Bachelor of Science - Public Health

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The School of Public and Community Health Sciences (SPCHS) offers a 120-credit Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Public Health. Students will select one of three concentrations, depending on their educational and career aspirations – general public health, community health and prevention sciences, or global public health.

CONCENTRATIONS

General Public Health Concentration

With a BS in Public Health (generalist concentration), graduates can work in fields related to epidemiology, biostatistics, policy development, environmental health, and public health law and ethics.

Community Health and Prevention Sciences Concentration

Students within the community health and prevention sciences concentration will be prepared to work in a variety of settings, including non-profit health organizations, public health departments, worksite wellness programs, college and university human resource and wellness programs, and community-based health agencies.

Global Public Health Concentration

Global public health concentration students will be provided with the tools needed to work internationally, specifically work related to public health issues in developing countries.


ACCREDITATION

Our BS in Public Health is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), an independent agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit schools of public health, and public health programs outside schools of public health. We are the only CEPH accredited public health program in the state of Montana.

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DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Degree requirements for each concentration, as well as general education requirements, are listed in the UM Catalog.

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FACULTY

We have 15 core faculty working in areas of: epidemiology, environmental health, community health, physical therapy, aging, American Indian and Alaska Native health, mental health, nutrition and chronic disease prevention, maternal-child health, childhood obesity and diabetes prevention, community-based participatory research, policy and practice related to trauma and secondary traumatic stress, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, adverse childhood experiences, and more.

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ADVISING

Academic advising is critical to student success at University of Montana (UM). All undergraduate students are required to meet with their advisor at least once each semester to review educational progress, discuss future plans, and secure schedule approval prior to registration. Students are encouraged to schedule additional meetings for information and guidance on dropping and/or adding courses, changing/declaring majors/other academic pursuits, exploring available resources, and ensuring that graduation requirements are met.

Academic advising for the BS in Public Health degree program is provided by Aimee Elliott. To schedule an appointment with Aimee, please email Aimee.Elliott@umontana.edu or call 406-243-2112.


INTERNSHIPS

An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent (National Association of Colleges and Employers-NACE).

Students pursuing a BS in Public Health will complete a 3-credit internship, typically during their final year of study. For more information about public health internships, please contact Aimee Elliott, Aimee.Elliott@umontana.edu, 406-243-2112.


PUBLIC HEALTH JOBS

In partnership with the Montana Public Health Training Center, the School of Public and Community Health Sciences provides a centralized resource for public health employment and internship opportunities in Montana.

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PUBLIC HEALTH STUDENT ASSOCIATION

The mission of the Public Health Student Association is to serve as a forum for interaction between alumni and students in the public health programs.

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PATHWAY PROGRAM WITH SALISH KOOTENAI COLLEGE

Students graduating from the Salish Kootenai College’s Health Promotion Practices AA degree program can enroll in our BS in Public Health degree program as an upper-division student (junior standing) to further study behavioral health promotion and public and community health/prevention sciences. To view the 4-year degree plan, please click here. Please contact Kindra McQuillan (kindra_mcquillan@skc.edu) at SKC, Blakely Brown (Blakely.Brown@umontana.edu) or Maja Pedersen (maja.pedersen@mso.umt.edu) at UM for additional information.


PUBLIC HEALTH COURSE FEE

Undergraduate public health courses require a $25 Public Health Course Fee per credit hour.  In addition, all asynchronous, web-based courses are assessed an online learning fee of $50 per credit hour.


CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT

Code of Student Conduct


We would love to hear from you. For more information, contact:

Academic Advisor
Aimee Elliott aimee.elliott@umontana.edu
Phone: (406) 243-2112

Chair and Professor
Tony Ward tony.ward@umontana.edu
Phone: (406) 243-4092