People who work in public health help communities prevent disease and improve health and wellbeing. The two concentrations, Health Sciences and Community Health/Health Promotion, prepare students for a variety of exciting public health careers.

Public Health: Take the Path to a Rewarding Career

If you’re looking for a fulfilling and meaningful career, the Bachelor of Science in Public Health is right for you. As a student, you’ll prepare for careers that promote wellness, prevent diseases and address health disparities on a local, national and global scale. 

Public Health Career Options

Earn a B.S. public health degree and gain the skills and knowledge to thrive as a community health professional, epidemiologist, medical and services manager and many other careers. Some of our students pursue graduate studies in public health and health sciences.

Stefany Campbell at the edge of a road holding a device to measure water samples

UMass Lowell graduates work in a variety of settings, including:

  • Community health centers
  • Local and state public health departments
  • Corporate wellness organizations
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Long-term care facilities
  • Hospitals
  • Technology sector
  • Academia
More Information on Public Health Careers

Year-by-Year Course Plan

Check out our degree pathways, which offer sample plans for completing your degree in four years.

For students who entered spring 2021 and beyond.

Freshman Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
ENGL.1010 /
HONR.1100
College Writing I /
First Year Seminar in Honors: Text in the City (CW)
3
HSCI.1010Human Anatomy and Physiology I (SCL)3
HSCI.1030Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory I1
HSCI.1051 /
HSCI.1060
Interprofessional Education First Year Seminar /
ZCHS Transfer Student Seminar
1
PUBH.1021Introduction to Public Health (SS)3
xxxx.xxxxArts and Humanities Perspective (AH)3
Total14

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
ENGL.1020College Writing II (CW)3
HSCI.1020Human Anatomy and Physiology II (SCL)3
HSCI.1040Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory II1
PUBH.2050Social Determinants of Health3
PUBH.2080Principles of Environmental Health Science3
xxxx.xxxxSocial Sciences Perspective (SS)3
Total16

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
PUBH.2090Technical Writing in Public Health1
PUBH.2040Introduction to Health Promotion3
PUBH.2070The U.S. Healthcare System3
MATH.xxxxMath Perspective (MATH)3
xxxx.xxxxArts and Humanities Perspective (AH)3
xxxx.xxxxScience Elective3
xxxx.xxxxScience Elective Lab1
Total17

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
HSCI.2110 /
BIOL.2010
Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis /
General Microbiology (STEM)
3
HSCI.2130 /
BIOL.2030L
Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Lab /
General Microbiology Laboratory
1
HSCI.2220Health and Disease Across the Lifespan3
PUBH.3010Introduction to Biostatistics3
xxxx.xxxxFree Elective3
xxxx.xxxxArts and Humanities Perspective (AH)3
Total16

Junior Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
HSCI.3080Global Health (SS), (DCA)3
HSCI.3400IPE Research Methods3
PUBH.3040Politics and Advocacy in Public Health3
xxxx.xxxxFree Elective3
xxxx.xxxxFree Elective3
Total15

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
PUBH.3011Program Planning in Health Promotion3
PUBH.3050Introduction to Epidemiology (QL), (IL)3
PUBH.3070Introduction to Public Health Policy3
xxxx.xxxxPublic Health Elective13
xxxx.xxxxPublic Health Elective13
Total15

Senior Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
PUBH.3020Health Communication (WOC)3
PUBH.3060Community Health Assessment (CTPS)3
PUBH.4010Public Health Senior Seminar (SRE)
3
PUBH.4011Implementation and Evaluation in Health Promotion3
xxxx.xxxxFree Elective3
Total15

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
PUBH.4140Program Management in Health3
PUBH.4100Public Health Capstone (AIL)6
xxxx.xxxxFree Elective3
Total12

Total Minimum Credits = 120

No more than two Breadth of Knowledge courses can be taken with the same prefix. The Core Curriculum courses may be taken in any sequence. Refer to the Core Curriculum policy for further details. You should meet with your faculty advisor to determine how you will meet the Core Curriculum requirements.

1Public Health Electives:

Current UMass Lowell students should be using their Advisement Report in SiS. If you need assistance, please contact your adviser.

Restriction on off-campus study:

Be advised that any course taken at another institution must be formally approved prior to enrollment.

