Located in Missoula, Montana, the University of Montana (UM), School of Public and Community Health Sciences (SPCHS) is housed within the College of Health (CoH). The Montana Board of Regents approved the SPCHS administrative unit in March 2005, with its first class of students enrolled during the Fall 2006. We are also the first and only Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited program in our state.

At the graduate level, the SPCHS affords students eight program opportunities: a PhD in Public Health program, an online Master of Public Health program, a Master of Public Health with a Community Health and Prevention Sciences program and five graduate-level certificate programs (Public Health, Epidemiology, Global Health, Environmental Health Sciences, and Public Health Administration). We also offer a Bachelor of Science in Public Health which began in Fall 2020, as well as a 2+2 program with Salish Kootenai College.

What is public health?

Public health practitioners work to solve the world's most pressing health problems, such as COVID-19 and climate change. They focus on preventing disease by promoting a healthier lifestyle, implementing educational programs, developing policies, administering services, conducting research, and regulating health systems as a way to achieve these goals.

• What does public health encompass?
  • Public health practitioners work to improve the health of individuals and communities both locally and globally. They confront health issues such as controlling infectious disease and reducing environmental hazards. They also work to develop applications in prevention programs to improve health.
• What impact does public health have on our lives?
  • Public health impacts our lives by creating healthier communities, reducing the impact of natural disasters and global epidemics, and addressing health disparities.
• What types of careers are available in the field of public health?
  • Public Health encompass a wide variety of careers related to epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, health administration, community health, and preparedness or preventive medicine.

For more information about the School of Public and Community Health Sciences, including contact information for faculty members, please visit the School of Public and Community Health Sciences website.