Public health is the science and art of promoting health, preventing disease and injury, and prolonging life through organized efforts of society. Public health activities focus on entire populations rather than on individual patients, and public health professionals monitor and diagnose the health concerns of entire communities and promote healthy practices and behaviors to assure our populations stay healthy.

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) prepares students through didactic and practice experiences to apply core principles of public health education within a variety of community settings and to advance the public health profession.  The BSPH program seeks to fulfill the Department of Public Health Science’s vision: “Healthy communities partnered with responsive population health systems.”  To support the department’s mission, “Advancing health equity and well-being in an urbanizing world,” the BSPH program develops leaders in evidence-based practice who advance the public’s health.  The program values collaboration, community engagement, diversity, innovation, professionalism, health equity, and social justice in its pursuit of attaining the highest possible standards of health and well-being.

The BSPH program is designed to prepare scholar-practitioners with knowledge and skills in the core concepts of public health, including health behavior, research and statistics in health, environmental health, epidemiology, and health administration, as well as in the planning, evaluation, organization, and conduct of community and public health services. The planned course of study adopts an interdisciplinary focus and includes the development of tailored skills through the successful completion of a minor, electives, and experiential learning. The program prepares students who are interested in pursuing health-related careers in health promotion, program delivery, health communication, community organization, and behavior change for entry level to mid-level positions in service and research in health departments, public health agencies, community-based organizations, outreach education programs, hospitals, private health organizations, and corporate wellness settings. The program is designed to appeal to students with interests in “population” rather than “clinical” health. Continued study in the Department of Public Health Sciences is also an option for those interested in graduate degrees in Public Health or Health Administration. For details on these programs, see the UNC Charlotte Graduate Catalog.