The following are some of the fresh options in Pitt Health Sciences introduced this fall, as schools and programs across the University launch new courses, expand existing initiatives and offer more opportunities for students to customize their academic journey.
School of Dental Medicine
To address dental provider shortages in Pennsylvania, the School of Dental Medicine is introducing several new pathways. Residents across the commonwealth can now enroll in the new Regional Training Center Dental Assistant program and the General Practice Dentistry Residency, both designed to prepare practitioners to serve rural communities. A new Hybrid Dental Hygiene program is also in development, with its first cohort set to launch in 2026.
The school is also offering a free webinar for dentists interested in obtaining General Practice Residency Training at Titusville on Sept. 4. The link to register is: dental.pitt.edu/rtc.
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences has launched a new communication science minor for undergraduates interested in the study of speech, language and hearing. The program provides a foundation in human communication processes, communication disorders and intervention strategies, preparing students for graduate programs or careers in health and education.
School of Public Health
Be ready for natural and human-made calamities alike with Pitt Public Health’s Disaster Preparedness Certificate. The 15-credit program applies a multidisciplinary approach and focuses on community resilience in disaster response and recovery.
Also at the undergraduate level, students can explore the role data plays in Data to Decision: Modeling in Public Health (PUBHLT 0412) and Evidence-Based Environmental and One Health Policy and Practice (PUBHLT 0420).
Graduate-level additions cover a wide range of emerging fields, with new specialized courses, such as Analyzing Health Data with the All of Us Research Program (HUGEN 2081), Python for AI in Health Data Science (BIOST 2175), Infection Prevention in Community Settings (IDM 2051) and Host Response to Microbial Infection (IDM 2103).
Looking for hands-on experience? Consider joining the Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Student Training Core, which offers short-, medium- and long-term engagements.