Public Health

Our world faces pressing public health challenges, from preventable health inequities, to infectious disease outbreaks, growing mental health disorders, armed conflicts, and the climate crisis. Public health practitioners are needed now more than ever.

The Public Health Bachelor of Science program at York College trains students in the science of protecting and improving the health and well-being of communities in urban settings. In addition to core public health disciplines including epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, and health management and policy, our community health concentration emphasizes training in designing, implementing, and evaluating community-based programs.

Program modality: mix of hybrid (online and in-person)

Upon completion of the degree, students will be equipped to complete graduate education in public health or a related field (social work, law), or begin working in the field as a public health practitioner.

We also offer a Minor in Public Health (15 credits), which equips non-majors to contribute to efforts to reduce disparities and promote health and well-being among urban populations.

View the Public Health program description in the college bulletin.

Accreditation

The Public Health Program is accredited by the Council for Education on Public Health (CEPH) and is the only accredited undergraduate public health program at CUNY.

• CEPH's letter granting accreditation
• CEPH Accreditation results by category

Careers in Public Health

A degree in public health opens the door to jobs in government, non-profit organizations, research institutions, and private industry. These include:

Why study Public Health at York?

• Hands-on experience: students complete two semesters (280 hours) of field experience with leading public health and social service organizations around NYC
• Program and career advising: faculty in our program prioritize student advising and work closely with each student to map out a course plan and career goals
• 4+1 program: York College students who have completed 60 undergraduate credits or more and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher may be eligible for an accelerated pathway that lets them start a Master’s degree at the CUNY School of Public Health while earning their Bachelor’s at York College, saving time and money

Admission Requirements

If you’re interested in earning a BS in Public Health at York College, contact publichealth@york.cuny.edu to meet with a faculty advisor as early as possible. We will help ensure you take the right courses to be able to apply.

The Public Health major is a limited enrollment program. This means students must meet specific requirements to be accepted.

To be eligible, students must have:

• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all coursework completed
• Completed at least four of the following pre-requisite courses, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in these courses
• PH 201 History & Principles of Public Health
• PH 210 Epidemiology for Public Health Practice
• PH 215 Social & Behavioral Determinants of Health
• PH 225 Principles & Practices of Health Behavior Change
• PH 320 Applied Biostatistics in Public Health
• PH 330 Public Health Policy and Management
• PH 340 Environmental & Occupational Health

Students who meet the eligibility criteria should complete the application at the bottom of this page in the fall or spring prior to completing the four prerequisite courses.

The program accepts applications on a rolling basis, but cohorts are admitted to begin only in the fall semester each academic year.

Partner Community Colleges!

Students who are completing an Associate's Degree in Public Health at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, Queensborough Community College, or LaGuardia Community College and who have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 may qualify for automatic acceptance and do NOT need to submit an application. Contact publichealth@york.cuny.edu for more information.

Program Director

Emilia F. Vignola, PhD, MSPH
Office HP-209
Phone: 718-262-5108
E-mail: evignola1@york.cuny.edu

Public Health Bachelor of Science Application

Please be sure to answer all questions and provide all materials. Incomplete applications will not be considered.