The Community Health Program is one of the oldest multidisciplinary programs within the university. Since 1975 CHP has provided students with a diverse, integrative experience in learning. The program's relatively small size encourages a sense of community among fellow students, faculty, and staff. As a multidisciplinary program, CHP touches on diverse aspects of health and society, and encourages the exploration of health issues from a variety of perspectives.
CHP courses span many disciplines, including anthropology, nutrition, medicine, classics, sociology, biology, psychology, history, economics, engineering, philosophy, political science, and public health. Through courses and an internship, CHP students analyze the following: 1) the factors that determine health and illness, 2) how communities define and try to resolve health-related problems, 3) the formation of health care policy in the United States with a comparative look at other countries, and 4) the institutions that plan, regulate, and deliver health care services. In 2002, CHP began to offer a second major. Common primary majors for CH students include Biology, American Studies, Sociology, Political Science, Child Development, or Spanish. However, the second major in CH can be pursued in conjunction with any primary major at Tufts. Upon declaring a major in CH, each student chooses a CHP faculty advisor who can assist with program concerns, course choices, and post-graduate plans. Students find this advising opportunity instrumental in supporting their course selection, future planning, and academic exploration.
After graduation, CH students generally move on to work or graduate studies. Some choose to work in research/policy/direct care organizations, and succeed in securing employment soon after graduation. Many students pursue graduate studies in a wide range of fields including public health, law, medicine, or allied health fields. |
