Bachelor of Science in Public Health
Those who have health have hope. Those who have hope have everything.
Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Dr. Thomas E. Dobbs, and Shannon Cohn speak at a private screening of Below The Belt, a documentary film on endometriosis and women's health.
About this Program
Public health is an exciting field dedicated to protecting and improving the health of people and their communities. This work is achieved by promoting healthy lifestyles, researching disease and injury prevention, eliminating health disparities, and responding to environmental threats.
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health offers two unique emphasis areas to choose from:
- Health Science. Graduates from the Health Science emphasis work in a range of careers in hospitals, clinics, sports facilities, and other healthcare settings. Students can also leverage their knowledge as the foundation for advanced degrees in medicine, dentistry, respiratory therapy, nursing, and public health.
- Community Health. Graduates from the Community Health emphasis work in a range of careers in public, private, or nonprofit sectors, educating communities or connecting individuals to crucial services as a patient advocate or health educator.
Public Health majors get hands-on experience designing health programs to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities across the country.
On this Page…
Program Information
Program Type
Major
Minor
Area of Study
Sciences, Mathematics, and Technology
School
Duration
4 years
Degree
B.S. in Public Health
Program Location
Emphases
Community Health;
Health Science
Required Credit Hours
120
Find Courses in Public Health
Explore Everything Public Health Has to Offer
Public Health isn’t just a bachelor’s degree. Students can choose to focus on a specific emphasis, pick Public Health as a minor, or take the fast track into a graduate degree.
In addition to the 33-hour Public Health core curriculum, public health majors who select the community health emphasis must complete 43-44 hours of coursework.
In addition to the 33 hours of Public Health core curriculum, public health majors who select the health science emphasis must complete 43-44 hours of coursework.
- This minor is open to students in pre-professional health tracks like medicine, dentistry, and nursing (among other tracks), and in fields that incorporate an overall health and wellness focus.
Undergraduate students interested in graduate study in Public Health can get a head start in earning a graduate degree through the GradSHARK Launch PAAD for Public Health.
Requirements to qualify:
- Public Health and Health Sciences Major
- 3.0 minimum GPA overall
- 90 completed credit hours as an undergraduate
- To participate in the PAAD, students must take PH 505 instead of 305 once admitted; without taking this course, completion of the MPH in one additional year may not be possible
- Admitted students must take one 500-level elective in either fall or spring of the 4th year of undergraduate study and should check course availability; without taking the electives, completion of the MPH in one additional year may not be possible
Note, to be formally admitted by the Graduate School upon completion of the bachelor’s degree, PAAD participants will need to complete an application for graduate study in their senior year.
What graduate courses can undergraduate students take as part of Launch PAAD?
Undergraduate students can take the following 500-level graduate courses to earn credit towards their graduate degree:
- PH 505: Health Program Planning (Students must take this class instead of PH 305)
- PH 528: Public Health Policy
- PH 555: Health Equity
- Jour/IMC 585: Health Communication
- GEOL 500: Intro to GIS
- ES 511: Applied Statistics
- PH 515: Motivational Interviewing
- PH 620 Emerging Issues in Public Health
- ES 515: Stress and the Brain
- NHM 522: Nutrition Policy
- IMC 541: Consumer Behavior/Target Behavior
- IMC 553: Strategic Communication Planning
- IMC 562: Crisis Communication
- IMC 571: Internet and Mobile Media
Students who fail to reserve 500-level courses for graduate credit at the time they take the course will not receive graduate credit for the course (graduate level work must be completed to earn graduate credit).
- Reserving graduate credit with 500-level courses is required to ensure the Graduate School and instructor know the student must complete graduate credit requirements for the course. Students cannot later claim graduate credit for 500-level courses if they did not take the appropriate steps to notify the Graduate School prior to taking the course.
Who do I enroll in the GradnSHARK Launch PAAD for Public Health?
Students must be accepted into the Launch PAAD and complete the requisite GradSHARK Launch PAAD Course Enrollment Form for this degree. The form must be received by the Graduate School (the form requires approval from your Undergraduate Advisor and the Graduate Program Coordinator for Public Health).
- During each subsequent term, the student must submit a new enrollment form for this program if they wish to take courses that can count towards a graduate degree (students will not officially be registered for graduate courses until this form is complete).
For more information about participation in the GradSHARK Launch PAAD, guidelines, financial aid and available areas of study, please see the GradSHARK Launch PAAD homepage.
Dylan Barker
- Service and Community Engagement
Why did you choose UM?
See Dylan’s Answer
Cate Drane
- Service and Community Engagement
When did you choose your major?
See Cate’s Answer
Haile Cambliss
- Service and Community Engagement
What are your career goals?
See Haile’s AnswerWhat does public health look like on the job market?
Median income for Medical Investigators in 2022.
Median income for Disaster Recovery Managers in 2022.
Jobs for Emergency Management Directors in 2022.
Jobs for Epidemiologists in 2022.
What can you do with a public health degree?
- Epidemiologist
- Community Health Worker
- Health Education Specialist
- Program Evaluator
- Health Administrator
- Wellness Coordinator
- Prevention Specialist
- Program Manager
- Surgeon General
- Health Policy Analyst
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Meet your support team!
We are here to answer any questions you may have about a degree in Public Health.
Vanessa W. Moore
Academic Advisor
We're always happy to help
Whether you're interested in applying or you're already a student, we're only an email or a call away!
Allison Ford-Wade
Interim Chair and Professor of Public Health and Associate Dean of Community Engagement
Next Steps
Explore Affordability
We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.
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