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From Classroom to Career:

Choose Electives That Prepare You for Today's and for Tomorrow’s Public Health Jobs

At the heart of our Public Health programs is collaboration—across disciplines, professions, and communities. Our BSPH and MPH students learn alongside experts in social sciences, data analytics, business, education, and more, gaining the flexibility to shape careers that meet the evolving needs of the public health workforce. With support from more than a dozen academic departments, undergraduate students can choose technical electives that align with their career goals and have the option to accelerate their studies through our ABM (Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s) program, completing up to 12 graduate credits while earning their BSPH. Graduate students can explore three specialized MPH concentrations.

Curious where these pathways can take you? Explore our faculty’s career advising areas of expertise and discover how our interprofessional approach prepares students to make real impacts in every corner of public health.

 

Undergraduate public health professionals are often called upon to lead programs, manage budgets, navigate complex healthcare systems, and communicate effectively with varied stakeholders. Adding business coursework to your Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) program can enhance your leadership and administrative capacity, strengthen your ability to manage resources efficiently, and prepare you for rewarding careers at the intersection of public health, healthcare administration, nonprofit management, and government service.

Search for job opportunities here: https://healthcareadministrationjobs.net/

Enhance your BSPH degree with business-focused electives that build your leadership, management, and administrative skills. You can even consider further completing an undergraduate business certificate as part of your degree, earning a valuable credential that strengthens your resume and prepares you for leadership roles in healthcare, public service, and beyond. Learn more about these opportunities from the Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business, where options include:

Undergraduate-trained public health professionals are often called upon to work at the intersection of culture, community systems, and global organizations, where understanding social structures is essential. Coursework in anthropology​-related areas equips students to prepare​ for a broad range of applied public health and human services roles, especially those emphasizing community engagement, cultural understanding, and qualitative research.

Search for job opportunities here:  https://publichealthjobs.aspph.org
Look for roles in global health, community outreach, qualitative research, cultural engagement, etc.

Undergraduate students pursuing the BSPH interested in strengthening their skills in cultural competency, global health perspectives, field methods, and/or interdisciplinary thinking should consider technical electives from the Department of Anthropology, where options include:

To learn more about the real-world connections between culture and health, be sure to explore their Biocultural Research Laboratory.

Undergraduate-trained public health professionals are increasingly called upon to use creativity, visual storytelling, and design to communicate health information, inspire behavior change, and foster community engagement. Coursework in art-related areas helps students develop skills in visual literacy, design thinking, and creative expression—tools that enhance their ability to translate data and public health messages into accessible, culturally relevant, and compelling forms.

Search for job opportunities here: https://publichealthjobs.aspph.org/

Use these search terms: health communication, design, education, outreach

Students pursuing the BSPH interested in strengthening their skills in creative communication, design principles, community-based art initiatives, and/or interdisciplinary collaboration should consider technical electives from the Department of Art and Design, where options include:

Public health professionals are often called upon to work at the intersection of government, community systems, and international organizations, where knowledge of political structures, policy processes, and multilingual communication is critical. Coursework in government and world languages equips students to analyze health policy, engage effectively with varied populations, and contribute to global health initiatives, preparing them for careers in public service, diplomacy, advocacy, and international health.

Search for job opportunities here:

Undergraduate-trained public health professionals who are able to speak different languages, namely Spanish, are in high demand in medical centers across the United States. Students pursuing the BSPH interested in strengthening their ability to communicate across multiple languages in local hospitals, address global challenges, or understand how international policy and public health intersect should consider technical electives from the Reubin O'D. Askew Department of Government, where options include:

Graduate students pursuing the MPH should consider:

  • MPH - Global Health Concentration
  • Reach out to Dr. Wes Farr (wfarr@uwf.edu), Dr. Ilunga Tshiswaka (daudetI@uwf.edu), Dr. Justice Mbizo (jmbizo@uwf.edu), or Dr. Emmanuel Keku (ekeku@uwf.edu) to learn more about their career journeys in global health.

Undergraduate-level public health professionals frequently collaborate with community agencies to address population health needs. Completion of criminal justice coursework will deepen students’ understanding of legal systems, public safety structures, and the social determinants of crime and health.

