Public Health, Bachelor of Science
Degree Description
The public health program prepares students to become professionals who promote the health of local, national, and global populations through education and skills for individuals and communities. A degree in public health prepares students to think critically about societal issues through a justice-based framework, and public health professionals engage in advocacy for policies that ensure and support healthy populations. Students who graduate with a degree in public health pursue careers in a variety of fields, including health administration; health promotion, and behavior; epidemiology; and environmental health. Students are also prepared to pursue graduate degrees in public health or related fields.
Admissions
Students must have a cumulative and major GPA of at least 2.5.
Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate Program (IUG)
The Department of Health and Kinesiology offers an Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate program, which allows outstanding students to complete the BS in Public Health undergraduate degree and the MA or MS in Health, Physical Education and Recreation with a concentration in Health Behavior graduate degree with a total of 144 total credit hours. The integrated program is designed for dedicated students who are motivated and willing to take on early the challenges relating to graduate education. As such, the program involves both intensive study. Interested students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor for more information about this program.
Requirements
Courses Required for Major (core curriculum)
Students must meet the general education requirements. Additionally students must complete the public health program requirements:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CMST 2410 | SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP | 3 |
| PSYC 3130/SOC 2130 | STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES | 3 |
| BIOL 1330 | ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY | 3 |
| HED/SOC 4700 | WOMEN'S HEALTH AND ISSUES OF DIVERSITY | 3 |
| JMC 1500 | INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM AND MEDIA COMMUNICATION | 3 |
| PSYC 1010 | INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY I | 3 |
| Students must complete the following 60 hours of public health courses: | ||
| HED 1500 | FOUNDATIONS IN PUBLIC HEALTH | 3 |
| HED 4000 | METHODS AND MATERIALS IN HEALTH EDUCATION | 3 |
| HED 4040 | EPIDEMIOLOGY & PREVENTION OF DISEASE | 3 |
| HED 4050 | INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH IN PUBLIC HEALTH | 3 |
| HED 4060 | SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAMS | 3 |
| HED 4130 | COMMUNITY HEALTH | 3 |
| HED 4280 | SOCIAL MARKETING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH | 3 |
| HED 4400 | HEALTH LITERACY | 3 |
| HED 4420 | PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATICS | 3 |
| HED/GERO/WGST 4550 | HEALTH ASPECTS OF AGING | 3 |
| HED 4650 | GLOBAL HEALTH | 3 |
| HED 4880 | PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY | 3 |
| HED 4950 | PUBLIC HEALTH LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY | 3 |
| HED 4960 | HEALTH EDUCATION - PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION | 3 |
| HED 4990 | INTERNSHIP IN PUBLIC HEALTH | 6 |
| PA 2170 | INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION | 3 |
| PE 3900 | MOTIVATION FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| DRUG AWARENESS | ||
| STRESS MANAGEMENT | ||
| HEALTH CONCEPTS OF SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT | ||
| GENERAL SAFETY EDUCATION | ||
| APPLIED NUTRITION | ||
| Select electives as needed to meet 120 hours minimum for the degree. | ||
| Total Credits | 78 | |
Students must complete all required course work, both general and professional, with a minimum GPA of 2.5 before applying for their practicum experiences. Prior to graduation, all public health course work must be completed with a least a 2.5 overall GPA and no grade below “C-“.