Advising Updates & Course Lists

The Public Health Department has developed four new courses to compliment the required upper division PBH classes required for your degree. Any of the classes listed below can count towards any of the Concentration lists found in the "Concentration Course Lists" section. You can begin taking these courses after completing PBH 354 and SDS 328M. 

1) PBH 362: Epidemiology II (currently being taught by Dr. Taylor)

2) PBH 367: Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases (currently being taught by Dr. Field) 

3) PBH 337: Diverse Communities and Health Equity (currently being taught by Dr. Schnarrs) 

4) PBH 337: Maternal and Child Health (currently being taught by Dr. Jorgensen) 

5) PBH 364: Field Epidemiology (currently being taught by Dr. Felkner)

6) PBH 366: Global Health in Action (currently being taught by Dr. Felkner) 

7) PBH 363: Project Management, Planning and Evaluation (currently being taught by Dr. Jorgensen) 

8) PBH 365: Public Health Informatics (in development)

Students pursuing the BS in Public Health are required to complete foreign language and/or a foreign culture courses for their degree.

There are three ways that students can satisfy this degree requirement.

• 2^nd semester proficiency in a single foreign language (ex. Spanish 1 and Spanish 2)
• 1^st semester proficiency and a foreign culture course from the same language area (ex. Spanish 1 and a Central and South America culture course)
• Two foreign culture courses from a single foreign culture category (ex. Two courses from the Central and South America culture category)

Students can take their foreign language at UT, outside of UT, or can claim foreign language credit gained through advanced placement or credit-by-exam.

If students plan to take foreign culture courses, they must be taken from the pre-approved Natural Sciences Foreign Culture category lists.

The CNS website has a full list of languages and foreign culture courses in each area.

Foreign Language/Culture Categories

• Africa
• American Sign
• Central and South America (Spanish & Portuguese)
• France
• Germany & Scandinavian Countries
• Greece
• Italy
• Japan
• Korea
• Latin (Roman)
• Middle East
• Russia & Slavic Countries
• South Asia

Foreign Culture Courses offered Spring 2025:

African Foreign Culture List 

American Sign Foreign Culture List 

Central and South American Foreign Culture List 

China Foreign Culture List

French Foreign Culture List 

Germany and Scandinavian Foreign Culture List 

Greek Foreign Culture List 

Italian Foreign Culture List 

Japan Foreign Culture List 

Korea Foreign Culture List 

Latin and Roman Foreign Culture List 

Middle Eastern Foreign Culture List 

South Asia Foreign Culture List 

Russia and Slavic Foreign Culture List 

(Updated October 16, 2024) 

For 2020-2022 and earlier catalogs, the Public Health major offers six concentrations: Biostatistics and Public Health Informatics, Environmental Health Science, Health Policy and Management, Infectious Disease and Microbiology, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Nutrition. 

The concentration requirement for the PBH degree requires at least 9 hours of coursework from approved concentration lists. The concentration hours can be completed by taking courses from a single approved concentration list, or through taking approved upper-division PBH courses. Students can choose to take all 9 hours from one approved list, some from an approved list and some from upper-division PBH courses, or all 9 hours from the upper-division PBH courses. The concentration does not need to be “declared” and the concentration you choose will not be noted on your transcript. 

The approved concentration course lists do not guarantee availability of courses. If you have questions about registering for a course that is outside of the School of Human Ecology, please reach out to the department offering the class for more information about registration. The Human Ecology Advising Center will not be able to help students register for courses outside of SoHE.
 

Concentration Lists

The following lists contain the approved courses for the 18-20 and 20-22 catalogs. You must choose at least 9 hours of coursework to fulfill the concentration. Courses must be taken from the same list. 