 

Search for job opportunities here:

https://jobs.myflorida.com/go/Community-%26-Social-Services/2814900/

 

Undergraduate students pursuing the BSPH who are interested in strengthening their skills in interdisciplinary communication, working effectively in cross-sector teams, and/or understanding the connections between public health and justice systems should consider technical electives such as:

Students may also explore course bundles leading to these minors:

Undergraduate-level public health professionals are increasingly required to interpret data, evaluate program outcomes, and contribute to evidence-based decision making. Completion of additional statistics coursework will enhance students’ analytical and problem-solving skills, strengthen their ability to assess complex health data, and prepare them for careers at the intersection of public health practice, research, and policy.

Search for job opportunities here: https://datajobs.com/

Undergraduate students pursuing the BSPH interested in strengthening their quantitative and analytical reasoning skill set should consider technical electives from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, where options include:

Undergraduate-level public health professionals benefit from understanding the philosophical and historical foundations of health, ethics, and society. Coursework in philosophy and history helps students explore how cultural values, moral reasoning, and past public health movements shape modern practice and policy. These perspectives strengthen students’ ability to think critically about ethical decision-making and the evolving role of public health in global and community contexts, preparing them for careers that integrate reflection, analysis, and leadership in health systems and society.

 

Search for job opportunities here: https://publichealthjobs.aspph.org
Look for job descriptions with “policy”, “program analysis”, “health ethics”, “research”, etc.

 

Undergraduate students pursuing the BSPH who are interested in strengthening their skills in critical thinking and ethical reasoning should consider technical electives from the Department of History and Philosophy such as:

 

Students may also explore course bundles leading to these minors:

Undergraduate-trained public health professionals are often called upon to analyze community health patterns, assess environmental exposures, and inform decisions on resource allocation and program planning. Courses on geographic information systems provide essential tools for mapping disease distribution, evaluating environmental variables related to health, and identifying vulnerable populations.

Search for job opportunities here: https://www.gisjobs.com/

Undergraduate students pursuing the BSPH interested in strengthening their ability to integrate spatial analysis into public health practice should consider technical electives from the Departmental of Earth and Environmental Sciences, where options include:

•    GEO 3372 Conservation of Natural Resources
•    GEO 4164 Geostatistics
•    GIS 4043/4043L Geographic Information Systems/Lab    
•    EVR 4412 Environmental Aspects of Urban Growth

Students may also explore course bundles leading to these certificates/minors:
•    Geographic Information Science Certificate
•    Environmental Science Minor

Undergraduate-trained public health professionals frequently develop and deliver health education programs, design outreach initiatives, and support workforce development. Coursework in education equips students with skills in instructional design, learning theory, communication strategies, and assessment of educational outcomes, which are critical for addressing health outcomes across varied communities and for advancing health literacy

Search for job opportunities here: https://jobs.td.org/

Undergraduate students pursuing the BSPH interested in strengthening their teaching, training, or instructional design skill set should consider technical electives from the Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Research or the Department of Instructional Design and Technology, where options include these courses:

Students may also explore course bundles leading to these certificates/minors:                          

Undergraduate students in the BSPH program can position themselves for an advanced clinical career by completing prerequisites that prepare them to apply to the Direct Entry M.S.N. (DEMSN) program at UWF. Earning a BSPH provides a strong foundation in population health, disease prevention, and community engagement—skills that are highly valued in nursing and essential for delivering patient-centered care. By pairing the BSPH with nursing prerequisite coursework, students gain early exposure to clinical concepts, build confidence communicating across healthcare teams, and strengthen their readiness for graduate-level nursing training. This combined pathway equips students for careers that unite public health and nursing practice, including roles focused on patient advocacy, coordinated care, care transitions, community-based health services, and health-systems improvement.

Search for job opportunities here:

Look for job titles such as “Patient Navigator,” “Community Health Worker,” and other entry-level roles that build strong experience for graduate nursing applicants.

Undergraduate students interested in the BSPH to Direct Entry M.S.N. career pathway at UWF should consider technical electives within their BSPH such as:

  • Pre-requisite courses approved by the Department of Nursing for their "direct entry" (DEMSN) program, as published here: Direct Entry M.S.N.

Undergraduate-trained public health professionals increasingly need a strong foundation in the biological and physical sciences to understand the mechanisms underlying health and disease. Coursework in biology, chemistry, physics, and biomedical sciences enhances students’ ability to interpret laboratory and environmental data, evaluate biological determinants of health, and contribute to evidence-based decision making—equipping them for biological scientist positions in the Department of Health and pre-professional careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, etc.