See the catalog policy for details.

Breadth of Knowledge (BOK) Glossary

  • SS - Social Sciences Perspective - 9 credits
  • AH - Arts and Humanities Perspective - 9 credits
  • SCL - Sciences with Lab Perspective - 6-8 credits
  • STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Perspective - 3 credits
  • CW - College Writing I and II - 6 credits
  • MATH - Math Perspective - 3 credits

Read more about the Breadth of Knowledge requirements.

Essential Learning Outcomes (ELO) Glossary

  • AIL - Applied and Integrative Learning
  • CTPS - Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
  • DCA - Diversity and Cultural Awareness
  • IL - Information Literacy
  • QL - Quantitative Literacy
  • SRE - Social Responsibility and Ethics
  • WOC - Written and Oral Communication

Read more about the Essential Learning Outcomes.

For students who entered fall 2024 and beyond.

Freshman Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
ENGL.1010 /
HONR.1100
College Writing I /
First Year Seminar in Honors: Text in the City (CW)
3
HSCI.1010Human Anatomy and Physiology I (SCL)3
HSCI.1030Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory I1
HSCI.1051 /
HSCI.1060
Interprofessional Education First Year Seminar /
ZCHS Transfer Student Seminar
1
PUBH.1021Introduction to Public Health (SS)3
xxxx.xxxxArts and Humanities Perspective (AH)3
Total14

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
ENGL.1020College Writing II (CW)3
HSCI.1020Human Anatomy and Physiology II (SCL)3
HSCI.1040Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory II1
PUBH.2050Social Determinants of Health3
PUBH.2080Principles of Environmental Health Science3
xxxx.xxxxSocial Sciences Perspective (SS)3
Total16

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
HSCI.2510 /
CHEM.1210
Physiological Chemistry I /
Chemistry I (STEM)
3
HSCI.2530 /
CHEM.1230L
Physiological Chemistry Laboratory I /
Chemistry I Laboratory
1
NUTR.2060Human Nutrition3
PUBH.2070The U.S. Healthcare System3
xxxx.xxxxArts and Humanities Perspective (AH)3
xxxx.xxxxArts and Humanities Perspective (AH)3
Total16

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
HSCI.2110 /
BIOL.2010
Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis /
General Microbiology
3
HSCI.2130 /
BIOL.2030L
Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Lab /
General Microbiology Laboratory
1
HSCI.2520 /
CHEM.1220
Physiological Chemistry II /
Chemistry II
3
HSCI.2540 /
CHEM.1240L
Physiological Chemistry Laboratory II /
Chemistry II Laboratory
1
MATH.xxxxMath Perspective (MATH)3
PUBH.2040Introduction to Health Promotion3
Total14

Junior Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
HSCI.2220Health and Disease Across the Lifespan3
HSCI.3500Human Biochemistry3
PUBH.3010Introduction to Biostatistics3
PUBH.3070Introduction to Public Health Policy3
xxxx.xxxxFree Elective3
Total15

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
HSCI.3080Global Health (SS), (DCA)3
HSCI.3400IPE Research Methods3
PUBH.3100Infectious Disease (CTPS)3
PUBH.xxxxPublic Heath Elective13
xxxx.xxxxFree Elective3
Total15

Senior Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
PUBH.3050Introduction to Epidemiology (IL), (QL)3
PUBH.4010Public Health Senior Seminar (SRE)3
PUBH.xxxxPublic Health Elective13
xxxx.xxxxFree Elective3
xxxx.xxxxFree Elective3
Total15

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
PUBH.3020Health Communication (WOC)3
PUBH.4100Public Health Capstone (AIL)6
PUBH.4130Public Health Administration3
xxxx.xxxxFree Elective3
Total15

Total Minimum Credits = 120

1Public Health Electives:

No more than two Breadth of Knowledge courses can be taken with the same prefix. The Core Curriculum courses may be taken in any sequence. Refer to the Core Curriculum policy for further details. You should meet with your faculty advisor to determine how you will meet the Core Curriculum requirements.

Current UMass Lowell students should be using their Advisement Report in SiS. If you need assistance, please contact your adviser.

Restriction on off-campus study:

Be advised that any course taken at another institution must be formally approved prior to enrollment.