**Students on the 22-24 catalog and later catalogs do NOT have to take concentration courses. Students are instead required to take PBH 363 and 6 hours of additional upper-division Public Health courses (excluding the core foundation PBH 354, 356, 358D, 334, 338). These courses can be chosen from the above list.**  

20-22 and earlier catalog concentration lists:

Biostatistics Public Health Informatics

Environmental Sciences

Health Policy Management

Infectious Diseases Microbiology

Nutrition

Social Behavioral Sciences

Additional options for any Concentration list: 

Students can also count any of the Upper-Division PBH classes listed below towards any concentration list. There is no maximum, and you can fulfill your entire concentration requirement with just Upper-Division PBH courses:

• PBH 341R Public Health Research (internship program, details here.)
• PBH 337: Diverse Communities and Health Equity 
• PBH 337: Maternal and Child Health 
• PBH 362 Epidemiology II
• PBH 363 Project Management, Planning and Evaluation
• PBH 364 Field Epidemiology
• PBH 365 Public Health Informatics (in development) 
• PBH 366 Global Health in Action 
• PBH 367 Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases 

Please note: 

• Concentration courses CANNOT satisfy other major requirements
• ALWAYS confirm prerequisites, restrictions, and flags in course schedule 

Updated on 05/03/2024

FALL 2024:

Reserved Classes:

• HDF 304H is reserved for HAHDFS students. If you are a non-HDF CNS honors student, speak to your advisor if you are interested in the class

Upper Division HDF Courses with a Writing Flag (Fall 2024):

• HDF 378K (Longevity in the 21st Century) TTH 9:30-11:00 AM
• HDF 343 (Human Development in Minority/Immigrant Families) MW 9:30-11:00 AM
• HDF 378L (Theories of Child and Family Development) MWF 1:30-2:30 PM

Lab before Lecture - HDF 313 & 113L Child Development and Lab

• You must be registered for HDF 113L before you can register for HDF 313
• If you are on a waitlist for HDF 113L and get into the lab, you are guaranteed a spot in HDF 313 

Pre-requisite Corrections:

• HDF 266C and 266L: C- or better in HDF 313 and 113L; registration in both HDF 266C and 266L
• “Consent of the instructor”: only required for practicum, field experience, and honors classes 

Students on a BS HDFS Plan (2020-2022 or earlier) have a supporting coursework requirement of 9 credit hours. View the current HDFS Support Course List (updated Spring 2021) and check with your advisor if you have any questions.

Featured Opportunities:

NSC 325 CNS Inventor's Program: Food Systems & Sustainability #47810 

• No prereqs! See the CNS Inventor's Program website for more details and flyer attached here. In Austin alone, 1.24 million pounds of food are wasted daily, while 14.4% of residents face food insecurity. We believe there’s real potential to make a lasting, positive impact on our food system. 
• How can this count?
  • BS Nutrition (except HANS): 3 hrs Nutrition Research. Counts in place of NTR 355 for any BS Nutrition research requirement. See your Audit for research requirement details.
  • BSA: 3 hours additional nutrition 

Course Number Change Reminders:

"Reserved" Classes: 

Priority is given to Nutrition majors into open seats for "reserved" classes. If needed, add yourself to a waitlist (screenshot example).

The following courses require pre-approval with supervising professor to register during initial registration cycle or add/drop time. See the BS Nutrition Research Requirement tab for registration instructions.

• NTR 355 Undergrad Research in Nutrition
• NTR 352 Field Experience in Nutrition

 NTR 365 Busting Myths topic: reserved for Liberal Arts Plan II students only.

 

Prerequisite Waivers:

A Prerequisite Waiver must be requested in these situations to avoid issues during registration.  

Email headvising@austin.utexas.edu before or during registration. 

Subject Line: Prereq Waiver for [Course You Are Adding] - Name & EID

• Claimed AP or transferred Statistics credit ("SDS 301"), and you need to register for:
  Applicable to 20-22 and prior catalog students only. 22-24 catalog requires SDS 302F (or 320E).
  • NTR 312 Intro Nutritional Sciences 
  • NTR 338W Issues in Nutrition & Health
     
• Took NTR 306 with grade A (before becoming a NTR major) and need to register for:
  • NTR 307: add yourself to 107L lab first
  • NTR 317L Intro Assessment
  • NTR 326 Intermediate Metabolism
  • NTR 334 Foodservice Mgmt: add yourself to NTR 234L lab first
    
     

Lecture & Lab Registration:

Add lab first, then lecture. Must be taken in same semester. Waitlist for lab as needed.

