Public Health at Fort Lewis College

Public Health Lab
Public Health Lab

Public health shapes the conditions that keep communities healthy—from clean water and safe food to disease prevention, mental health, and health equity.

At Fort Lewis College, you’ll study public health in the Four Corners, where rural, tribal, and global health challenges intersect. Here, research, policy, and community partnerships make a measurable impact.

Public health focuses on improving health at the community and population levels. Unlike clinical fields centered on direct patient care, public health emphasizes prevention and population health. You’ll learn how data, programs, and policy work together to build healthier systems—locally, regionally, and globally.

Choose from Public Health, Health Sciences, or the Community Health Worker (CHW) certification. Each pathway prepares you for meaningful careers in public health practice, community health, and graduate study.

What is public health?

Public health professionals work upstream—addressing the social, environmental, and systemic factors that influence health outcomes.

Public health work includes:

  • Tracking and responding to disease outbreaks and public health emergencies
  • Designing prevention and wellness programs
  • Improving access to care in rural and underserved communities
  • Advancing policies that protect community health
  • Addressing health inequities across populations
  • Educating communities using evidence-based strategies

Hands-on public health learning in the Four Corners

Apply what you learn through community-engaged projects, field practicums, and undergraduate research experiences. Students collaborate with faculty and community partners to address public health challenges, including chronic disease prevention, access to care, mental health, and community wellness in Southwest Colorado and beyond.

Community and research partners include:

  • La Plata County Public Health Department
  • Mercy Regional Medical Center
  • Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health
  • Navajo Nation Special Diabetes Program
  • FOSCOD Uganda (community-based global health education and outreach)
  • Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board

Faculty-led research and applied projects give students opportunities to contribute to programs and initiatives with measurable impact.

Our students develop into public health professionals through growth opportunities such as presenting projects at conferences, working as interns, studying abroad, and continuing their education in graduate programs.

Internship and carreer opportunities in Public Health

Our students have a wide range of opportunities both as students and post-graduates. These include presenting at conferences, internships, graduate schools, study abroad, and more. 

Partnerships

Students can take advantage of our partnerships with local, regional, and international health organizations.

Internships

Our students participate in international internships, applying classroom knowledge in real-world settings. 

Employment

Our alumni are employed in diverse roles, including global NGOs, local health departments, non-profits, government agencies, and community-based service providers. 

Learn from experienced, award-winning faculty

Public Health faculty bring expertise in epidemiology, Indigenous and rural health, mental health, global health, and health education. Faculty hold CHES® and MCHES® credentials, present at national conferences, and lead funded research and community-based initiatives.

Small class sizes allow students to work closely with faculty on research, applied projects, and community partnerships—often contributing to presentations, reports, and public health programs while still undergraduates.

Icon of female student.

"The professors I have studied under, whether through research or in the classroom, have been incredibly knowledgeable, supportive, and kind. Their mentorship has not only expanded my understanding of public health but also strengthened my confidence as a student and future professional. I can wholeheartedly say that the Public Health program at Fort Lewis College has profoundly impacted my life. It has prepared me for the next step in my academic journey: pursuing a Master's degree in Public Health."

Tarenina Max, Senior, Public Health Major