Search for job opportunities in these areas within the State of Florida here: https://jobs.myflorida.com/

Reach out to Dr. Wes Farr (wfarr@uwf.edu) or Dr. Emmanuel Keku (ekeku@uwf.edu) to learn more about their career journeys bridging medicine and public health. Each holds an M.D. degree and can assist BSPH students with recommendations for technical elective courses from the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Biomedical Sciences. These undergraduate courses will strengthen a student’s scientific foundation and analytical abilities, especially for those considering pre-professional (e.g., pre-med, pre-dental, pre-vet, etc.) or research-oriented pathways at the graduate level.

Undergraduate-trained public health professionals are frequently called upon to develop reports, grant proposals, policy briefs, and research publications, where clear, persuasive, and well-structured writing is critical. Coursework in writing-related areas also equips students to effectively synthesize information, communicate complex ideas to varied audiences, and engage in evidence-based advocacy, enhancing both professional readiness and the ability to influence health outcomes.

 

Search for job opportunities here:

https://www.publichealthcareers.org/jobs/?search_term=grant%20writer

 

Undergraduate students pursuing the BSPH interested in strengthening their ​written  communication and critical thinking skill set should consider technical electives from the Department of English, where options include:

Students may also explore course bundles leading to these certificates:

  • Public, Technical, and Workplace Writing Certificate
    • In the Public, Technical, and Workplace Writing Certificate courses, future healthcare specialists join tomorrow’s anthropologists, artists, architects, builders, engineers, lawyers, marine biologists, teachers, writers, and students of other careers in sharing their professional aspirations and discourses. They find this introduction to multiple fields among the most valuable experiences in communication, ranked #1 in desired traits for successful career candidates. Throughout our courses students explore and learn to represent their professional identities and ethics. As the final project they design a portfolio to support their professional preparation. They discover, through practice, that professional writing specifically is a way to develop skills for a competitive and buoyantly diverse world.
  • AI in the Workplace Certificate
    • Students earning the AI in the Workplace Certificate are getting ready for tomorrow’s workplace, where they can expect to find new tools and new expectations. The courses are designed to give students experience in a variety of fields, with hands-on curriculum and assignments. As well, students will engage with the ethics of this new technology and have an opportunity to develop a portfolio of AI-assisted work.

Undergraduate-level public health professionals frequently conduct health education workshops, connect residents to health and social services, and develop outreach programs for underserved populations. Coursework in social work broadens students’ understanding of human behavior, community dynamics, and social systems that influence health outcomes.

Search for job opportunities here: https://www.socialservice.com/

Undergraduate students pursuing the BSPH interested in strengthening their skills in client-centered communication, coordinating care across systems, and/or working on interdisciplinary teams should consider technical electives from the Department of Social Work, where options include:

Students may also explore course bundles leading to these minors:

For training in the social determinants of health, these elective options help students to understand  systems navigation, advocacy, and trauma-informed practice. These courses also align with health priorities in behavioral health, safety and violence prevention, and child and family stability.

Undergraduate-trained public health professionals are often called upon to effectively disseminate health information, engage varied audiences, facilitate programs, and advocate for evidence-based policies. Coursework in communication would help to provide students with practical skills that prepare them for careers in health promotion, community outreach, risk communication, and public health advocacy.

Search for job opportunities here: https://www.publichealthcareers.org/jobs/?search_term=communication

Undergraduate students pursuing the BSPH interested in strengthening their strategic communication, public speaking, or audience engagement skill set should consider technical electives from the Department of Communication, where options include:

BSPH: Flexible, Interdisciplinary, & Future-Ready

As the options above suggest, our approach to undegraduate public health training for the BSPH gives students the freedom to combine public health core knowledge with specialized electives— letting students customize their education to emerging workforce demands. That means students aren’t boxed in: students graduate with both depth in public health and the broader skills employers seek. If students or employers want to build on this training, UWF offers multiple pathways to continue their education — including the Master of Public Health (MPH) and other next-step graduate programs and certificates offered by the departments listed above.

What This Means — for Students, Parents, & Employers

  • For Students & Parents: UWF Public Health is more than a degree — it’s a career toolkit. It equips students with versatile skills and real-world readiness, whether they want to work in community health/outreach, global public health, data and analytics, policy, or research (to name just a few!).
  • For Employers: Graduates come with training that crosses disciplines — they know core public health principles, but also have the option to study business fundamentals, data analysis, communication/design, cultural competence, and more. That makes them adaptable and valuable in a variety of professional settings.
  • For Communities & Stakeholders: The program’s breadth and depth help ensure that public health professionals emerging from UWF are prepared to tackle complex social, environmental, and health challenges — from grassroots outreach to global public health efforts.