Undergraduate Majors

With more than 40 majors to choose from, our curriculum offers you unparalleled opportunity to pick your path and find the right fit for you, whether you’re interested in Natural Sciences and Mathematics or Social Sciences, or Humanities like History and English are more your style. 

Many of our majors also offer opportunities for internships and co-ops both locally and nationally, study abroad and service learning, where you make real-world impact on your community.

If you’re not sure which major is right for you, you’re not alone. Many incoming students aren’t sure with path is the right one—which may be why many of our first-year students choose our Exploratory Studies Program. Through Exploratory Studies, you’ll learn more about what each major has to offer, and whether it’s right for you. 

Relink Programs

Replace with your text

 

Return to list

Why study Public Health?

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health, at the University of Cincinnati (UC), integrates key aspects of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, communities and individuals.  The interdisciplinary public health program is a collaboration of multiple colleges, at UC, working together to develop high quality public health professionals that will be able to work with communities, organizations and individuals to protect, maintain and enhance quality of life. 

This program will not only prepare students for entry level public health jobs, it will also prepare students for various science-focused and public health graduate programs, including epidemiology, environmental health, healthcare leadership/administration, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, social work, and other health-related professions. Students in this program will increase their awareness of emerging issues in public health, the social and behavioral aspects of preventing disease, environmental health concepts, the changing U.S. health care system and the monitoring of diseases in the community through their study of applied public health research.

All graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national certification exam to become certified health education specialists (CHES).

Concentrations coming soon!

Public health professionals must be good communicators and like working with people. They need to be able to comfortably speak to individuals and groups and must have excellent writing skills. Further, those majoring in public health are usually committed to their own health and are excited about helping others improve theirs. Creativity is a real plus for public health professionals, as it often takes creative thinking to motivate and help individuals or communities to change health behaviors.

Career Possibilities

Graduates of this program can work in a variety of settings including public health departments, health organizations, non-profit organizations, voluntary health agencies, hospitals and insurance companies.

Potential career opportunities include:

  • Public Health Practitioner
  • Health Educator
  • Research Coordinator
  • Health Services Administrator
  • Epidemiologist
  • Prevention Specialist
  • Health Care Administrator

Minoring in Public Health

We offer a minor in Public Health.

UC Advantages and Special Opportunities

Opportunities for internships are outstanding in the Greater Cincinnati area. Internship locations include Northern Kentucky Health Department, American Heart Association, Cincinnati Health Department, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cradle Cincinnati, PreventionFIRST!, TriHealth, The Center for Closing the Health Gap and other outstanding companies and agencies.

Another advantage of studying at UC is the fact that the public health program is offered at the undergraduate and masters levels. This provides students with the opportunity to obtain advanced degrees and to interact with graduate-level public health students.

All graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national certification exam to become certified health education specialists (CHES). The Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) examination is a competency-based tool used to measure possession, application, and interpretation of knowledge in the Seven Areas of Responsibility for Health Education Specialists. There is a 90-Day Eligibility Option offered to students scheduled to graduate within 90 days of the exam date, please speak with an Academic Advisor regarding this opportunity.

Special Programs

Eta Sigma Gamma
ESG is a national student health education honorary organization with a chapter (Gamma Eta) at UC. The mission of the honorary is to promote the discipline of health education by elevating the standards, ideals, competence and ethics of professionally prepared men and women in health education.

Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health - Gamma Rho Chapter
This organization strives to preserve, promote, and improve the health and well-being of the vulnerable populations, communities, and individuals in the Tristate area and Greater Cincinnati. To fulfill this mission, we foster collaborations among the public health and health professions in education, research, and service.

Global Public Health Brigades
GPHB strives to increase the quality of life of impoverished rural communities locally and abroad. This will be accomplished through student brigades to different communities, focusing on education about global and public health.

Healthcats
Healthcats is a pre-health student organization that focuses on health promotion, volunteerism, and undergraduate collaboration in the Cincinnati community. We strive to create an environment where students are able to learn about different healthcare career paths and apply teamwork skills through a variety of health-related group volunteer events. Our general body meetings aim to share opportunities and information with our members that may advance their undergraduate careers, as well as foster relationships between pre-health students that they may utilize in their future professional endeavors.

Admission Requirements

Freshmen applicants, please visit the Admission Requirements page for more information.

Transferring to UC Requirements

Admission to this program is generally available for students transferring to the University of Cincinnati if they were admissible directly from high school and have a 2.0 cumulative GPA (all prior institutions combined).

Students who were NOT admissible directly from high school must have:

  • 24 semester (36 quarter) hours earned
  • at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA (all prior institutions combined)

Changing Majors within UC Requirements

Admission to this program is generally available for University of Cincinnati students enrolled in other colleges of the University of Cincinnati if they were admissible directly from high school and have a 2.0 cumulative GPA (UC and any prior institutions combined).

Students who were NOT admissible directly from high school must have:

  • 24 semester (36 quarter) hours earned
  • at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA (UC and any prior institutions combined)

International Student Requirements

International students should contact the University of Cincinnati Office of Admissions for details. 513-556-1100.

Application Deadlines

Fall Semester

Freshmen:

  • Early Action Deadline: Dec. 1*
  • Rolling Deadline: Feb 1
  • Confirmation Deadline: May 1

* Your application must be complete by this date in order to be considered for scholarships and the Honors Program.

Transfers:

  • Rolling Deadline: July 1
  • Confirmation Deadline: Aug. 1

Spring Semester

Freshmen and Transfers: 

  • Rolling Deadline: Nov. 1
  • Confirmation Deadline: Dec. 1

Summer Semester

Freshmen and Transfers: 

  • Application Deadline: March 1
  • Confirmation Deadline: April 1

Accreditation

The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Quick Facts

BS in Public Health

Full-Time Program Duration

4.0 Years

Location

East Campus

Interest Areas:

Medicine & Health

Politics, Law & Social Justice

Contact

Medical Sciences Building
231 Albert Sabin Way
 Cincinnati, OH 45221-0552
Phone: (513) 558-2589
Alcy Barakat
alcy.barakat@uc.edu