Getting Started
School: Public Health and Health Sciences (SPHHS)
The information below is meant to guide first-year students in getting started with this major and choosing appropriate courses. More advanced students interested in this major would also likely start with the foundational and prerequisite courses outlined below. Please refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn about the full major requirements.
How to Explore the Major
Suggested General Education Courses
All undergraduates are required to satisfy the General Education requirements. General Education guidelines for students are available at https://www.umass.edu/gened. Students should choose a wide variety of Gen Ed courses, providing breadth of experience.
Suggested Major and Pre-Requisite Courses
We recommend that students take at least one of the following two courses during their first year:
- SPHHS 150 (Great Challenges in Public Health)
- PUBHLTH 129 (Healthcare for All)
Note: Both SPHHS 150 and PUBHLTH 129 can fulfill Gen Ed requirements.
Students should also begin to take math courses and social science and natural science foundation courses. For a detailed list of course offerings please refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar.
Students interested in careers in research or the medical field (e.g., medical, dental, physician assistant, etc.) should consider taking the following courses. For a complete list of suggested pre-health courses visit the UMass Pre-Health Advising website.
- CHEM 111 & 112
- BIOLOGY 151, 152, 153
- KIN 270, 272
- MATH 127
How to Declare/Change into the Major
For current & admitted students: This major is unrestricted, which means any student may declare the major. The process for joining the major involves attending an informational meeting and submitting the PHS Major Declaration form. The dates for the information sessions are listed on the website for the Public Health Sciences major.
If students would like to learn more about the major but are not ready to apply, they are welcome to attend the information session and submit the PHS Major Declaration form at a later date.
Please note that incoming students may declare the major during New Student Orientation (NSO).
Questions may be directed to the Peer Advisors at peerad@umass.edu. Peer Advisor Drop-In Center hours are listed on the Program website.
Summary of Requirements for the Major
Minimum total # of credits required: 68 credits
Required PUBLHLTH courses are designed to introduce students to the five recognized public health core competencies: Community Health Education, Health Policy and Management, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics.
Four core components make up the major:
- Math course (3 credits)
- Foundation courses (18 credits)
- Public Health courses (35 credits)
- Focus Area courses (12 credits)
The Focus Area allows students to explore areas of particular interest and relevance to public health, drawing connections between disciplines. Focus Area courses can be selected from within the in Public Health Program, or from courses offered in another department within UMass, at one of the other Five Colleges, or abroad. The course material must be relevant to the study of public health and pre-approved by advising staff. More details about the focus area requirement are posted on the focus area tab of the PHS webpage.
Global Health Concentration (21 credits)
Students within the Public Health Sciences major who are interested in global health may apply for the Global Health Concentration. Completing this concentration fulfills the Public Health electives and Focus Area requirements. Students in this concentration are required to study abroad on an approved global health program. Department approval required before going abroad. Please refer to the Public Health Sciences webpage for more information about this concentration.
Is there a minor?
A minor is not available. However, students interested in Public Health may choose to complete a Five College Culture, Health and Sciences Certificate.