Bachelor's Degree

Start your journey to protect the health of populations

The COVID-19 pandemic has put public health in the global spotlight and emphasized the need for a strong and dynamic public health workforce. In addition to tackling infectious diseases like COVID-19, public health professionals strive to promote health and well-being across populations and communities.

While clinicians such as nurses or physicians focus on treating individuals, public health practitioners apply quantitative, social, and biological science tools – plus tools from almost every other field – to address the health needs of entire populations.

Are you ready to become a public health leader?

Pitt Public Health has a long history of preparing generations of leaders to meet the needs of our communities. We are excited to launch a new Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) degree, expanding into undergraduate education.

The BSPH is a four-year degree program that provides students with a foundation in the key disciplines of public health while incorporating active learning activities. BSPH students learn about today’s most pressing public health topics, including climate change, precision public health, health equity, and the role of technology and innovation in health promotion.

Students gain on-the-ground experience through the program’s unique service-learning component. Every BSPH student works in the community to directly engage with populations and get a firsthand look at how their coursework translates into real-world settings.

Minimize Frequently Asked questions about the Bsph program

Some of our current BSPH course offerings

  • Fundamentals of Public Health is the foundation for your future in public health. It provides an overview of key public health concepts and applications. 
  • Genes, Cells, and Communities: Introduction to Public Health Biology introduces you to the biological basis of the most pressing global public health challenges of the 21st century.
  • Essentials of Health Equity: Exploring Social and Structural Determinants of Health engages students in a critical exploration of the intersectionality of health disparities.
  • Public Health Threats in Suriname: From Ecosystem to Human Health provides an opportunity to learn about global public health and environmental health threats in a developing country.
  • Introduction to Global Health covers fundamental concepts in global public health, including the relationships among health status, education, and poverty, and cross-cutting issues such as culture, ethics and human rights.
  • Introduction to Public Health Biostatistics provides an overview of statistical methods used in public health practice and research, and hands-on training in statistical application methods.  
  • Introduction to Community-Based Approaches to Public Health explores how community and cultures impact health and well-being, and the importance of community engagement.
  • Introduction to Environmental Health Sciences covers fundamental concepts of environmental the processes, exposures, agents, and disparities influencing disease progression. 
  • Introduction to Epidemiology introduces the data-driven science of understanding the health of populations and the prevention and control of diseases. 
  • Introduction to Health Policy and Management provides a framework for understanding the social, political, legal, and economic dimensions of the U.S. health care and public health systems. 

View schedule of classes

Are you an undergraduate student passionate about global health?

Surinam program


Pitt Public Health is offering a one-of-a-kind experience to work directly with Dean Maureen Lichtveld and other faculty in Suriname, a small country on the northeastern coast of South America. Suriname’s vast swaths of tropical rainforest are under threat from climate change and environmental contamination.  Through this hands-on program, you will earn three college credits and 20 service learning hours. Be a part of the solution and apply to Public Health Threats in Suriname:  From Ecosystem to Human Health today!  

So you want to study public health? 

Read through our commonly asked questions to get your journey started. Reach out to us if you have additional inquiries! 

Contact Mara Leff with questions or for more information. 

Mara Leff (BCHS '16)
Adjunct Faculty and Director of Undergraduate Curriculum 


Apply now!

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Na Bo wins ASA Student Paper Award 

Na Bo wins ASA Student Paper Award

Congratulations to Na Bo (BIOST '25) who won the 2022 ASA Student Paper Award, LiDS section, for her paper titled "A Meta-Learner Framework to Estimate Individualized Treatment Effects for Survival Outcomes".  Winners receive a cash prize to cover expenses for the Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM) c... (02/08/2022)
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Dean’s Day 2022 DEI Award, Master’s Category: Emily Arthur 

Dean’s Day 2022 DEI Award, Master’s Category: Emily Arthur

EPI student Emily Arthur won the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award, Masters Level for the project, “Maternal Health in Rural Virginia”. (05/09/2022)
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Dean’s Day 2022 Rosenkranz Award: Bethany Flage  

Dean’s Day 2022 Rosenkranz Award: Bethany Flage

IDM student Bethany Flage won the Rosenkranz Award for the project, “Heme as a causative factor for Plasmodium falciparum sexual commitment”. (05/09/2022)
View more student profiles & news