and sustainable global health strategies.
2. Understand the scientific bases for infectious disease.
3. Demonstrate beginning and/or intermediate ability in a second language.
4. Demonstrate competence in the development, recognition, and utilization of big data within global health applications.
5. Understand the social and cultural complexities inherent in global collaborations.
6. Demonstrate the ability to establish respectful, trusting relationships with people, communities, and institutions around the globe.
7. Understand globalization and its social and political foundations, with particular emphasis on effects on health and healthcare among populations in distinct locations.
8. Apply a multidisciplinary perspective to the appreciation, understanding, assessment, intervention, and sustainability of strategies designed to effectively address global health issues.
9. Utilize ethical, structurally competent, collaborative approaches to understanding, researching and contributing to community-supported interventions relevant to global health challenges.
10. Critically analyze the qualitative and quantitative impacts of racism on the prevention, assessment, and treatment of illness around the world.
11. Develop macro and micro strategies to combat racism and proactively promote health equity.
12. Reflect upon what it means to be anti-racist.
13. Demonstrate clear, incisive, verbal and written communication skills within the context of specific cultures, languages, and sociopolitical systems.
14. Demonstrate proficiency in a variety of electronic and digital media.
15. Recognize and critically evaluate current theories and practices within the discipline of global health.
16. Utilize peer-reviewed literature and apply it to research as well as to formulating effective program planning and evaluation strategies.
17. Apply introductory statistical methodology and big data approaches to solve global health problems.
18. Create and implement successful, novel approaches to global health issues based upon critical evaluations of historical underpinnings and previous challenges.
19. Reflect upon and integrate required academic experiential learning into a deeper understanding of professional and personal responsibility.
20. Understand the interconnected network and the major initiatives and priorities of global health organizations at the local, national and world levels.
21. Recognize the various roles, responsibilities, and opportunities available throughout the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
22. Implement a strategy to enhance long-term career development.

Notice of Addendum: requirements for this program were updated effective Spring 2026 and have been published on ADDENDA TO THIS CATALOG.

In order to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Global Health, students must complete 120 credits, 77-83 of which are specific to the Global Health major. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- or higher in all Global Health major-required coursework.

Additional guidance for the world language and experiential learning requirements is available on the program website at https://sph.umd.edu/gbhl-bs. 

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

¹

At least two courses must be taken in the same language. The minimum number of credits for this requirement is 6, but most languages will require more credits (up to 12). Students may test out of this requirement. Students are encouraged to minor in a language.

²

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.

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:

• http://4yearplans.umd.edu
• the Student Academic Success-Degree Completion Policy section of this catalog