The global health major is gaining momentum on campus with a growing number of declared students. As of today, more than 80 undergraduate students have declared global health as their co-major, along with another major at Duke. More than 100 students have also enrolled in the global health minor.
These global health majors are also majoring in 18 other disciplines, including biology, computer science, cultural anthropology, French, Russian, political science and public policy.
Launched last fall by the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and the Duke Global Health Institute, the program is one of the country’s first liberal arts majors in global health and first global health co-major which illustrates Duke’s strength in interdisciplinarity. In less than a year, it has become the talk of the campus as more students enroll.
“The major has garnered an exceptional amount of student interest in its first year,” said Gary Bennett, director of undergraduate studies at the Duke Global Health Institute and professor of psychology and neuroscience, global health and medicine. “Each day, our students are learning how to leverage their intellect, spirit, and creativity to contend with our most pressing global health challenges. The major's success this year bodes well for the future of global health education at Duke.”
The global health major offers students a rigorous curriculum with electives in a focused area of study. Students also learn about global health research as they engage in an immersive, community-based fieldwork project that addresses a global health problem.
“The major provides students a compelling education that emphasizes depth within a discipline and breadth within the multi-disciplinary field of global health,” said Lee Baker, dean of Academic Affairs at the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences. “Global health research and teaching at Duke is strong, and I am not surprised so many students have decided to commit to pursuing this major.”
Students are excited about the possibilities
“The global health major embodies Duke’s underlying belief of experiential learning outside the classroom, of pushing boundaries, and of responding to current world challenges and demand,” said freshman Catalina Villegas Escobar. “Paired with public policy studies and a certificate in Markets and Management, I know that the global health major will empower me to act in the name of social justice in innovative ways.” She continues, “The global health major has the interdisciplinary focus to respond to issues that haven’t yet had answers with a culturally sensitive and long-term vision. My task is complex, and my courses will not give me answers but rather the tools. This, perhaps, is what I love the most about the major: the future is in my hands, and of my fellow global health majors. Together, we will pave the way for future undergraduates choosing to follow our lead.”
Escobar is part of the growing cohort of undergraduate students engaged in a variety of global health activities, including the DGHI Student Council, Bass Connections in Global Health, the Student Research Training program and participation in numerous global health events.
The major is also preparing Senior Maddie McKelway for her next steps. She is studying health determinants at the population level. This year, she will graduate with a double major in economics and global health.
“My undergraduate training in economics has helped to develop my technical skills for economic research and my undergraduate training in global health has given me an awareness of relevant research topics,” said McKelway. She plans to pursue a PhD and a research career.
Carve your niche in global health. Learn more about the global health major and minor at Duke. Attend the March Undergraduate Breakfast Club with DGHI faculty member David Boyd and the April event with Gary Bennett.
