Public Health
Public health professionals work behind the scenes to promote a healthy environment and prevent people from getting sick or hurt. This is sometimes achieved by encouraging healthy behaviors or by investigating patterns that could cause disease or injuries. For instance, a public health professional may work to create job safety protocols or develop a nutrition program for schools.
UTSA’s Public Health Program
UTSA’s Public Health degree is for those who are interested in gaining knowledge and skills in a variety of healthcare related areas like biostatistics, environmental science, health and public administration, epidemiology and health behavior. The degree program is designed to prepare you for jobs in local, state and national government health agencies, corporate wellness programs and voluntary health agencies.
At UTSA, Public Health is divided into two concentrations: Epidemiology and Disease Control (offered by the Department of Sociology in COLFA) and Health Promotion and Behavioral Science (offered by the Department of Kinesiology, Health, and Nutrition in COEHD). Concentrations are declared after you’ve been admitted and have met with your academic advisor.
Academic Information:
College
College for Health, Community & PolicyDepartment
Department of Kinesiology, Health, & Nutrition Department of SociologyDegrees Offered
Careers in Public Health
Top job titles for Public Health graduates include:
• Healthcare Administrator
• Health Educator
• Social Science Researcher
• Epidemiologist
• Human Service Assistant
• Policy Analyst
Public Health and its related career pathways are currently in average demand in San Antonio in the 2018-2019 financial year. US States/Regions with high demand for related jobs include Boston, MA, Baltimore, MD and Washington D.C. More than 144,000 Public health-related job opportunities existed nationwide in 2018-19.
Career Resources
UTSA’s University Career Center offers several resources to help students identify and develop the global skills necessary to successfully pursue and achieve lifelong career goals.
Please note that there are additional admission requirements that need to be met in order to be admitted into this major. View all of UTSA’s specific admission requirements here.
Industries for Public Health Graduates
Public Health is a widely applicable major as businesses and organizations across several industries require staff and services related to this major. The industries that posted the largest number of public health-related positions over 2018-19 included:
• General Hospitals
• Insurance Carriers
• Higher Education
• Government
• Scientific Research
• Physicians’ Offices
Salaries for Public Health Graduates
The salary range for open public health-related positions in the US between November 2018 and October 2019 were:
| lowest 10% | $37,160 |
| median | $56,007 |
| top 10% | $99,355 |
Source: Burning Glass
Skills and Interests for Public Health Majors
While many skills and interests translate to potential careers as a Public Health graduate, some are more commonly sought after than others. Public Health may be a good fit for you if:
• You enjoy communicating ideas
• You enjoy learning
• You enjoy working with others
• You are a good planner
• You are well organized