The Secondary Field in Global Health and Health Policy is centered on the interdisciplinary exploration of health care, health policy, and health science. Through a curriculum that encourages experiential learning, the program enables students to explore a wide range of topics ranging from transnational health problems and social determinants to a concentrated focus on social responses, such as health systems and health policies. Upon completion of the secondary field, GHHP students have learned to actively engage with complex themes from a variety of perspectives, conduct health-related research, and think critically about the full spectrum of health issues, both domestic and global.
What Can You Gain from the Global Health and Health Policy Secondary Field?
A better understanding of real problems across the world
Health care affects the life of every individual, whether through treatment of illness, financing of public and private health insurance, care of vulnerable populations, education about the health risks and benefits of behaviors that affect health, or adoption of regulations to reduce exposure to toxic environments. Your area of focus will build your comprehension and understanding of these challenges.
A truly interdisciplinary approach to those problems
The natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities all contribute to the study of global health and health policy. The GHHP program compliments many fields of study; we welcome students from any concentration. You will be able to explore all aspects of health care, health policy, and health science through different viewpoints, approaches, and subject matters.
Research with top faculty members
Receive one-on-one mentorship and work with faculty members like David Cutler, Arthur Kleinman, Mary Jo DelVecchio Good, and others on independent research projects and theses. Faculty affiliated with GHHP include members from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, and Harvard Kennedy School.
A hand in solving some of the world’s most critical problems
You can take advantage of more than 50 summer internships in global health and health policy, both domestic and abroad, to work on real solutions to health and health policy problems worldwide.
A community of peers who share your intellectual interests in health
GHHP is a community: we host events and programs, award grants, advise and celebrate our students, and engage with our alumni. Find out what we’re up to next by visiting our Upcoming Events page.
Student Testimonial
"My experience in the Global Health and Health Policy (GHHP) secondary has been nothing but amazing throughout my time at Harvard. From my first semester of college to now entering my senior year, everyone part of the GHHP secondary field – from the phenomenal staff to all the amazing affiliated faculty – has been so supportive of my academic, research, and extracurricular pursuits in global health, which has played such a central role in my undergraduate experience. Not only does GHHP offer a wide range of engaging courses with much relevance to the real world, but pursuing the GHHP secondary has enabled (not to mention encouraged!) me to delve deeply into my interdisciplinary interests that have ultimately enhanced my understanding of global health, health systems, and health policy through a variety of perspectives. Overall, being part of the GHHP secondary program has granted me a wonderful community of peers and mentors, research opportunities that have significantly (in the most positive way) influenced my career trajectory, and memories both here at Harvard and abroad that I am sure will last me a lifetime." – Anne Lheem