Public Health (B.S.)
The Department of Public Health offers evidence-based professional training across the traditional public health disciplines. Undergraduate students are well-prepared to apply to graduate programs in public health, medicine, pharmacy, social work, physician assistant studies, law, and a host of other professional fields. Our alumni are trained for meaningful public health careers in government agencies, hospitals and health care organizations, community-based and non-profit organizations, foundations and philanthropies, policymaking and research councils, and corporations. Students will learn to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and utilize data to preserve, protect, and promote the health and well-being of vulnerable populations locally, nationally, and globally
Admission Requirements
Admission requirements for this program are satisfied by the general requirements for undergraduate admission to the University.
Program Requirements
Candidates must complete 120 credits in course work including satisfaction of the University General Education Requirements and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Group Requirements, as well as the Departmental major requirements cited below. All course work must be completed in accordance with the regulations of the University and the College governing undergraduate scholarship and degrees. Students must receive a grade of C- or better in all Public Health core courses and in all approved electives. A grade point average of 2.0 in both Public Health and general required courses are required for graduation.
Major Requirements
Students must complete 38-41 credits distributed as follows (Core and Elective courses must be completed with a C- or better):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| PH 2100 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| PH 3100 | Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health | 3 |
| PH 3200 | Introduction to Biostatistics 1 | 4 |
| PH 3300 | Epidemiology 1 | 4 |
| PH 3500 | Environmental Health | 3 |
| PH 4400 | Methodological Approaches in Public Health | 4 |
| Practicum Requirement: Either PH 4100/4150 or PH 4250 | ||
| PH 4100 | Public Health Principles and Practice | 2 |
| PH 4150 | Public Health Practicum | 2 |
| OR | ||
| PH 4250 | Interprofessional Education and Public Health | 4 |
| PH 5100 | Capstone Course in Public Health | 4 |
| Electives 2 | ||
| Select at least one public health (PH) elective (3-4 credits), and a minimum of two courses (6-8 credits) from the following: | ||
| Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Medical Anthropology | ||
| Global Health | ||
| Anthropology of Health and Illness | ||
| Arabic | ||
| Medical Arabic | ||
| Biology | ||
| Introductory Microbiology | ||
| Anatomy and Physiology | ||
| Genetics | ||
| Cellular Biochemistry | ||
| Human Physiology | ||
| Ecology and the Environment | ||
| Biometry | ||
| Cancer Biology | ||
| Basic Endocrinology | ||
| Biology of Aging | ||
| Criminal Justice | ||
| Mental Health and Crime (Criminal Justice) | ||
| Crime and Public Health | ||
| Economics | ||
| U.S. Health Care: Policy and Economics | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Economics of Health Care | ||
| Pharmaceutical Economics | ||
| Introduction to Development Economics | ||
| Advanced Economics of Health Care | ||
| History | ||
| American Medicine in the Twentieth Century | ||
| World Environmental History since 1900 | ||
| Nutrition and Food Science | ||
| Nutrition and Health | ||
| Human Nutrition | ||
| Food Laws and Regulations | ||
| Community Nutrition | ||
| Nutrition and Disease | ||
| Philosophy | ||
| Ethical Issues in Health Care | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy of Science | ||
| Justice and Rights in Health Care | ||
| Polish | ||
| Medical Polish I | ||
| Medical Polish II | ||
| Political Science | ||
| Introduction to Public Policy | ||
| Ethics and Politics of Public Policy | ||
| Environmental Policy and Politics | ||
| Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Drugs, Behavior, and Society | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Social Behavior | ||
| Brain and Behavior | ||
| Human Sexuality | ||
| Human Neuropsychology | ||
| Public Health (any course that is not already part of the core requirements) | ||
| Science of Public Health | ||
| Race and Ethnic Disparities in Public Health | ||
| Public Health Issues in Arab Americans and the Arab World | ||
| Mental Health and Crime | ||
| Global Health | ||
| Public Health and the City | ||
| Special Topics in Public Health | ||
| Reproductive Health | ||
| Law and Public Health | ||
| LGBTQ Health | ||
| Crime and Public Health | ||
| Special Topics in Health Disparities | ||
| Directed Study in Public Health | ||
| Sociology | ||
| Sociology of the Environment | ||
| Sociology of Health and Medicine | ||
| Seminar in Aging and the Life Course | ||
| Seminar in Medical Sociology | ||
| End-of-Life Issues | ||
| Introduction to Medical Sociology | ||
| Health and Life Course | ||
| Sociology of Urban Health | ||
| Spanish | ||
| Spanish for the Health Care Profession | ||
| Urban Studies and Planning | ||
| Cities and Food | ||
| College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts - Communication | ||
| Health Communication | ||
| College of Education - Health Education | ||
| Foundations of Health and Health Promotion | ||
| Dynamics of Personal Health | ||
| Advancing Policy in Community Health Education | ||
| Nutrition and Health Education | ||
| Reproductive Health Education | ||
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse | ||
| Health Behavior Change | ||
- 1
Before enrolling in PH 3200 and PH 3300, students must complete STA 1020 or MAT 1800 or MAT 2010 or the equivalent with a C- or better (or place into MAT 2010) .
