UCF Public Health Programs: Shaping the Future of Healthcare

The University of Central Florida (UCF) offers a variety of public health programs designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to address the evolving challenges in healthcare and improve population health. With a focus on innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world impact, UCF is committed to training the next generation of public health leaders.

Department of Population Health Sciences

The Department of Population Health Sciences within the College of Medicine officially launched July 2, 2018. The department brings together faculty committed to conducting research on the individual, social, structural, and community factors that create health problems in the population and to design and implement interventions to promote health.

Faculty research interests include all aspects of population health including adolescent health, cancer detection and outcomes, cardiovascular health, child and infant health, community-based participatory research, global health, health communication and messaging, health services research, HIV care and prevention, infection prevention and control, mental health, obesity, sexually transmitted diseases, substance use and cessation, including alcohol and tobacco use, suicidality, and violence among many others.

Health Sciences Programs

The Department of Health Sciences in the College of Health Professions and Sciences at UCF offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences, a minor in Health Sciences, and a Master of Science degree in Health Promotion and Behavioral Science.

Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences

The Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree program provides students with a comprehensive educational background in health-related sciences including foundational courses required for admission to graduate and professional degree programs in the health professions. The curriculum is divided into two career-focused tracks:

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Pre-Clinical: This track is designed for students with an interest in human health who plan to pursue careers in medicine, other health professions, clinical/behavioral health research, health promotion and public health. It is a good option for pre-med students who are pursuing careers as a physician, physician assistant, dentist, pharmacist and other healthcare careers.
Health Promotion: Designed for students pursuing careers as a physical therapist, occupational therapist, clinical/behavioral health researcher, public health specialist and other health-related fields. Explore health promotion principles and concepts through courses such as preventative health care, epidemiology of chronic diseases and medical self assessment.

The program’s core curriculum includes courses such as human disease and pathophysiology, nutrition, pharmacology, preventive health care, epidemiology, and research in the health sciences.

Master of Science in Health Promotion and Behavioral Science

The Master of Science in Health Promotion and Behavioral Science includes thesis and non-thesis options. The HPBS program trains students to conduct systematic reviews, translate scientific research into evidence-based practice, and design and implement innovative health promotion, education, and advocacy programs and campaigns aimed at preventing and reducing the risk of chronic disease and its associated impacts. Students also gain skills in behavior modification, health coaching, and health communications. The curriculum includes coursework required to achieve competencies needed for specialty certification eligibility as a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and a Certified Health and Wellness Coach.

Master of Public Health (MPH) Initiative

The MPH Initiative seeks to develop the infrastructure and coursework to offer a 2-year Master’s in Public Health degree at UCF. The MPH degree will provide students with the foundation in core public health competencies (e.g., epidemiology, biostatistics, health behavior) that will allow it to become fully accredited by the Council for Education for Public Health (CEPH). Consistent with the population health focus of both the Population Health Council and the Department of Population Health Sciences at COM, this coursework will emphasize the newer population health focus that will include coursework in social determinants, health disparities, population health management, and population-level research and analysis.

In addition to the emphasis on population health, the UCF MPH program will be distinctive from existing MPH programs in Florida and nationwide that offer degrees in historically important public health disciplines like epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, or health behavior. UCF plans to offer students MPH degrees in five areas of public/population health that will be critical in the 21st century:

Digital Health
Cancer and Chronic Disease
Infectious Diseases
Community and Global Health
Health Equity

In addition to fulfilling critical needs for the future public health workforce, these areas build on existing teaching and research expertise in the UCF faculty.

Opportunities for Health Sciences Students

As a health sciences student, you will have opportunities outside of the classroom that will expand your knowledge and skills and help you achieve your career goal. Experiences like engaging with faculty in research, internships, community service projects, study abroad and professional development, allow you to explore a wide range of career opportunities and build your professional resume in preparation for applying to professional/graduate schools or entry-level employment. Our expert faculty are invested in your success and provide you with the foundation of knowledge, skills and experiences you need to advance your studies and provide a foundation for your next steps in pursuing a health or medically-related career. College Choice ranked UCF’s program No. 17 of the 35 best Bachelor’s in Health Sciences degrees.

