STEM Designated Public Health Programs
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) designated programs at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health teach the skills necessary to investigate, analyze, and report on complex and pressing population health issues.
Is Public Health STEM?
Several of the core science disciplines taught at the Dornsife School of Public Health are considered STEM.
These include biostatistics, epidemiology, infectious disease, and environmental and occupational health.
Are There STEM Careers in Public Health?
STEM careers that can originate with a Master of Public Health or Master of Science degree include epidemiologist, data scientist, biostatistician, clinical researcher, environmental scientist, and infection preventionist.
Choosing a STEM career in a public health field provides opportunities to investigate important health issues and even design solutions to tough challenges.
“I chose public health because it provided me the opportunity to make an impact at a population level. At its core public health allows you to use your skill set to advocate for others and affect change in something bigger than yourself.”
- Dornsife alum Velton W. Showell IV, MPH in Epidemiology and minor in Infection Prevention and Control ’18
Essential Information for F-1 Students About STEM Programs
Full-time students with an F-1 Visa (Academic Student) may wish to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) to gain valuable employment experience. F-1 students are allowed a total of 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) for each degree level.
F-1 students who receive a STEM degree may be eligible for an additional 24-month OPT Extension.
If you have any questions about eligibility, please contact Drexel’s Office of International Students and Scholars Services at isss@drexel.edu for assistance with OPT.
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Nine Public Health Degrees That Are STEM Eligible
The nine STEM designated degree programs at the Dornsife School of Public Health are:
Biostatistics
Environmental and Occupational Health
Epidemiology
Infectious Disease
STEM designation is conferred by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). For a complete list of the fields of study that DHS considers to be science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) for the purposes of the 24-month STEM optional practical training extension view the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List.
If you have any questions, please contact Drexel’s Office of International Students and Scholars Services at isss@drexel.edu.
To learn more about a specific Drexel Dornsife public health program, reach out to our admissions team or take the next step:
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