The Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) degree includes majors in the following areas: biostatistics, community and global public health, environmental health sciences, health policy and management and nutrition.
Undergraduates at UNC-Chapel Hill will typically apply to the majors of their choice during the middle of their sophomore year (see FAQ below for exceptions) and, if admitted, begin coursework in the major in fall of their junior year. Students may only apply and be admitted to one major within the school, but can list a secondary Gillings major on their application they would like to be considered for if they are denied by their primary major.
The internal transfer (current UNC student) application deadline for fall 2026 entry is 11:59pm EST on January 6, 2026. Students must successfully complete certain prerequisites prior to starting each major. Students are encouraged to complete as many prerequisites as possible before applying, but applications will be accepted from students with prerequisites in progress in spring of their sophomore year. The prerequisites for each major can be found in the sections below. For Fall 2027 and beyond, prerequisite courses must be completed within 10 years prior to enrollment to be eligible for credit.
We encourage students to meet with their advisor and attend the Gillings Undergraduate Open House and/or a major-specific information session before applying.
Interested in learning more? Watch this helpful BSPH information session about the program and majors led by Director of Admissions, Jonathan Earnest.
Questions about Assured Enrollment? Visit our FAQ page.
For questions about the BSPH admissions process, please complete our inquiry form to receive more information.
Application Deadlines and How to Apply
Prospective students who apply from high school, UNC or from other institutions follow different deadlines and application instructions.
Application Deadline: 11:59pm on January 6, 2026 for fall 2026 entry
The first step is to "Apply for Major/Minor Change" in ConnectCarolina, which is available from the "other academic..." dropdown menu, located under the Academics section of the Student Center tab (SelfService > Student Center). Note that the application typically does not open until September 1 for the following fall entry. Once you select the "Apply for Major/Minor Change" option from the dropdown menu, click on the double arrow to go to the Apply for Major/Minor Change page. You will then select the BSPH major that you wish to apply for from the "Major/Minor" dropdown menu. If you have interest in more than one major, you will need to select the one in which you have the most interest. Your application will allow you to indicate a second major for which you may be considered if not selected for admission to the first. You can click the "Dept. URL" button to display a link to department website. Once you have made your selection from the "Major/Minor" dropdown menu, you will need to select fall semester and year from the "Term" dropdown menu. When you are ready to submit your request, you will need to click the "I Agree" checkbox in order for the "Submit Request" button to become available.
You will receive an email the next business day with a link to start the BSPH application. As a result, you cannot submit a major change form on the due date of the application. Please pay close attention to application deadlines to ensure that you can complete and submit the application on time.
Undergraduates at UNC-Chapel Hill typically apply to the major of their choice during the middle of their sophomore year, and if admitted, begin coursework in the major in their junior fall. Students must successfully complete certain prerequisites prior to starting each major. Students are encouraged to complete as many prerequisites as possible before applying, but applications will be accepted from students with prerequisites in progress in their sophomore spring. The prerequisites for each major can be found in the sections below.
While the application will allow students to indicate interest in a second major at Gillings, applicants may only be offered admission to one major within the school. If a student is admitted and accepts their offer to a major within the school, that major will be their primary major for their student record. They can then work with their academic coordinator to declare a second major and/or minor(s) outside of the school.
Application Deadline: October 15/UNC First-Year Early Action
- Review our Assured Enrollment to our undergraduate majors.
- Complete your application for admission on the Common Application or Coalition Application website.
- Complete the brief survey in the UNC supplement and indicate your interest for Assured Enrollment to on e or more of our undergraduate majors under Excel@Carolina opportunities. Please note that interest in these programs have no bearing on your admission decision, and the completion of this survey is not required for admission.
Application Deadline: Submit by February 15, 2026; Complete by March 15, 2026/UNC Transfer
*Please note the Community and Global Public Health major is new and will begin accepting transfer applications in the 2025-2026 admissions cycle for fall 2026 entry*
To apply for admission, follow these steps:
- Go to the Common Application to create an account and start your application.
- Submit the Common Application, the Common Application supplement, and application fee by the deadline above.
- Upload the statement of purpose requested in your Common Application supplement.
- Submit official transcripts from all high schools, colleges, and universities attended to:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Jackson Hall, Campus Box 2200
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-2200
- Arrange to have two letters of recommendation – professional or academic – written on your behalf sent to [email protected].
- After you submit your application, you will receive instructions for creating your MyCarolina account, which will allow you to view the status of your application, including your admission decision. Be sure to check your MyCarolina account frequently for important application updates.
Biostatistics
The Biostatistics BSPH prepares students for entry-level professional statistical and programming careers, and provides a firm academic base for subsequent studies in biostatistics, medicine and other fields.
Community and Global Public Health
Community and Global Public Health BSPH prepares students to work in partnership with local and global communities to identify, assess, and address health problems to achieve health equity.
Environmental Health Sciences
The Environmental Health Sciences BSPH provides students with a fundamental grounding in the basic and applied sciences for advanced scientific education, professional schools or careers in practice in the field of public health with an emphasis in environmental health sciences.