• NTR 307 & 107L Food Science 
• NTR 334 & 234L Foodservice Systems Mgmt

Biology Registration tips

• BIO 311D: The BIO 206L lab pre/co-requisites is not enforced for NTR majors. 
• "Reserved" Classes: ex. MBS 226L Microbio Lab will be open to all CNS majors on Friday 11/15 at 8:00am and during add/drops.
   

Chemistry: CH 120K Health Professions Organic Chemistry Lab 

• This is a newer one-credit hour Organic Chemistry lab beginning fall 2024 designed for health professions students who only need one semester of Organic lecture and lab (ex. pre-PA students). 
• To request registration access for CH 120K: email your EID to Chemistry Student Services office before/during registration.
  • It is reserved unless you email your EID to request access.

• If your health professions pathway requires 8 hours of organic chemistry with lab (two semesters CH 320M & CH 320N and CH 220C two-hour lab), then please avoid taking CH 120K.

   

Prerequisite Updates - Spring 2025

A few courses have outdated prerequisites on the Course Schedule or have modified prereqs for the Summer. See Course Schedule for all other course offerings and prerequisites.

No waiver is required to register for the following. The prereqs listed below will be enforced & checked after registration.

All BS Nutrition degrees have a Nutrition Research requirement (3 or 6 credit hours). Your specific degree option and catalog year determine the requirement and approved course options. See your Degree Audit for more information. Due to some newer course numbers, please also review the following for reference and instructions for reserved classes.

For BSA: all of these courses can count for upper-division/additional NTR hours.

BS Nutrition, Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD): Beginning with 2022-2024 and later catalogs, 6 credit hours are required selected from two specific options. For 20-22 and earlier catalogs, 3 credit hours are required from an approved list. See Degree Audit.
Note ICPD does not have this requirement, so this could be delayed if you plan to apply. Although, gaining some research experience with a faculty lab can be very helpful for your application!

• (A) NTR 327L Advanced Food Science and one course from a list: one NTR 365 topic (see tab below), or NTR 355 Undergrad Research (see tab below), 355H, 379H, or 353
• (B) NTR 365 Topic 5 and NTR 365L Community Engagement sequence ("Gardening Class")
  • Two-semester sequence that begins in Fall semesters only. See promo video from last year and the NTR 365 tab below for details! Note this typically conflicts with NTR 334/234L Foodservice Mgmt, so plan accordingly in separate years.
     

NTR Courses

See your Interactive Degree Audit for your specific requirement and approved classes for your degree option.
 

NTR 355 Undergraduate Research in Nutrition: 
Pre-Approval Required to Register

• Restricted course: pre-approval via email required from supervising faculty to gain registration access. Course can be added later during add/drop times as needed.
  • Forward confirmation email from your supervising professor to Human Ecology Advising (headvising@austin.utexas.edu). 
  • Must include your EID and semester that you are approved to register for NTR 355.
• Look up NTR Faculty Research Areas. Initiate contact via email to ask if they have any opportunities for you to help in their lab for NTR 355 credit. Become familiar with their research before reaching out, and consider being available to volunteer a bit before doing it for credit.
• Depending on the nature of the lab, extensive training may be involved and there may or may not be availability for a one-semester commitment. Typically "wet labs" (ex. cancer cell research) may prefer that you have multiple semesters available to be in their lab.
• BS Dietetics (20-22 and earlier): NTR 355 is allowed to count for 3 hrs Nutrition Research.

NTR 366L Research Methods in Nutritional Sciences

• Prereq: NTR 126L with C- or better
• Typically offered Fall and Spring. No pre-approval required.
• BS Option II Nutritional Sciences (20-22 and later catalogs): NTR 366L is a required course, plus 3 additional research hours from approved list on your Degree Audit.

NTR 327L Advanced Food Science Laboratory (previously NTR 324 & 124L). Wr & II Flags

• Typically offered Fall and Spring. No pre-approval required.
• Check your Degree Audit to see if this is an option for your degree.
• Prerequisites: NTR 307, 107L, NTR 326 with C- or better
  • The NTR 337 prereq listed in Course Schedule is NOT enforced. 

