The paper analyzes the milestones of the history of Public Health and of the Post-graduation stricto sensu courses in Brazil. Since its beginnings in the 70s we can observe a gradual broadening of the scope and an increase of the number of available Post-graduation courses. Presently, there are 24 Public Health Post-graduation courses in Brazil, including both the ones with a comprehensive curriculum and the ones mainly concerned with Epidemiology. The present analysis does not include courses in the field of nursing, social odontology, health administration and social pediatrics. The main aspects involved in the creation of those courses were studied in detail, including social and political background, data concerning public health context prevailing in Brazil and institutional issues. The paper also addresses the terminology employed in the field, e.g. Public Health, Community Medicine... as concepts embodying its guidelines. Finally, the growing specialization in the realm of Public Health was discussed, exemplifying it with the contemporaiy development of Epidemiology. In order to preserve a "core" of knowledges common to the different specialties, the paper highlights the role of Social Sciences applied to health.
Public Health, history; Public Health, teaching; Master and Doctor in Public Health Courses; Public Health in Brazil