Introduction
Improve Health and Prevent Disease Across Communities
Prepare for a career in which you help decrease the incidence of disease, increase life expectancy, and improve the health of individuals and communities around the world.
The undergraduate public health program at UAlbany is interdisciplinary by design and accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.
As you gain knowledge of the sciences, sociology, psychology, economics, and politics of public health problems, you learn different approaches to increasing the wellness of diverse populations.
Courses are taught by public health researchers and practitioners, some of whom hold appointments with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), so your program is practical, up-to-date, and taught by passionate public health experts.
Program of Study
Core Courses
General Biology: Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics
Elementary Statistics
Introduction to Public Health
Concepts in Epidemiology
Global Environmental Issues and their Effect on Human Health
Introduction to Biostatistics
Promoting Healthy People and Communities
How the U.S. Health Care Works: Myths and Realities
Biological Basis of Personal and Public Health
Evidence-Based Public Health
Public Health Electives
Three or more courses and/or fieldwork placements. You can take electives across multiple disciplines or select courses in one area to support a particular career goal. Sample courses are listed below by topic.
Policy and Management
Health Care in the United States: Key Policy Issues
Introduction to Emergency Health Preparedness and Response
Communication in Health Care Organizations
Financial Management of Healthcare Institutions
Social Behavior and Community Health
Mass Media and Health Behavior
Health Communication
Preventing Disease, Disability, and Premature Death
Health Psychology
Epidemiology
The City and Human Health
From Cholera to Cancer: History, Challenges, and Achievements in Public Health
Principles and Methods of Epidemiology I and II
Computer Programming for Data Management and Analysis in Public Health
Medical Sociology
Biomedical and Environmental Health Sciences
Introduction to Environmental Health
Culture, Environment, and Health
Environmental Laboratory Perspectives in Public Health
Biological Basis of Public Health
Human Population
Research and internships
As a public health major at UAlbany, you can pursue internships and research opportunities on the Health Sciences Campus, with community organizations, and in government agencies including the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) – all located right here in New York’s capital city.
Students have interned at the NYSDOH Bureau for Immunization, the UAlbany Cancer Research Center, and the NYSDOH AIDS Institute, and participated in faculty research related to health communications, opioid addiction, sustainable dairy farming, food pantry management, and health disparities.
Career paths in Public Health
Graduates entering the workforce typically apply for jobs with federal, state, and nonprofit public and environmental health agencies. Popular employers include:
New York State Department of Health
World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institutes of Health
Food and Drug Administration
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
Environmental Protection Agency
Alumni also pursue Peace Corps assignments and graduate school at UAlbany and other universities. Most obtain a master’s or doctorate in public health, but some earn degrees in medicine or occupational or physical therapy.
