Public Health at UT Austin
How do I become a public health major?
If you are a current CNS major:
Students already in CNS can change their major to Entry-Level Public Health at any time by going to the Human Ecology Advising Center in GEA 37 and filling out the Change of Major form.
If you are not a CNS major, but you are a current UT Austin student:
Students not in the already College of Natural Sciences must follow apply for an Internal Transfer through the CNS Dean's Office. Please read ALL of the CNS internal transfer information here.
You can find more information about becoming a public health major here.
How can I get involved in Public Health at UT (even if I'm not a major)?
Get actively involved in public health on campus and in our community! Join one of the public health-related Student Organizations:
What courses are in the concentrations?
The Public Health major offers six concentrations. You must choose at least 9 hours of approved coursework from a single concentration list to fulfill the concentration.
- Biostatistics and Public Health Informatics
- Environmental Health Sciences
- Health Policy and Management
- Infectious Diseases and Public Health Microbiology
- Nutrition
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
Please note:
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Concentration courses CANNOT satisfy other major requirements
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ALWAYS confirm prerequisites and restrictions in course schedule
- You must declare a concentration through your assigned academic advisor to make your concentration official.
How can I register for PBH 317?
Registration for PBH 317 is open to all majors. There are no prerequisites. Learn more about PBH 317 Introduction to Public Health here.
Is Public Health a good major for pre-health professions students?
Yes! The next generation of medical professionals need to understand why some patients have an easier time following a care plan than others, or understand what causes these conditions so we can prevent them – This is Public Health!
The B.S. in Public Health degree includes around 75% of the requirements for pre- Med, PA, Dent, PT, OT, Vet, etc. and the remaining requirements can be used as electives. Please visit your academic advisor or the Health Professions Office for more information.
What is the Public Health "4+1" Advanced Program and how do I apply?
The Public Health "4+1" Advanced Program allows Public Health students to complete their B.S. in Public Health (BSPH) through UT Austin and their Masters in Public Health (MPH) through the UT Health Science Center School of Public Health in 5 years total. Students accepted to the program will take graduate and undergraduate courses simultaneously in their senior year. After graduating with their BSPH, students finish the second year of their MPH degree through any of the six campuses of the UT School of Public Health. An MPH usually takes 2 years to complete.
Students can apply to the program in the spring of their junior year
Learn more about the 4+1 program here.
Public Health Career
Why pursue a career in public health?
- Public health is an exciting and growing field of study. The field challenges its professionals to confront complex health issues, such as improving access to health care, controlling infectious disease, and reducing environmental hazards, violence, substance abuse, and injury.
- Public health is a diverse and dynamic field. Public health professionals come from varying educational backgrounds and can specialize in an array of fields. A host of specialists, including teachers, journalists, researchers, administrators, environmentalists, demographers, social workers, laboratory scientists, and attorneys, work to protect the health of the public.
- Public health is a field geared toward serving others. Public health professionals serve local, national, and international communities. They are leaders who meet the many exciting challenges in protecting the public's health today and in the future.
- Public health is a rewarding field. The field of public health offers great personal satisfaction - working towards improving people's health and well-being is a fulfilling day's work.
Who should consider a degree in public health?
Public health is a field that offers an abundance of job opportunities to suit a variety of interests and skills. Whether you are interested in crunching numbers, conducting research, or working with people, there is a place for you in the field of public health. Recent college graduates and those that have been in the field for years have something to offer and to gain in this field. Public health is ideal for those who find satisfaction knowing that they are working to improve the lives of others.
How can I get experience in Public Health?
What are the career opportunities in public health?
While there are dozens of specialties in public health, most career opportunities are found in the following fields:
- Health Services Administration
- Biostatistics
- Epidemiology
- Health Education/Behavioral Science/Health Communication
- Environmental Health
- International Health
- Nutrition
- Public Health Practice/Program Management
- Health Policy and Government Agencies
- Occupational Health and Human Resources
The CNS Career Center can help - make an appointment with a Career Coach today!
For information about how to use your communication and laboratory skills in an exciting and fulfilling career, check out these links:
The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health
About Public Health Laboratories
Center for Disease Control - Keep up with outbreaks and see the list of job opportunities
Where do public health professionals work?
Public Health professionals work in both the public and private sectors. Many public health graduates will find work in the public sector in local, state, or federal health departments. The jobs available at health departments range from Food Safety Inspectors to Health Educators; from Policy Analysts to Epidemiologists. Other public health professionals will find work in university systems as researchers or educators.
Those interested in working for a non-profit organization can find jobs in health advocacy, policy, or research for organizations such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, the Red Cross, or a local non-profit that focuses on specific health issues, such as HIV/AIDS services or child nutrition, education and counseling.
Still other public health professionals will find work in the private sector working for pharmaceutical companies or for health insurance companies. Others work across the globe with organizations that target childhood survival, malaria and water sanitation.
The CNS Career Center can help - make an appointment with a Career Coach today!
Do I need an advanced degree to work in the field of public health?
While it is possible to gain experience in the field without an advanced degree, many public health jobs require a graduate degree in public health. Most public health professionals need at least a Masters' degree for career advancement. A graduate degree in public health provides a competitive edge due to increased awareness of the factors which influence local, national and global legislative and social polices; broad-based, quantitative and qualitative problem solving skills; multidisciplinary and collaborative strategies for solving health-related problems; and enhanced communication skills working with diverse populations. Graduates are ready to take on a leadership role in health promotion and disease prevention.
The CNS Career Center can help you explore graduate school and assist in graduate school planning.
Check out the SOPHAS Program Finder to explore different public health graduate school programs.
What kind of job title can I expect after graduating with a degree in public health?
Job titles, position descriptions, and salary ranges of recent public health graduates will vary greatly based on their course of study and interests. Some sample career titles for jobs in Texas that do not require a graduate degree, taken from http://publichealthjobs.org/ in May 2017, are listed below:
- Public Health Program Specialist
- Youth Engagement Coordinator
- Public Health Preparedness Training Coordinator
- Public Health Aide
- Public Health Educator
- Administrative Specialist II
- Associate Guideline Advisor