NSC 325 CNS Inventor's Program: Food Systems & Sustainability #47810 

• See the CNS Inventor's website for more details and a flyer attached here. In Austin alone, 1.24 million pounds of food are wasted daily, while 14.4% of residents face food insecurity. We believe there’s real potential to make a lasting, positive impact on our food system. 
• How can this count?
  • BS degrees (except HANS): Counts in place of NTR 355 for any BS Nutrition degree research requirement
  • BSA: 3 hours additional nutrition 

NTR 365L Experiential Learning in Community Engagement ("gardening class" part two)
Part two of the two-semester Fall and Spring sequence: NTR 365.5 & NTR 365L.

This course involves learning how to build a community garden, and implementing a garden and nutrition lessons at a local elementary school!

• See the NTR 365 Topics tab for more details about this sequence.
• Course sequence begins in Fall semesters only (NTR 365.5 & NTR 365L)
• Promo video (from last year; ignore the specific dates). See below for clarification on how this can count depending on catalog and degree option: 
  https://prezi.com/v/view/OFarMCdzQacPaLhug9Lu/
   
• How will this count towards my degree? 
  • 20-22 or earlier catalogs:
    • BS Nutrition (except HANS): NTR 365 topic and 3 hrs Nutrition Research. This will count even though this particular topic/course numbers are not listed on the Degree Audits.
    • BSA Nutrition: 6 hrs upper division NTR
    • For HANS: 6 hrs additional nutrition or upper-division elective 
  • 22-24 catalog:
    • BS Nutrition Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD): fulfills all 6 hrs Nutrition Research
    • BSA: 6 hrs additional Nutrition

NTR 352 Field Experience in Nutrition: 
Pre-Approval Required

• See your Degree Audit to confirm if this is an available option for your degree plan.
• Pre-approval via email required from supervising professor to gain registration access for this course. 
  • Send confirmation email to Human Ecology Advising (headvising@austin.utexas.edu). 
  • This can be added later during add/drop as needed.
• This course has online assignments throughout the semester while you are volunteering a certain # of hours per week in the community or assisting a faculty member with a project. You must find a NTR professor to agree to supervise for this credit. 
  
  
   

Some NTR courses are taught in the fall semester only or spring semester only.  NTR courses not listed below are typically offered every fall and spring. 

Please note these are subject to change, and course offerings must be confirmed on the Course Schedule each semester before you register.

Fall Semester Only

• NTR 316 Culture & Food (Global Cultures flag)
• NTR 321 International Nutrition: Developing World*
• NTR 365 Topics: can vary each year
  • NTR 365 Sports Nutrition: typically Fall-only
  • NTR 365 Nutrition & Genes: offered Fall 2024. Typically spring-only in the past, but likely Fall-only moving forward.
  • NTR 365 Topic 5: Principles & Applications in Community Engagement: Two-semester sequence that starts in a Fall semester only (both NTR 365.5 & NTR 365L required). See more details under the NTR 365 Topics tab.
• NTR 371 Medical Nutrition Therapy II 
  • Could be taken before NTR 370 during senior year if needed.
    
     

Spring Semester Only

• NTR 331 International Nutrition: Social & Environmental Policies*
• NTR 365 Obesity & Metabolic Health: typically Spring-only 
• NTR 370 Medical Nutrition Therapy I 
  • Could be taken after NTR 371 if you are in your senior year.
• NTR 365L Experiential Learning in Community Engagement:
  • Part two of required Fall & Spring sequence. Both NTR 365.5 & NTR 365L required. See NTR 365 Topics tab for more details.

*NTR 321 and NTR 331 are different topics of International Nutrition. They count as separate courses and would each count as 3 hours of upper-division NTR credit.
 

The Course Schedule prerequisites are typically outdated for these. No waiver required to register. The prerequisites listed below will be checked and enforced.

20-22 and prior catalogs: Any topic can fulfill a "NTR 365" requirement for BS degrees.

• BS DPD & Nutritional Sciences: note the NTR 337 course was replaced with NTR 339L (it's not a lab)

22-24 catalog: See your Interactive Degree Audit for requirements and any specific exclusions.

