Program Director: Julie Grubaugh, MPH, CHES
The undergraduate minor in public health offers a broad exposure to the concepts of public health and the role of public health in assuring health, improving health, and protecting against health threats. The professional field of public health is made up of careers that are important in the health of the community, nation, and world. As a field of scientific inquiry, public health offers opportunities to engage in research from many disciplinary perspectives.
This 12-credit hour* minor provides students with an understanding of the connections between public health and every aspect of life as well as the analytic approaches to understanding these connections. The minor can be an asset to students in determining their interest in graduate studies as well as entering into public health careers or other health-oriented careers after graduation.
What is Public Health?
“Public health is prevention. [It] is the practice of preventing disease and promoting good health within groups of people, from small communities to entire countries.”
-American Public Health Association
*Students following the 2018-19 catalog year or earlier will complete 18-credit hours to include the above courses as well as PUBH 401- Global Health and a third elective.
Student Quote
As a Kinesiology student, choosing the minor in public health was among the best decisions I made for my future. The relationships I made with professors and other members in the community lead me to apply as an intern with the Knox County Health Department for my Kinesiology Practicum. Today, I am a Public Health Educator in Physical Activity with the Knox County Health Department, and I wouldn’t be here without the knowledge and support I gained from the Public Health Minor.
-Kelley Wilds
Kinesiology major
Useful for students pursuing careers in:
- Healthcare/nursing
- Epidemiology
- Health education
- Policy/management
- Biostatistics
- International/global health
- Public health law
- Public health veterinary medicine
- Behavioral science
- Environmental health
- Emergency preparedness/response
- Health communications/journalism
- Science/research
- Nutrition/dietetics
- Disease prevention
- Consumer safety
- Community planning
- Social Work
- Health inspection
- And many more
Public Health Undergraduate Course Schedule1
12-credit hour public health minor, Catalog Year 2019-2020 and later2
Course |
Schedule |
Status in Minor |
| PUBH 201 – Introduction to Public Health (3) | Fall, Spring, Summer | Required |
| PUBH 202 – Introductory Epidemiology (3) Prerequisite: PUBH 201 |
Fall, Spring | Required |
| PUBH 315 – Health of Adolescents (3) | Fall | Elective |
| PUBH 350 – Public Health Aspects of Aging (3) | Spring | Elective |
| PUBH 401 – Global Public Health (3)
Prerequisite: PUBH 201 |
Fall, Spring | Elective |
| PUBH 430 – Suicide and Crisis Intervention (3) | Fall, Spring | Elective |
| PUBH 420 – Environmental Public Health (3) | Spring | Elective |
1Course Schedule is Subject to Change, Please See Undergraduate Catalog for class descriptions.
2Students who follow the Undergraduate Catalog 2018-2019 or earlier are required to complete 18-credit hours for the public health minor. Required courses – PUBH 201, 202, and 401; plus, three PUBH electives. Not sure which catalog year you are following? Ask your academic advisor in your home College, and they will confirm this for you.
Student Quote
I chose the public health minor, because of its ever-increasing role in medicine. Also, the minor gives you a great perspective into how health policy is debated and implemented on a large scale.
-Travis Baity
Microbiology major
Considering a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree?
New! Accelerated Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s Program: Public Health Minor – Five-Year BS or BA/MPH Program
Beginning in the 2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog, students pursuing the Public Health Minor, if qualified, may apply for advanced placement in the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program, allowing them to satisfy MPH degree requirements in one year, rather than two. The primary component of the program is that a qualified undergraduate student may take up to 9 hours of approved graduate courses for their senior undergraduate electives and have them count toward both their undergraduate degree and the MPH degree. Any student pursuing a Bachelor of Science (BS) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) at UTK, who is also accepted into the Public Health Minor, and who meets the additional requirements described here, may apply for this pathway and begin the MPH program the summer after their senior year. Additional information, regarding MPH program concentrations, can be found in the Graduate Catalog. Read more about the Accelerated Combined Public Health Minor – Five-Year BS or BA/MPH Program. The application form is due March 1 of your junior/third year of undergraduate study.
Course Substitutions
At times scheduling and other conflicts may not allow students to complete the minor as outlined or transfer students may have taken comparable courses at their initial institution. In such cases students can petition to have alternate courses serve in lieu of the required course. Students who are challenged in completing the coursework as prescribed are encouraged to complete the CEHHS Petition Form prior to taking the alternate course, however the form can also be used in relation to a completed course.
Request a course substitution for the Public Health minor
- Step 1 – Submit the following three documents to the director of the Public Health minor (Julie Grubaugh):
- CEHHS course substitution form (Note: do not submit the form to the CEHHS Advising Office in Bailey. It needs to be approved by Public Health before it goes to CEHHS);
- Copy of the syllabus for the suggested course option; and
- Paragraph stating why the proposed course should be accepted in lieu of the prescribed course.
- Step 2 – The director will notify you of the decision or request additional materials to help inform a decision.
- Step 3 – If approved, the director will forward the materials to the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences Office of Advising.
Student Quote
I would definitely recommend the public health minor to other students because there are so many different fields of public health you can explore. Professors make learning interesting and you truly gain so the knowledge and skills on what it takes to truly make a difference in global public health.
-Briana Watson,
Child and Family Studies major
More Information
If you have questions about the Public Health minor or the accelerated Public Health Minor – Five-Year BS or BA/MPH, please contact Undergraduate Program Director Julie Grubaugh.
How to Declare or Drop The Minor
To declare a public health minor, students should complete the CEHHS Minor Add/Drop form on the CEHHS Advising and Student Services website. This same form can also be used to drop the minor should you later change your mind.
There are advantages to declaring the minor early as opposed to later:
- The Degree Audit System (DARS) tracks your progress on the minor to confirm you are progressing as you wish
- Once minor coursework is completed, the DARS confirms that it will be reflected in your graduation documents
- Allows the Department of Public Health to gauge student interest in public health courses and assure that enough course offerings are available