The University of Texas at Austin Public Health Degrees
The University of Texas at Austin appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Bachelor’s in Public Health Degree Programs.
Students who are interested in a public health career have many academic options at the University of Texas at Austin. These include a four-year undergraduate degree as well as several programs at the graduate, doctoral and certificate levels.
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health program is suitable for preparing graduates to take on entry-level responsibilities. Students may choose between pursuing Option I, which is the basic public health program, Option II, which is the Public Health Honors program or Option III, which is the Advanced Program. Certain coursework is required for all three options. These classes include the public health core with courses such as Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health Sciences, and Global Health. All public health students additionally must complete foundational courses like Public Health, Microbiology and Nutrition and Physiology. Option I students also complete an assortment of mathematics, biology and chemistry courses. Then, they select an area of specialization. The six options are:
- Biostatistics and Public Health Informatics
- Environmental Health Sciences
- Health Policy and Management
- Infectious Diseases and Public Health Microbiology
- Nutrition
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
Students who select Option II, the Public Health Honors track, are required to enroll in honors-level math, biology, chemistry, and statistics. Their Rhetoric and Writing course must be a class that’s restricted to students in the Dean’s Scholars Honors Program, and these students must complete two semesters of the honors level Public Health class.
In the Option III track, undergraduate students commit to a five-year academic plan that has them graduating with a bachelor’s degree in public health as well as the Master of Public Health. The first year of the graduate degree program is completed during the senior year of the undergraduate degree, and an additional year is required to complete the second year of the graduate degree.
The Healthcare Management Degree Guide has named the University of Texas at Austin’s Master of Public Health program as the top basic professional degree in the field. With an MPH, students are prepared to take on management and supervisory roles in a variety of public health settings and organizations. Full-time students typically can complete the program in 18-24 months.
At the Austin campus, students may choose from Master of Public Health concentration areas that include Epidemiology and Health Promotion/Health Education.
Alternatively, students may pursue the Master of Science in Epidemiology, which is a research degree that may prepare graduates to work in diverse settings such as governments, research projects or private health agencies.
It further is possible for students to choose a dual degree program. The offerings at Austin include the Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Health, the Master of Public Affairs/Master of Public Health and the Master of Science in Social Work/Master of Public Health.
Individuals who hold a graduate degree may choose to earn the Doctor of Public Health with a concentration in Health Promotion/Health Education. Completion of this program prepares graduates for leadership roles in the government and at health agencies and departments.
A Doctor of Philosophy program with an emphasis in Behavioral Sciences and Health Promotion or Epidemiology also may be pursued in Houston. Students are prepared to succeed in research and academic positions both independently or as part of a larger organization with the completion of one of these degrees.
Students and working professionals have the option of furthering their knowledge through the completion of various certificate programs. These include concentrations in Advanced Data Science, Genomics and Bioinformatics, Global Health, Health Disparities, Health Promotion Program Planning and Evaluation, Leadership Theory and Practice and others.
About the University of Texas at Austin
As the flagship of the University of Texas System, the campus in Austin also is recognized as a Public Ivy University. U.S. News & World Report has named the University of Texas at Austin as one of the top 20 public universities. Statewide, the system boasts nine academic institutions in addition to half-a-dozen health institutions.
The University of Texas at Austin was established in 1883 with one building and eight professors. Enrollment was just over 200 students, and funding for the institution was obtained thanks to an oil rig known as Santa Rita No. 1.
Today, students enroll in degree programs across 18 schools and colleges. More than 40,000 undergraduates attend classes each term, with more than 11,000 graduate-level students rounding out the school’s population.
The University of Texas at Austin Accreditation Details
The overall institution is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or the SACSCOC. This accreditation was reaffirmed in 2018.
The University of Texas at Austin Application Requirements
Prospective undergraduate students are asked to complete an online application form, which is submitted with a $75 fee. An essay and short answers to three writing prompts are required.
Students also are asked to submit their official high school transcripts along with any college transcripts if they are a transfer student. SAT or ACT scores similarly are required.
Anyone who wishes to pursue a graduate or doctoral degree must fill out the online graduate application and submit the application fee. Transcripts from all previous undergraduate- and graduate-level work are required. Students similarly must complete the online application at the Schools of Public Health Application Service website.
Along with the applications, prospective students are asked to submit three letters of recommendation, valid GRE scores and a Statement of Purpose and Objectives. Additional materials may be required depending upon the specific degree program and focus chosen.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate students who attend 12 or more credit hours per semester pay $5,351 per semester. If they are non-residents, then a student taking 12 or more credit hours may expect to pay $18,944 per semester.
In-state graduate students pay $5,514 per semester for 12 credit hours while non-resident students pay $10,970.
Most students must obtain financial aid in the form of loans, scholarships or grants. Loans are obtained through the federal government or banking institutions. A host of scholarships and fellowships are awarded by the university each semester. These awards make it far more affordable to obtain an education.
Anyone who is interested in a public health career is encouraged to explore the possibilities at the University of Texas at Austin.