Why do you want to be a public health major?

Explain how the major will help you accomplish your academic and
professional goals.
Include any information that is significant to your academic and personal
history.
Discuss your interest in the field of public health. Intellectually and
personally, what draws you to the field?
If you are planning to combine public health with another major, how will you
integrate the two majors?
If you do not meet a minimum requirement for admission, explicitly address
the deficiency and reasons why an exception should be made at this time.
Two double-spaced pages. NO MORE THAN 1000 WORDS.

MyfirsttwoyearsofundergradhavebeenaveritablemazeasIhavestruggledtofindthe
perfectmajorforme.Ivebeenfrustratedbecausesomanyofmyfriendsandclassmatesareso
decisiveandseemtoknowexactlythedirectioninwhichtheyareheaded,whetherthatmeans
beingpremedorstudyingEnglish.ButasIhaveprogressedfurtheronthisintrospective
journey,Ihavecometorealizethatthereisnosuchthingasaperfectmajorforme.Itsnotthe
majoritselfthatwillshapemyundergraduateyearsandtherestofmylifeitshowIchooseto
approachandembracemystudiesandintegratewhatIlearnintomylifeoutsideofandbeyond
school.MylearningcannotandshouldnotbeginandendwithmyGPAandclassroom
performance,althoughtheseareimportantitneedstoextendintomycommunityinvolvement
andpersonalthirstforknowledge.Forthesemainreasons,aBachelorofArtsdegreeinpublic
healthhasstoodoutfromtherestasthemajorthatbothpiquesmyinterestandrelatestomy
prospectivefuture.
Ifirstlearnedaboutthepublichealthmajorafterattendingaglobalhealthminor
informationsessionasafreshman.Whatimmediatelyattractedmetothismajorwasits
interdisciplinarynature;finally,acourseofstudywhereIcoulddrawfromsociology,political
science,andanthropology,amongmanyothersubjects.Thismajoroffersexactlythetypeof
flexibilityforwhichIhavebeensearching.Icurrentlyplantodoublemajorinsociology,mostly
becauseofmyfascinationwithitaftertakingapublichealthrelatedcourseinthesubject.My
hopeisthatthetwowillprovidemewithanicebalanceandasolidsocialscienceandliberalarts
foundation.Furthermore,IplantodeclareaminorinSpanishandpursueconversationalfluency.
Byintegratingthesethreeeducationalgoals,Ihopetopavethewayformyfutureinanonprofit,
healthrelatedorganization.

Myfutureintermsofaspecificjobbeyondundergradisalittleblurry,butIdoknowthat
Iwouldlovetolearnmoreaboutpublicpolicy,advocacy,andeventandvolunteermanagement
inthecontextofnonprofitorganizations.Rightnow,IhavemysightssetontheAmeriCorps
VISTA(VolunteerinServicetoAmerica)programimmediatelyfollowingcollegegraduation.
MostoftheVISTAprogramsIaminterestedinrelatetothehealthofpopulationsandthesocial
determinantsofhealth.PreparationwithaBAinpublichealthandsociologywillbevaluable
andinstrumentalinachievingthisgoal,andIthinkthistypeofpracticalexperiencewiththefield
ofpublichealthwouldbeanexcellentnextstepforme.
AnotherpassionandperspectiveofminethatIhopetoincorporateintomystudiesif
selectedforthismajorismentalhealthawarenessandadvocacy.Icannotproperlyexpresswith
wordshowthrilledIwastofindoutthatUWstartedofferingtheclassGlobalMentalHealththis
quarter.Openingtheconversationaboutmentalhealthhasbecomesomethingofadefining
experienceformewhileincollege,asevidencedinonewaybymyorganizationoftheOutof
theDarknesswalkforsuicideawarenessoncampusforthepasttwoyears.Itsimpossibleto
exaggeratetheimportanceofbreakingdownthestigmasassociatedwithmentalillnessesand
examiningtheroleofmentalhealthinthegreatercontextofpublichealth.Mentalhealthisan
aspectofpublichealththatisoftenoverlooked,andIameagertoworkwithothersassociated
withthisfieldtocontinuetoimproveuponourapproachtothisverycrucialcomponentofhealth
andwellness,bothlocallyandglobally.
Thisinterdisciplinaryfieldofstudyallowsforthedevelopmentofaliberalartseducation,
encouragescriticalthinking,andreachesacrosssomanydifferentdisciplines.Iwouldbe
immenselygratefultounitemyinterestsinmentalhealth,Spanish,andthesocialsciencesalong

withmypassionforvolunteerismandcommunityserviceinpursuitofapublichealthdegreeat
theUniversityofWashington.Thankyouforyourconsiderationofmyapplication.