What Should I Major In? College of Health Program Guide

Senior Julie Wright ’25, G’26 majored in community and global health. She combined her love of science and political science when choosing a major and thought public health would be an impactful middle ground. “I didn’t necessarily know what my major would evolve into, and I thought it was the best shot at helping me figure out what I wanted to do,” she said. “I’m very grateful it worked out that way because I didn’t know all the things it would bring me. Once I started attending Lehigh, it became very clear that this is where I’m supposed to be.” Wright graduated a semester early and has already begun her 4+1 Master of Public Health degree at Lehigh.

Wright focused her studies on food and agriculture policy, health equity, social connection and environmental justice. Not only has she completed a COH-sponsored independent study on self-expression and identity through agriculture, but she has also been a research assistant on urban accessibility, disability and social connection and presented at an American Anthropological Association Conference. 

The COH launched the biostatistics and health data science major when junior Aaron Colon ’27 was a first-year student. “I really enjoy the content so far,” he said, “and think that Lehigh did a really great job in creating a current and intensive curriculum to prepare biostatistics students for industry, research and graduate school.” As a pre-med student, he wanted to have a reliable backup plan in case his interests changed, and he switched to biostatistics. 

“Many of my research projects have been due to the fact that I am a biostatistics major, and many of these projects find biostatisticians favorable to run tests to verify/validate results,” he continued. “These projects are soon to turn into publications and hopefully be a key part of my resume or when I apply to either medical school or grad school. I truly believe that this major opened the door to many interesting projects, and while it is focused on health data, statistics and data science are used in numerous fields. I really think this major is amazing.”

Laxmi Thakkar ’26 noticed that only three schools in the nation offer undergraduate degrees in population health, and she appreciated the uniqueness of her major. Compared to the community and global health major, Thakkar noticed that population health ties in more with biostatistics, an appealing aspect to her. “I saw that population health is a little bit of everything,” she said. “It’s a little bit of humanities with a social focus, and still wraps in math and science, like epidemiology and biostatistics.” 

As a student on the pre-health track, Thakkar believed majoring in population health makes her more well-rounded. Students at Lehigh can choose any major and also take the required pre-health courses. While Thakkar could have opted to major in biology, a required subject for pre-health, she was driven to learn how health impacts different populations. The population health major is built on the social determinants of health, informing Thakkar about the holistic components that make up a population’s health and well-being. 

Senior Natalie Werbel ’26 was a dual major in health, medicine and society, and community and global health. Werbel appreciated how much the content of the courses aligned, but also enjoyed how they were taught from different perspectives. “You can learn topics from a completely new angle,” Werbel said. “I’m in a health, medicine, and society course that’s about health and Latin American societies, and it’s also a history course at the same time.” Werbel expressed that the College of Health has “multidimensional and diverse course offerings” and the opportunity to get to know classmates and professors on a deeper level.

Second-year student Mara Fegley ’29 attended an open house on Lehigh’s campus for the BS in Integrated Business and Health. Fegley had an inkling that this interdisciplinary program would be the perfect fit for her, as she had her heart set on attending Lehigh and studying Business, but also wondered what studying health could be like. 

“We talk a lot about pharmaceuticals and advertisements–how communications from companies that target specific audiences can be beneficial or harmful to public health,” Fegley said. “Of course, telehealth and AI are also significant topics, where we discuss the benefits of technology in healthcare and how interesting it is that those same components might pose challenges for running a business.”

Every Monday and Wednesday, the cohort welcomes a guest speaker to their seminar. Through this series, Fegley met Miranda O’Mara ’24, who began her career in hospital management at Northwell Health. The conversation deeply inspired Fegley, who now wishes to follow in O’Mara’s footsteps. 

Graduates pursue careers in public health, medicine, data analytics, health policy, business, and global development or continue on to advanced professional or graduate study.

It depends on your interests—whether you’re drawn to science and data, policy and community impact, business and leadership, or preparation for medical school. Each program offers a distinct perspective on the healthcare field. Explore them all! 

Like most colleges and universities, Lehigh does not have a formal “pre-med” major. However, there is a recommended track of courses for students who are considering medical school. 

The College of Health has mapped out the undergraduate program to ensure that students enrolled in the BS or BA majors in our college can complete both the pre-med requirements and their major requirements within four years. 

Students who pursue advanced clinical degrees after graduation will be well-equipped with the education, experience and skills to address specific population health challenges that exist within health care systems, training they don’t receive in a traditional major like biology or chemistry. Learn more information about the pre-med requirements >

Not at all. Lehigh’s health programs are flexible, allowing you to keep medical or professional school as an option while also preparing for careers in public health, business, research, and beyond.

Yes. Students often engage in research with faculty, internships at health organizations, and global experiences that provide hands-on learning.

Absolutely. Current students enrolled in the College of Health are planning double majors in Biology, Economics, Business, and Health, Medicine, and Society, Journalism, and Political Science. A double-major taken outside the College of Health is considered a two-bachelor's program, and students must meet university requirements. 

The College of Health faculty and staff support students interested in exploring their options for a robust academic experience.