Public Health: HELC approves new major at Parami University

Parami University has officially launched a new Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health, approved by the Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC) on February 24, 2026. The program equips students with the skills and knowledge to address pressing population-level health challenges.

Designed to meet regional and contextual needs, the program offers a community-focused, applied framework that enables students to analyze, design, and implement practical solutions to public health issues. Its interdisciplinary curriculum examines the cultural, historical, and economic factors influencing health outcomes and aligns with Parami’s liberal arts model to nurture globally minded problem-solvers.

Chair of the Division of Social Science and Humanities, Dr. David Golding, emphasized the program’s foundation in the liberal arts: “Our BA in Public Health is deeply rooted in the liberal arts. Students engage with diverse approaches to the field, from analyzing socioeconomic challenges in public health policy to exploring fundamental humanistic questions of well-being, ethics, and the public good.”

Students will study health equity, disease and demographic transition, epidemiology, climate and environmental science, health systems and policy, infectious and non-communicable diseases, mental health, and injury prevention.

The program is offered as a dual degree in partnership with Bard College, allowing graduates to earn two bachelor’s degrees—one from Parami University and one from Bard College. Full-time students can complete the program in four years, with the option to earn an associate degree after two years.

Parami University now offers four undergraduate programs: BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE); BA in Statistics and Data Science (SDS); BA in Environmental & Sustainability Studies; and BA in Public Health. Admissions for the 2026 intake are now open.