Fall Only (typically):

• NTR 365 Sports Nutrition:  C- or better NTR 326 
• NTR 365 Nutrition & Genes: C- or better NTR 326
• NTR 365 Topic 5 Principles & Applications in Community Engagement ("gardening class"):
  • Part one of two-semester Fall and Spring sequence. Both NTR 365.5 and NTR 365L are required. More details below.

NTR 365 Busting Myths topic is reserved for Liberal Arts Plan II students only.
 

Spring Only (typically):

• NTR 365 Obesity & Metabolic Health: C- or better NTR 326
• NTR 365L Experiential Learning in Community Engagement: 
  • Part two of two-semester fall and spring gardening class sequence. Both NTR 365.5 and NTR 365L are required. More details below.

NTR 365.5 & NTR 365L Community Engagement Sequence
("gardening class")

This is an exciting experiential learning course that provides experience in building/implementing a school garden in a public school setting and teaching nutrition-related lessons to elementary kids and parents! The overall goal of this course is to teach students how to implement gardening, cooking, and nutrition lessons within a school or community environment as a way to improve nutrition and health in youth and communities. 

This is a two-semester Fall and Spring sequence which begins in Fall semesters only. Both semesters are required: NTR 365 Topic 5 (fall) & NTR 365L (spring).

See promo video from last year by the instructor with more information and student feedback about the course! Ignore the last year's dates, but it's the same course layout:

https://prezi.com/v/view/OFarMCdzQacPaLhug9Lu/

Please also see below for clarification about how this can count depending on your degree catalog.

• Fall 2024: NTR 365 Topic 5: Principles & Applications in Community Engagement (#51930) and
• Spring 2025: NTR 365L Experiential Learning in Community Engagement 

NTR 365.5 & NTR 365L Community Engagement Sequence ("gardening class")

This is an exciting experiential learning course that provides experience in building/implementing a school garden in a public school setting and teaching nutrition-related lessons to elementary kids and parents! The overall goal of this course is to teach students how to implement gardening, cooking, and nutrition lessons within a school or community environment as a way to improve nutrition and health in youth and communities. 

It is a two-semester Fall and Spring sequence which begins in Fall semesters only. Both semesters are required: NTR 365 Topic 5 (fall) & NTR 365L (spring).

See promo video from last year by the instructor with more information and student feedback about the course! Ignore the last year's dates, but it's the same course layout:

https://prezi.com/v/view/OFarMCdzQacPaLhug9Lu/

Please also see below for clarification about how this can count depending on your degree catalog.

• Fall 2024: NTR 365 Topic 5: Principles & Applications in Community Engagement (#51930) and
• Spring 2025: NTR 365L Experiential Learning in Community Engagement 

The following courses are planned to be Fall Only:  TXA 317R, TXA 326, TXA 331E, TXA 325L, TXA 327C, TXA 331E, TXA 340T, TXA 360l, TXA 362T, TXA 363T, TXA 367D, and TXA 379R.  

TXA 316L Apparel I: restricted to TXA majors until Friday, April 19th. We will lift this restriction on April 19th. Non majors are encouraged to waitlist at that time.  

Please ask your assigned advisor if you are unsure if you meet prerequisites. If you are not a TXA major, please email: angela.patterson@austin.utexas.edu. 

Per the CNS Concurrent Enrollment Policy, students can not take any Math or Science course away from UT Austin during the Fall/Spring semesters that they are attending UT Austin. Science courses should be taken as soon as possible to avoid graduation delays!  

Students can take science courses away from UT during the summer.  Check correct equivalency before registering using the Automated Transfer Equivalency (ATE) database. 

Please note that the Chemistry requirement has changed for Textiles and Apparel students. We will now accept CH 304K or CH301N, and CH 305 or CH302N. 

We no longer require CH 301, 302, and 204. We will still accept these courses, however students will be given the option of taking CH304K or CH301N, and 305 or CH302N.

Please note: Please check back in the fall for updates to this policy and dates.  The following policy is for Human Ecology courses only. For all courses, contact the department advising center offering the course.

• Through the 4th day of school: You may add yourself to classes using the online registration system, and the online waitlists will remain active.  Contacting the professor or your advisor doesn't help to bypass the waitlist process.
• After the 4th day: the online waitlist is no longer used and you must follow the late add policy listed below...