- 2
Elective courses allow students to specialize within the program in ways that enhance their academic and professional goals. Students should remember that elective courses may have their own prerequisite courses, and students should consult the Undergraduate Academic Advisors in Public Health to learn more about the major prior to undertaking the program. Students can propose additional electives to the Department via appeal with Advisor/Chair.
Public Health Honors
To be recommended for an honors degree from this program, a student must maintain a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.30 and complete a minimum of twelve honors course credits with a B or better, including:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Practicum Requirement (Honors section of one of the following): | 2-4 | |
| Public Health Practicum | ||
or PH 4250 | Interprofessional Education and Public Health | |
| PH 5100 | Capstone Course in Public Health (Honors Section) | 4 |
| One Course in Public Health (PH) with an Honors Option 1 | 3-4 | |
| One 42XX level Honors Seminar 2 | 3 | |
- 1
Consult an advisor or the University Schedule of Classes for available Honors Sections.
- 2
A list of seminars is available in the list of Honors (HON) courses.
Public Health AGRADE Program
AGRADE provides qualifying Public Health students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with an opportunity to pursue an accelerated pathway to the Master of Public Health (MPH) program in the School of Medicine. The MPH prepares students for a professional career at the intersection of public, clinical and/or other allied health sciences.
Application
Undergraduate students enrolled in the Public Health major or minor are eligible to apply for AGRADE status in the semester in which they expect to complete 90 credits and have completed the following four undergraduate courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PH 2100 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| PH 3100 | Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health | 3 |
| PH 3200 | Introduction to Biostatistics | 4 |
| PH 3300 | Epidemiology | 4 |
Applicants must have a 3.6 GPA or better in coursework for their Public Health major or minor, and a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. Students with a GPA of 3.3-3.49 will be considered on an individual basis.
Applications will be reviewed each semester. Applicants must submit a personal statement indicating their interest in the MPH program, their career goals, and the reasons why they are especially suited to join this accelerated track. Applicants must also submit two recommendation letters from faculty that address the student’s capacity for graduate study.
The GRE may be waived based on satisfactory performance in the AGRADE courses (at least a B grade in each AGRADE class). Acceptance to the BSPH-MPH AGRADE program is competitive. The MPH program admissions committee reviews all AGRADE applicant applications and makes decisions about admission to this accelerated track.
Requirements
Upon admission, students may elect 3-15 credits in approved graduate M.P.H. courses. These graduate level courses will complete elective bachelor's degree requirements as well as fulfill the beginning of study toward the master's degree.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| FPH 7011 | Foundations of Public Health | 3 |
| FPH 7012 | Social Justice in Public Health | 3 |
| FPH 7015 | Biostatistics I | 3 |
| FPH 7100 | Health Care Organization and Administration | 3 |
| FPH 7240 | Epidemiology | 3 |
The bachelor's degree will be awarded following the completion of the undergraduate degree requirements. Graduate course work taken in this program must be completed within eight years (from the time that the first graduate course is taken that is counted toward degree requirements) or within six years from the awarding of the bachelor's degree, whichever comes first.
For more information, contact the Public Health undergraduate academic advisors and consult the AGRADE FAQs.