Public Health Internships

This course is for credit and meets the capstone credit. PBH 341R is a research internship for undergraduate public health students at UT Austin who are interested in gaining experience in public health through partnerships with state and local public health agencies and other institutions involved in population health. The course fulfills any concentration requirement for students enrolled in the public health degree plan before Fall 2022; it also fulfills the capstone requirement for all students enrolled in public health in Fall 2022 or later.

Student interns will have the opportunity to conduct goal-oriented, semester-long research projects for university credit under the supervision of public health practitioners. In addition to valuable research experience, student interns will gain communication skills by participating in written discussions with peers and preparing an oral presentation about their completed projects. They will present their projects before an audience that includes their fellow interns.

Students will be selected to participate based on merit via a competitive process without regard to race, color, religion, or gender. Completed applications will be reviewed and students may be interviewed. Selected students will be assigned research projects based on the mutual interest of the student and mentor. 

Student interns must complete 180 hours of work for the semester (approximately 12 hours/week during fall and spring semesters, 16 hours/week during long summer session) to earn 3 hours of academic credit in PBH 341R Public Health Research. They must provide their own transportation to the internship site for in-person internships. 

The Public Health Internship Program is offered fall, spring, and summer. No lecture classes are held. Students must attend presentation sessions after the course. 

Application Process

1. SoHE Advising will send information and the application link before registration for each semester. (fall, spring, long summer session). Be sure to read your SoHE advising emails.
2. Applicants must be able to commit to working 12 hours per week for the semester, or 16 hours per week for the long summer session at the internship site plus additional time interacting with Dr. Felkner and fellow intern
3. Students will review the internship descriptions and rank them in order of interest as part of the application process. Internship descriptions will also indicate if the internship is remote, hybrid, or in-person
4. Students will be notified if they have been matched to an internship approximately two weeks after applying.

This experience is not for credit. However, PBH 366 is the prerequisite for participating in this internship, and this course does meet the capstone requirement. For 6-weeks in Guatemala, students experience evolving circumstances that require changes in priorities, interact with non-English speaking staff, and work through the challenges of working remotely in areas of limited technology.

In addition to the resources below, check with College of Natural Sciences Career Services.  They are aware of internship and employment opportunities and can help you with resume, applications, and interview preparation.

Multiple experiential learning opportunities are available through UT. The following are open to public health majors and have potential public health connections:

• Inventors Program

• Health Leadership Apprentice Program

• Office of Sustainability and Campus Environmental Center

State Internships

• The Texas Department of State Health Services provides internships. Both undergraduate and graduate students can apply. Check that the internship you apply for is open to undergraduates. Students who are accepted for DSHS internships can enroll in PBH 341R. 

• You can apply for internships with Texas Health and Human Services Commission (which focuses on service delivery to underserved populations).

• Americorps is a good source of experiential learning and post-graduation jobs. 

• Texas Department of Agriculture sometimes offers paid internships over the summer. Those are posted by their HR department just like regular jobs. 

• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) offers a paid summer internship if you have completed the requisite 60 credit hours. This application opens December 1 and closes February 28 each year. 

Internships at the intersection of social work and public health

• Brighter Bites
• Austin Angels

Federal Internships

• The CDC offers several internships and fellowships. 

• Federal internships are posted for the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture, and other federal agencies. 

• If you are considering global health internships, look at the United Nations.

• The National Institutes of Health has a Summer Internship Program (SIP).

Summer Programs

Deadlines are typically January 31; check the link to find the exact date for the year you are applying.

• Innovation in Cancer Prevention Research
• Summer Public Health Scholars Program
• UCLA Public Health Scholars Training Program
• University of Michigan Future Public Health Leaders Program
• The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Summer Research Program