Other Health-Related Programs at UCF

UCF offers a wide array of health-related programs across various colleges and departments, reflecting its commitment to interdisciplinary education and research. These programs include:

Communication Sciences and Disorders: This program prepares students for a career as a speech-language pathologist. The master’s degree in communication sciences and disorders is one of the largest programs in the country and the top supplier of speech-language pathologists in Florida. Students in this program serve under the supervision of faculty clinicians to provide direct services to clients in the UCF Communication Disorders Clinic. The PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at UCF prepares the next generation of researchers, innovators, and educators to advance healthcare and technology.
Kinesiology: Kinesiology is the scientific study of the mechanics of human movement to improve function and performance as it relates to human health and wellness. The Master of Science in Kinesiology allows students to obtain advanced knowledge in the exploration of human movement and applied exercise physiology. A master’s in kinesiology prepares students to pursue a career in exercise physiology, sport science, strength and conditioning, or to pursue a doctoral degree in a related field. The Kinesiology, PhD program is designed to develop the next generation of teacher-scholars and professional leaders to advance the broad discipline of kinesiology through exploration of human movement, applied physiology, sports performance, sports medicine and clinical rehabilitation.
Social Work: Social Work is an academic discipline focused on enhancing human well-being and helping individuals, families and communities address challenges and improve quality of life. Students in the MSW program can take courses in the campus-based track or through an online track. The online MSW offers convenient solutions for those looking to earn their degree through distance education.
Health Informatics: A health informatics degree emphasizes the development, maintenance, and appropriate use of health data and technology to improve the delivery of care to patients. This degree focuses on the people and processes around health data. Designed to meet the growing demand for highly trained health care informatics professionals, this program provides students with a thorough grounding in the clinical, management and business aspects of the health informatics field. Graduates can work as practitioners, managers, analysts and researchers.
Health Services Administration: This degree is designed to educate future health services administrators and healthcare managers on how to effectively plan, direct, and coordinate the delivery of healthcare. The program prepares students for an advanced degree in health services administration or other related disciplines. This advanced degree prepares graduates for leadership roles managing public health systems, hospital networks and healthcare facilities.
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT): The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program educates students to become competent, compassionate and ethical physical therapy practitioners. Students participate in extensive full-time clinical training, working under the direct supervision of a licensed physical therapist at affiliated clinical education facilities, including acute care hospitals, sports medicine facilities, pediatric facilities, neurologic rehabilitation units and veteran/military hospitals.

UCF's Commitment to Innovation in Healthcare

UCF is a hub for health and human performance research and innovation. The university fosters a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together experts from various fields to address complex healthcare challenges.

Innovating Learning for Real Life: A computer scientist and engineer, Gregory Welch was the first non-nurse faculty member to join UCF’s College of Nursing. As part of his pioneering research in healthcare simulation, he created the first physical-virtual patient - melding the physicality of a manikin with the versatility of virtual humans. Welch’s development of these simulation technologies has elevated the quality and capabilities of nursing education - not only at UCF, but also inspiring similar tech across the country.
Harnessing AI for Better Healthcare: Fueled by UCF’s opportunities for interdisciplinary discovery, researchers Sudipta Seal and Ozlem Garibay ’01MS ’08PhD, a UCF alum, created an Al-based prediction method that helps develop life-saving medicines and treatments for various diseases with up to 97% accuracy. This development can further help improve any deep learning-based prediction model and ultimately lead to quicker, lower-cost medication design.
Reimagining Mental Health Support: An internationally recognized leader in traumatic stress research, Deborah Beidel leads UCF RESTORES - a clinical research center dedicated to changing the way PTSD is understood, diagnosed and treated. Beidel’s use of virtual reality to treat people with PTSD has led to the development of treatments that are two to three times more effective than standard psychological treatments.
Advancing Hearing Tech and Diagnostics: A classical psychoacoustician and clinical audiologist, David Eddins is nationally regarded for his research addressing hearing impairments and discoveries leading to the improvement of diagnostic tools and hearing enhancement devices.

Facilities and Partnerships

UCF's commitment to health extends beyond the classroom and laboratory. The university has invested in state-of-the-art facilities and established strategic partnerships to provide students with unparalleled learning and research opportunities.

UCF College of Health Professions and Sciences: The Rehabilitation Innovation Center features lifelike simulation tech.
UCF College of Medicine: Equipped with training simulators and medical manikins, the Clinical Skills and Simulation Center is used to teach students clinical assessment and intervention skills.
Medical City at Lake Nona: Fully integrated with Lake Nona’s innovative Medical City - which includes many key industry partners - our Academic Health Sciences Campus continues to expand. It now houses the College of Medicine and the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, and as of Fall 2025 it’ll include the Dr. Here, our larger, even more technologically advanced College of Nursing will bolster our position as Florida’s leading provider of new nurses. It will encourage greater research collaboration among experts across interdisciplinary backgrounds.
HCA Healthcare Partnership: The UCF College of Medicine and HCA Healthcare established a partnership academic hospital that provides 24/7 emergency care, as well as comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services.
Nemours Children’s Partnership: As the namesake for our Department of Pediatrics in the UCF College of Medicine, Nemours Children’s is mutually invested in training, recruitment, research and innovation.

The Orlando area has become known as a medical destination, attracting industry, esteemed professionals and patients from around the country.

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