BSPH Environmental Health Sciences at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Programme overview

Environmental health lies at the core of public health. It focuses on understanding how people interact with their environments in order to protect human health, promote well‑being, and support safe, healthy communities. The undergraduate major in Environmental Health Sciences equips students with a comprehensive understanding of the environmental factors that influence human health; the physical, chemical, and biological processes through which human activities affect the environment; the methods used to assess these impacts; and the science‑based strategies used to prevent, reduce, or remediate environmental health problems.

Faculty: Gillings School of Global Public Health | Department: Environmental Sciences and Engineering | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chapel Hill, NC, United States

What you will study

Required courses include BIOS 600 Principles of Statistical Inference; EPID 600 Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health; SPHG 351 Foundations of Public Health; SPHG 352 Public Health Systems and Solutions; ENVR 205 Engineering Tools for Environmental Problem Solving (fall); ENVR 230 Environmental Health Issues (spring).

Career pathways

Each student is matched with a faculty mentor and supported by an academic coordinator and dedicated career services coordinator within the school.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

University-level admission applies (not programme-specific): apply through UNC-Chapel Hill Undergraduate Admissions; international applicants submit an English proficiency score (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, Cambridge C1/C2) unless they qualify for the waiver, and transcripts translated into English. Programme-specific: The Gillings School of Global Public Health offers five undergraduate majors: biostatistics, community and global public health, environmental health sciences, health policy and management, and nutrition. The undergraduate degree offered is the bachelor of science in public health (B.S.P.H.). Enrollment in the B.S.P.H. degree programs is limited, and students must apply for admission. Students typically apply in their sophomore year for admission beginning in the fall of their junior year, though exceptions to this timeline may apply.

Domestic applicants: USD 7,230 a year (2026-27). Full-time (12+ credit hours) undergraduate tuition for the year, stated as the tuition line of the 2026-27 in-state budget; one undergraduate rate band applies to all undergraduate degree programmes (NC resident rate, $3,615 per semester on the University Source

International applicants: USD 47,472 a year (2026-27). Full-time (12+ credit hours) undergraduate tuition for the year, stated as the tuition line of the 2026-27 out-of-state budget; one undergraduate rate band applies to all undergraduate degree programmes (non-resident rate, $23,736 per semester on the Univ Source

First-year applicants apply for fall enrollment (fall 2027 entry); transfer applicants apply through the Common Application with decisions by April 30.

First-year Early Action (non-binding): application deadline October 15, decision by December 20 for North Carolina residents and by February 15 for all other applicants. Regular Decision: application deadline January 15, decision by March 31. Enrollment confirmation deadline for both is May 1. Apply through the Common Application. The non-refundable application fee is $85, with a fee waiver available. SAT or ACT scores are optional with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above on a 4.0 scale; students below 2.8 must submit an ACT of 17 or higher or an SAT of 930 or higher.

Transfer applicants: application and fee or waiver due February 15; supporting materials and residency due March 15; decisions by April 30; enrollment confirmation by May 15. Apply through the Common Application; the non-refundable application fee is $85.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.unc.edu/

Explore more study programmes

Engineering