Mission
The overarching mission of the Harvard School of Public Health is to advance the public’s health through learning, discovery, and communication.
Our objectives are:
- to provide the highest level of education to public health scientists, practitioners, and leaders
- to foster new discoveries leading to improved health for the people of this country and all nations
- to strengthen health capacities and services
- for communities
- to inform policy debate, disseminate health information, and increase awareness of public health as a public good and fundamental right.
The field of public health is inherently multi-disciplinary. So, too, are the interests and expertise of the School’s faculty and students, which extend across the biological, quantitative, and social sciences. With our roots in biology, we are able to confront the most pressing diseases of our time—AIDS, cancer, and heart disease—by adding to our knowledge of their underlying structure and function. Core quantitative disciplines like epidemiology and biostatistics are fundamental to analyzing the broad impact of health problems, allowing us to look beyond individuals to entire populations. And, because preventing disease is at the heart of public health, we also pursue the social sciences to better understand health-related behaviors and their societal influences—critical elements in educating and empowering people to make healthier lifestyle choices.
From advancing scientific discovery to training national and international leaders, the Harvard School of Public Health has been at the forefront of efforts to benefit the health of populations worldwide. Shaping new ideas in our field and communicating them effectively will continue to be priorities in the years ahead as we serve society’s changing health needs.