Where will the future take you?
A degree from Pitt Public Health opens doors to opportunities at some of the world’s most respected organizations and institutions. You will be prepared to make an impact through public health practice, research, policy and education while contributing to a future in which everyone has the opportunity to achieve better health.
Learn more about which career path is right for you.
- Behavioral and Community Health Sciences
Behavioral and Community Health Sciences graduates pursue careers in public health, health care, government and nonprofit organizations at the local, state, national and international levels. Graduates lead and support community health initiatives through program planning, implementation, evaluation, management and research, working to improve health outcomes and advance health equity across diverse populations.
Graduate career examples include:
- Regional director, Pennsylvania Department of Health
- Director, statewide HIV/AIDS education program
- Health coach, UPMC Health Plan
- Program director, international relief agency
- Evaluation and research director, regional reproductive health program
- Research and evaluation specialist, City of Pittsburgh school district
- Health and wellness coordinator, Gwen's Girls, Inc.
- Biostatistics and Health Data Science
Biostatistics and Health Data Science
Advances in areas such as genomics, neuroimaging and bioinformatics continue to drive demand for skilled biostatisticians. Pitt Public Health graduates pursue careers in academia, government, health care, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and other research-intensive industries, applying statistical methods to improve health and advance scientific discovery.
MS graduates hold positions such as:
- Opioid compliance specialist, Pennsylvania Department of Health
- Actuarial analyst, Highmark Health
- Biostatistician, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Statistician, Mayo Clinic
- Business analyst, PNC Financial Services
- Biostatistician, University of Pittsburgh Department of Critical Care Medicine
- Biostatistician, University of Pittsburgh Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Data analyst, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy
- Statistician, University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work
Health Data Science Concentration
The Health Data Science concentration prepares graduates to meet the growing demand for health care analytics professionals through interdisciplinary training in statistics, computing and data science. Graduates are prepared for careers with organizations such as Google, RAND, Highmark Health and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Statistical and Computational Genomics Concentration
Statistical and computational genomics is a rapidly evolving field that combines statistics, biology and data science to advance precision medicine and population health. Graduates are prepared for careers as statistical geneticists, genomic data scientists and bioinformaticians with organizations such as 23andMe, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, UPMC, the New York Genome Center and the National Institutes of Health.
PhD Program
PhD graduates pursue leadership roles in academia, government and industry, developing innovative statistical methods and addressing complex public health and biomedical research challenges.
- Environmental and Occupational Health
Doctoral degree graduates are prepared to work in laboratory-based academic settings as faculty or postdoctoral fellows and become prominent members of government agencies and independent industries. Recent graduates have obtained fellowships at:
- Top-tier academic institutions
- The National Institutes of Health
- The Environmental Protection Agency
- Firms conducting chemical and environmental risk assessment
Master's degree graduates play prominent roles as environmental/occupational health practitioners in various settings, including industry, hospitals, government agencies, and private practice.
- Epidemiology
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution, causes and prevention of diseases and health conditions in populations. Epidemiologists investigate risk factors, evaluate interventions and conduct research that informs public health practice, clinical care and health policy. Their work helps prevent disease, improve health outcomes and advance population health.
Graduates pursue careers with organizations such as:
- State, county and local health departments
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The National Institutes of Health
- The National Cancer Institute and National Institute on Aging
- Hospitals and health systems
- Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
- Medical, dental and public health schools
- Academic and research institutionsEpidemiology investigates the prevention and treatment of diseases and conditions through large-scale clinical trials and studies concerning lifestyle factors and identified risk for disease. The goal is to reduce disease and improve public health for future generations.
- Health Policy and Management
Health Policy and Management
Health Policy and Management graduates are prepared to lead and improve health care organizations, influence health policy and address complex public health challenges. Graduates work across health care, government, nonprofit and consulting sectors, applying management, policy and analytical skills to improve health outcomes, strengthen health systems and expand access to care.
Examples of career paths include:
Health Care Management
- Hospital and health system administration
- Medical group practice management
- Patient safety and quality improvement
- Long-term care administration
- Programs and services that improve access to care for underserved populations
Health Policy
- Administrative fellowships
- Health policy research and analysis
- Evaluating health care costs, quality and access
- Developing and implementing health policies and programs
- Legislative and government affairs
- Global health policy
- Addressing socioeconomic, geographic and racial disparities in health and health care
Consulting
- Health care consulting
- Insurance and managed care
- Strategic planning, operations and marketing
Graduates of Pitt Public Health's MPH and MHA programs also pursue doctoral study and careers in higher education, research, government and public service. Health policy and management graduates work in health care organizations, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and consulting firms, helping improve health systems, shape policy and expand access to care.
- Human Genetics
Graduates typically go on to positions in academia or in industry, and usually are employed by their graduation dates. Our alumni currently work in the academic, government, health care, and commercial sectors.
Their positions include:
- Associate professor, operations director, and senior lab director, Emory Genetics Laboratory
- Medical Science Liaison, Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc
- Medical policy analyst, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
- Project coordinator, Association of American Cancer Institutes
- Technology commercialization manager, Life Science Innovations
- Data coordinator, MacroGenics, Inc
- Research manager, Harris Interactive
- Clinical genetic counselor, Kaiser
- Associate director, Northwestern University Genetic Counseling Program
- Infectious Diseases & Microbiology
We train the next generation of scientists and public health professionals to enhance the control of infectious diseases in the human population. In fact, Pitt Public Health has made major contributions in defining, preventing and treating some of the most devastating diseases of the past 60 years. MS graduates are more competitive applicants for medical school and doctoral programs, as well as qualified researchers in academia, government and industry. Career-path examples in our two MPH concentrations and PhD programs are listed below.
MPH Infectious Diseases and One Health
Graduates hold the following positions:
- Data manager, EMMES Corporation
- Quality control associate, Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Physician’s assistant student, Yale University
- Genetic counselor, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- Public health specialist, Arizona State Health Department
- Epidemiology assistant, University of Maryland
MPH Infection Prevention
Graduates hold the following positions:
- Executive director, Open Door, Inc.
- PhD student, emerging infectious diseases, Uniformed Services University
- Emergency preparedness and public health educator, Monroe County Health Department, Michigan
- Research analyst, The Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
- Health Management Specialist, UPMC Health Plan
- Medical student, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University, Chicago
- Medical student, University of Rochester
- Medical student, Howard University
PhD Program
PhD graduates hold the following positions:
- Post-doctoral research fellow, HIV Critical Care Medicine Department
- Assistant professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, George Washington University, School of Public Health and Health Services
- Research assistant professor, Center for Global Health, University of New Mexico
- Associate service fellow, CDC
- Post-doctoral visiting fellow, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh
- Immunology sales specialist, Prolmmune, Inc.
- Post-doctoral fellow, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
- Director, NIH Academy Office of Intramural Training and Education