Health Policy and Management
The Health Policy and Management BSPH develops graduates with a strong public health foundation, in-depth knowledge of the U.S. health system, and essential analytical, management and teamwork skills who pursue careers as health leaders, managers, policymakers, practitioners, clinicians and researchers.
Nutrition
The Nutrition BSPH combines the study of the biochemical, behavioral, food and nutrition sciences.
Deciding between public health and practitioner oriented health? Compare below.
Select the image to view a larger PDF version.
Updates to Curriculum:
FAQ:
Which biology courses/curriculum should I take to fulfill the biology requirement(s) for the Gillings major that I am interested in ?
It depends on when you entered UNC-CH, and what courses you can get into, and how long the Biology Department continues to teach the “old” curriculum. We are all (Biology Department/ Gillings faculty/ …) trying to be flexible during this transition period.
- If you entered UNC-CH in Fall 2022 (or later), then follow the updated requirements above which reference
Biol 103/Biol 104. You should be allowed in the courses, and the updated curriculum will fulfill our requirements. - If you entered UNC-CH in Fall 2021 or earlier, then you should fulfill the requirement with Bios 201/202 assuming you can get into those classes, and they are being taught. We will be flexible with students and flexible with the Biology Department offerings.
Background: As of Fall 2022, the Biology Department introduced an updated curriculum and is phasing out Biol 201 and 202. More info here https://bio.unc.edu/undergraduate/degrees/bs-fall-22-curriculum/ and here https://bio.unc.edu/undergraduate/advising/ The Biology Department is asking students who enter in Fall 2022 or later to take Biol 103/104 (rather than Biol 201/202).
If I have about 60 hours of credits completed and the admissions prerequisites completed, can I apply to a public health undergraduate major in my first year at UNC?
Such cases are unusual. The decision varies by major and may depend on several factors (see below).
- Biostatistics:
- First-year students who have completed the prerequisites may apply.
- Students must have the math prerequisites (Math 231/232/233) complete in their first-year Fall before applying.
- Students planning to graduate in 3 years are encouraged to apply.
- First-year students must have an outstanding application and will only be admitted if space is available.
- Cases of first-year students being admitted are somewhat unusual. First-year students who are not admitted may apply the following year.
- First-year students who plan to apply should discuss their plans with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Biostatistics to understand the potential positive and negative aspects of applying as a first-year student.
- Community and Global Public Health:
- First-year students who have completed the prerequisites are still encouraged to wait until their second year to apply.
- Students planning to graduate in 3 years, or have other reasons to consider an early application, should discuss their plans with the Director of Undergraduate Studies for CGPH and Academic Advisor.
- Environmental Health Sciences:
- First-year students are encouraged to apply if they have met the required pre-requisites.
- Health Policy and Management:
- First-year students who have completed the prerequisites are still encouraged to wait until their second year to apply.
- Students planning to graduate in 3 years, or have other reasons to consider an early application, should discuss their plans with Director of Undergraduate Studies for HPM.
- In general, this major only considers applications from first-year students who are planning to graduate from UNC in three years.
- Nutrition:
- First- year students who have completed the prerequisites are still strongly encouraged to wait until their second year to apply.
- Students planning to graduate in 3 years should discuss their plans with Director of Undergraduate Studies for NUTR.
- Applications from first-year students are only considered under exceptional circumstances. In addition to the criteria mentioned above (complete at least 60 credit hours and all prerequisite courses before matriculation into the program), students must:
- Have no more than 3 Focus Capacities remaining at the time of matriculation into the major.
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Can students apply to a Gillings undergraduate major expecting to take it in a part-time format?
Gillings undergraduate majors are designed and sequenced to be taken in an in-person day format. Our undergraduate majors are small and often only offer one section of required courses once a year. Students seeking to pursue a major in a part-time status are encouraged to discuss their situation and proposed plan with the Director of Undergraduate Studies of that major. First-year students who plan to apply should discuss their plans with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Biostatistics to understand the potential positive and negative aspects of applying as a first-year student.
Can I pursue 2 public undergraduate health majors simultaneously?
The internal transfer application (for current UNC students) allows for applicants to select a secondary major to be considered for if for any reason they are denied by their primary major. Students cannot be admitted to or pursue more than one major within the School of Public Health. However, Gillings students may work with their academic coordinator to pursue a second major outside the School of Public Health.
When I accept my offer of admissions to a Gillings undergraduate major, is it my primary major or a second major?
Majors in the Gillings School are always the first major and primary degree when the other major is in the College of Arts and Sciences. If you are admitted to two Bachelor of Science degree majors in different professional schools, provided the student can demonstrate that they can complete both majors in 8 regular semesters, it is the student’s choice which major is primary unless the two schools have an agreement about which major’s degree takes precedence.
Can Gillings students pass/fail a course in their public health undergraduate major?
Yes, a student may elect a grading basis of Pass/Fail for one eligible course that is listed as a core requirement in the major. Pre-requisite and additional requirement courses in the major are not eligible to be placed on a Pass/Fail grading basis. For additional information on ineligible courses, please review the University pass/fail policy and also your degree requirements.