See the catalog policy for details.

Breadth of Knowledge (BOK) Glossary

  • SS - Social Sciences Perspective - 9 credits
  • AH - Arts and Humanities Perspective - 9 credits
  • SCL - Sciences with Lab Perspective - 6-8 credits
  • STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Perspective - 3 credits
  • CW - College Writing I and II - 6 credits
  • MATH - Math Perspective - 3 credits

Read more about the Breadth of Knowledge requirements.

Essential Learning Outcomes (ELO) Glossary

  • AIL - Applied and Integrative Learning
  • CTPS - Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
  • DCA - Diversity and Cultural Awareness
  • IL - Information Literacy
  • QL - Quantitative Literacy
  • SRE - Social Responsibility and Ethics
  • WOC - Written and Oral Communication

Read more about the Essential Learning Outcomes.

Upon completion of the B.S. degree program in Public Health at UMass Lowell, our graduates will be able to:

  1. Articulate critical public health problems and their causes, including an understanding of the environmental, social, behavioral, and biological factors influencing health. 
  2. Apply the basic concepts of data collection and analysis to health data.
  3. Identify and use evidence-based approaches to address population and community health needs. 
  4. Identify prevention strategies for a range of public health, applying critical analysis and reasoning skills to problem solving. 
  5. Apply the fundamental concepts of program assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation and management in a culturally appropriate fashion. 
  6. Evaluate the economic, historical, ethical, and political/legal contexts of public health problems and solutions and the challenges that practitioners face.
  7. Identify and access resources for researching public health problems and critically evaluate research.
  8. Use the public health-specific tools of communication.

Why study public health at UMass Lowell?

Public Health students at UMass Lowell collect water samples outdoors

Experiential Learning

Gain skills and career connections through learning experiences with our partner organizations, including: 

  • Premier healthcare facilities
  • Laboratories and clinics
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Government agencies
  • Health science industry  


UML Assoc. Teaching Prof. Arlee Dulak shows nursing student Fritza Jeudy a new anatomy model

Health Sciences Hub

Prepare for success in our Health Sciences Hub, a designated space in the Health and Social Sciences building where you can: 

  • Meet with your advisor
  • Get tutoring help
  • Access anatomical models
  • Attend workshops on topics such as nutrition, wellness and mental health
UMass Lowell student Nery Rodriguez reads with a child

Student Organizations

Put your learning into practice by joining student-run clubs and organizations, including:

  • Pre-Medical Organization
  • Pre-Physician Assistant Club 
  • Public Health Club
UMass Lowell student Rabia Haider

Career Connected Experience: The UMass Lowell Guarantee

Every first-time, first-year UMass Lowell student will have the opportunity to pursue at least one Career Connected Experience (internships, co-ops, clinical placements, service learning, study abroad and more) during their undergraduate career — earning pay, credits or both before they graduate.

Meet Our Students

Dan Howell conducting COVID testing in parking lot tent
Daniel Howell '16, '18
Public Health

Daniel Howell spent several years addressing the opioid epidemic in Lowell. Now, he’s working on a pandemic: COVID-19.

My professors made a point of steering me toward real-world experience.
Kate Killion loaded grocery bags onto sidewalk
Kate Killion '21
Public Health – Dietetics

Kate Killion came to UML because it’s the only university in New England that offers a dietetics degree with a public health perspective.

The UMass Lowell program really emphasizes the public health influences, even on individual health.
UMass Lowell student Jack Callahan stands outside along a canal and brick building in Lowell.
Jack Callahan '25
Public Health

Jack Callahan is pursuing a public health degree to improve the lives of as many people as possible.

UMass Lowell and the city of Lowell both have a strong sense of community.

Visit UMass Lowell

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ceph-bach-masters-accredited-logo.jpg  

UMass Lowell's Master of Public Health and BS programs are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. Visit the CEPH website for more information.

Add a Minor in Population Health Informatics and Technology

Pair the Public Health major with a minor in Population Health Informatics and Technology (PHIT) and gain solid knowledge in IT for solving public health problems. Join one of the fastest-growing fields of Health informatics and develop innovative ways of collecting, storing, analyzing, and sharing public health data.