Public Health Sciences

Program Overview

Our curriculum encompasses the identification and evaluation of health issues, as well as the development and implementation of effective interventions through a public health perspective, setting you on the path to a fulfilling career in this crucial sector.

• Hands-on practice: Engage in a capstone field experience with a community partner organization dedicated to enhancing population health, where you will develop valuable professional skills and actively contribute to a community's health.
• Professional experience: Through UVM's connections with local agencies and the UVM Medical Center, you will find abundant opportunities for observation, application of knowledge, and cultivation of important professional abilities.
• Foundation for graduate study: A significant number of our alumni advance to graduate studies in various health professions, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, pharmacy, healthcare administration, health law, and public health, pursuing diverse career paths that focus on improving the health of individuals and populations.

Accreditation

The UVM Public Health Sciences program (B.S.) received full five-year accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in September 2022. CEPH accreditation is nationally recognized as the quality standard of education and training in public health, awarded only to programs that meet lengthy, rigorous criteria, including intensive peer review to evaluate operating policies and practices. CEPH accreditation assures the quality of UVM’s Public Health Sciences (B.S.) Program to achieve excellence in practice, research, and service through collaboration with organizational and community partners.

Curriculum

The Public Health Sciences curriculum comprises 40 credits of core public health sciences courses, as well as additional credits in English, humanities, math/statistics, social/behavioral sciences, natural/applied sciences, and health-related electives. This comprehensive approach fosters a deep understanding of the health challenges both locally and globally.

Model Curriculum for Public Health Sciences

First Year

• Applications to Health
• Introduction to Public Health
• Social and Behavioral Science Elective
• Human Cell Biology
• Approved Health-Related Elective
• Mathematics/Statistics Elective
• Natural and Applied Science Elective
• Research Methods in Public Health

Sophomore Year

• Foundations of Global Health
• Elements of Statistics
• Approved Health-Related Elective
• Writing for Health and Equity
• Mathematics
• Health Promotion
• Healthcare and Public Health Systems in the U.S.
• Natural and Applied Science Elective
• Social and Behavioral Science Elective

Junior Year

• Epidemiology, Public Health, and Emerging Diseases
• Health Care Ethics
• Natural and Applied Science Elective
• Humanities Elective
• Free Elective
• Health Communication
• Approved Health-Related Elective

Senior Year

• Health Promotion Program Planning and Evaluation
• Social and Behavioral Science Elective
• Approved Health-Related Elective
• Free Elective
• Mathematics Course
• Natural and Applied Science Elective
• Capstone
• Writing for Health Professionals

Senior Capstone Field Experience

In the field of Public Health, the community serves as our laboratory. You will have the chance to engage in a full-semester service-learning placement with a community partner organization dedicated to enhancing population health. Past UVM community partners include Rise VT, Northern Vermont Area Health Education Center, Pride Center of Vermont, Bayada Hospice, and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.

Admissions

Admission requirements align with the general university criteria, but also stipulate that candidates must have completed high school biology, mathematics up to trigonometry or precalculus, and chemistry; taking physics is strongly advised.

Transfer Student Information Sessions

Information sessions for transfer students are offered to both UVM students and those from other institutions who are considering transferring into the College of Nursing and Health Sciences programs.

Accelerated 3+3 Degree in Occupational Therapy 

The UVM Public Health Sciences program offers customized educational experiences, guided internships, and research opportunities to equip students for careers or advanced studies in the field. It serves as an excellent pathway to UVM's 3+3 Occupational Therapy Doctorate and Master’s in Public Health degrees.

Outcomes

Student Capstone Addresses Rural Emergency Response Needs

Public Health Sciences graduate Owen St. Aubin ’25 transformed a senior capstone project into a community impact initiative, improving emergency response capacity in his rural hometown through first aid training, EMS support, and critical equipment upgrades. Read more about Owen's experience

Where Can a Public Health Sciences Degree Take You?

A degree in Public Health Sciences from UVM opens the door to a wide range of impactful careers that improve lives and strengthen communities. 

Career Paths for Graduates

UVM alumni pursue meaningful work in diverse settings, including:

• Public Health Departments & Government Agencies
  Shape policy, manage health programs, and respond to community health needs.
• Research Institutions & Think Tanks
  Conduct studies that inform public health strategies and innovations.
• Nonprofits & International NGOs
  Support global health initiatives and advocate for underserved populations.
• Hospitals, Clinics & Community Health Centers
  Promote wellness and disease prevention at the local level.
• Schools, Universities & Corporate Wellness Programs
  Educate, lead, and design programs that foster healthier environments.

Prepare for What’s Next

This degree also provides a strong foundation for graduate and professional programs in:

• Medicine
• Nursing
• Public Health
• Health Policy

Whether you're passionate about epidemiology, health education, or global health, UVM’s Public Health Sciences program equips you with the knowledge and skills to make a real-world impact.

Costs and Funding

Discover information on tuition and scholarship opportunities.

More

You'll have the chance to build personal relationships with experts in public health. Often, faculty members welcome students to collaborate on their research projects.Meet our faculty