About the College of Population Health

The University of New Mexico College of Population Health is an active force in UNM’s larger mission to improve healthcare delivery, access, and equality for all people. Through our rigorous research efforts, Bachelor of Science in Population Health, Master of Public Health, and other programs, we are agents of change in New Mexico and beyond.

Founded in 2016 as a response to New Mexico’s dire need to address health concerns among the state’s various communities, the College of Population Health is the second college of its kind in the U.S., and the first to offer a Bachelor of Science in Population Health degree.

Through education, applied research, policy, service, and partnerships, the College of Population Health will:

• Educate a diverse future workforce equipped with competencies in disease prevention, wellness, social determinants, environmental health, mental health, healthcare delivery and policy.
• Leverage our collective expertise in epidemiology, biostatistics, social sciences, community health, health policy, and healthcare delivery to develop interventions that are innovative, high-quality, data-driven, and validated by multiple sources of evidence to improve and sustain social, environmental, and health outcomes;
• Assess community, health system and environmental needs and assets in order to map disease, interventions, and policies that warrant in-depth attention to improve health outcomes.
• Mobilize and expand partnerships within the UNM Network, with Tribal, regional, and global communities, public and private institutions, and government agencies to take actions that advance health and social equity for New Mexico, the U.S.-Mexico border, Tribal Nations, the country, the region and the globe;
• Grow and sustain a College that is organizationally and financially strong with a climate that values and invests in human beings.

Data-Driven. Community Motivated.

We are nationally known for our work in epidemiology, Native American health, community health, rural healthcare disparity and community-based participatory research. Our graduates go on to pursue diverse careers in medicine, emergency management, public health, health education, occupational health, social work, and more. We train students in critical skills including:

• Health policy development and analysis
• Health data analysis
• Community advocacy
• Improving health care’s delivery and quality
• Preventing disease
• A model for the nation, the College of Population Health produces leaders who make communities healthier with research, data, analysis and practical outcomes.