Watch an Information Session (Spring 2024)
For NC Community College Transfer StudentsYou may choose additional concentrations if you wish.
Community Health Education Prepares students to assess, plan, implement and evaluate programs that are designed to enhance individual and community health and well-being. Students are eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC).
Pre-Clinical Health Prepares students with a strong science background for continuing study in medicine, dentistry, physical assistant, nutrition, nursing, etc.
Global Health Prepares students for careers working in developing low and middle income countries to improve health and quality of life. Students are eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC).
Gerontology Prepares students for public health careers working with an older adult population. If eligible, students may also apply for the 4+1 Public Health, B.S. & Applied Gerontology, M.S. program.
Schedule an appointment with a Student Success advisor.
Each advisor has a different schedule for advising. However, know that you will meet with your advisor – or at least have the opportunity to schedule an appointment – before registration begins. Please consult with your advisor on when they will begin advising and be reminded, this will likely differ across faculty members.
The combined Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health and Master of Science degree in Applied Gerontology program offers an accelerated path toward a Master of Science degree that prepares graduates to work in healthcare and community-based settings serving older adults. Graduates from this program are also trained to work with communities and individuals to protect, maintain and enhance health and quality of life.
Eta Sigma Gamma is a health education honor society. Its mission is to promote the Health Education discipline by elevating the standards, ideals, competence and ethics of students enrolled in professional preparation programs that subscribe to and align with the national Health Education Competencies.
UNC Wilmington's Eta Sigma Gamma’s Epsilon Nu chapter is a great way to network with other public health majors and discover how this field is applied by engaging in various service opportunities on and off campus. Email Dr. Strayhorn-Carter for more information: strayhorns@uncw.edu.
Watch: Eta Sigma Gamma Information Session
Pre-Health Programs offer programming and individualized support to UNCW students and alumni pursuing medical and allied health graduate programs. Current students: Pre-Health coaching resources are available here.
UNCW degree programs satisfy the professional licensure and/or certification requirements in North Carolina and prepare students to sit for applicable exams. However, requirements in other states may be different. If you are considering a degree program that in order to qualify for a professional license and/or certification, please note that at this time UNCW may or may not be able to advise whether the program meets requirements outside of North Carolina. Prior to enrolling, please discuss this important topic with your program of interest.
Students in the Community Health Education and Global Health concentrations are eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam during their last semester of the program or upon completion. This is a national certification, recognizing that one has the requisite entry level health education skills and knowledge.
Students can declare public health as a major, select a concentration, change their concentration or update their catalogue year through mySeaport. All requests are sent to the public health program coordinator for approval.
Students pursuing the B.S. in PBH are required to take Anatomy and Physiology I and II (BIO & BIOL 240/241 OR EXS & EXSL 216/217, depending on concentration). It is recommended that students take those courses as part of their University Studies requirements, but it is not required that you complete those courses before declaring your PBH major.
All concentrations
Community Health Education concentration
Which anatomy and physiology class do I need?
You can declare your major by emailing the Public Health Program Coordinatorr after completing 24 credit hours. Additionally, you must have a minimum of a 2.5 overall GPA to declare the Community Health Education, Global Health, or Gerontology concentration OR a 3.0 overall GPA to declare the Pre-Clinical concentration.
No.
When should I take PBH 495?
What courses am I able to take while enrolled in PBH 496/497?
What is the difference between PBH 496 AND PBH 497?
There are currently no UNCW scholarships that are limited to just PBH students. There are many university-wide scholarships that you may qualify for, as well as some external scholarships for students pursuing degrees in Public Health which you could pursue.
Yes. Some PBH classes are generally offered in both Summer I and Summer II sessions, although they are not guaranteed.
There is a required sequence to some extent in PBH. However, most of the core public health classes do not have pre-requisites other than being a declared Public Health major. The concentration specific courses are often sequenced. Please refer to the recommended sequencing documents (by concentration) for more information about course pre-requisites and co-requisites. Once you declare the PBH major you will be assigned an advisor who will review your audit and assist you in developing an individual curriculum plan.
The majority of core and concentration PBH-prefix courses are offered fully face-to-face. Some non PBH prefix courses are offered online.
No.
Students may substitute suitable coursework from other institutions for classes required for the major or replace required coursework with alternative classes from UNCW. All such substitutions and replacements must be made by petition and approved by a majority of PBH faculty members. The following procedures apply:
The demand for public health professionals continues to rise in response to global concerns such as bioterrorism, potential pandemics, HIV and AIDS, and air and water quality issues. Additionally, rising insurance costs and increased awareness of public health and wellness have generated corporate and government support for prevention and education programs in areas such as diet, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use and workplace safety, among others. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of health educators is expected to grow by 12 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will be driven by efforts to reduce healthcare costs by teaching people about healthy habits and behaviors.
UNC Wilmington's Bachelor of Science in Public Health program is accredited by the Council for Education in Public Health.
Michelle Cathorall, Dr.PH., MPH | Program Coordinator & Associate Professor
For a copy of the self-study report or the CEPH decision letter, please get in touch with the program coordinator.
For questions regarding admissions, advising, transfers and program of study, please contact the CHHS Student Success Center at (910) 962-3208 or chhs@uncw.edu.