Degree Requirements

Curriculum Overview

Through the Bachelor of Science in Public Health, students build skills in public health focused on matters related to the health of societies locally, nationally, and globally.  While students in both the BA and the BS take the same core public health courses, the BS offers students the flexibility to complete required courses in basic and applied sciences, building toward possible careers in epidemiology, environmental health, occupational health or professional programs toward careers as doctors, dentists, pharmacists and other clinical roles.

With a BS in Public Health, graduates can pursue entry-level positions in the public health workforce or graduate school within the health sciences or related fields by building the necessary prerequisite course work into their studies. Those who go on to careers in medicine, nursing, or dentistry (to name a few) will find that the School of Public Health provides a broad foundation in the biological and behavioral sciences, viewed from social ecology and population-based perspectives. Our graduates emerge from the program prepared to tackle health equity and social justice issues.

During their first two years, students complete prerequisite general education course work including introductory courses in public health. Once admitted to the major, students spend their final two years engaging in the major course work sequence as a true community of learners. In addition to the core public health courses, students also work with their advisors to select a complement of courses focused on their professional and/or academic goals. Specific degree requirements are available below.

Undergraduate Student Handbook

  • ENGL 160 – Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts (3 semester hours)
  • ENGL 161 – Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research (3 semester hours)
  • Quantitative Reasoning course – Select from: STAT 101, STAT 130, MATH 121, MATH 170, or MATH 180  (4 – 5 semester hours) – see below for additional information
  • PUBH 100 – Health and the Public (3 semester hours)*
  • PUBH 105 – Foundations for Public Health (2 semester hours)**
  • PUBH 110 – Public Health and Global Societies (3 semester hours)***
  • PUBH 120 – Public Health and the Study of Disease and Epidemics (3 semester hours)
  • Additional Analyzing the Natural World course – Select from: BIOS 110 or BIOS 120 (4 semester hours)
  • Exploring World Cultures course
  • Understanding U.S. Society course
  • Understanding the Individual and Society course
  • Understanding the Past course
  • Understanding the Creative Arts course
  • Additional General Education course(s) from any category, as necessary to total 24 hours of General Education credit
  • Free electives to total 60 hours

* May be used to satisfy Individual and Society or US Society category below.

**Required for new first year students in the School of Public Health as well as transfer students who enter the School of Public Health with less than 24 credit hours earned. Others may enroll with permission of instructor if space permits.

***May be used to satisfy Individual and Society or World Cultures category below.

Note: If any future selective courses have prerequisites that are not already satisfied by the University and General Education requirements, students are advised to choose free electives that work towards satisfying these requirements.

Quantitative Reasoning Requirement (4 – 5 semester hours)

Students in the School of Public Health must demonstrate competency in quantitative reasoning to earn a degree. STAT 101 or STAT 130 is recommended to fulfill this requirement. However, for students in the Bachelor of Science, such competence may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways:

  1. Achievement of a score on the mathematics placement examination high enough to qualify for enrollment in MATH 180.
  2. Grade of B or better in any one of the following courses: MATH 121, MATH 170, MATH 180, STAT 101, or STAT 130. STAT 101 or STAT 130 is recommended.
  3. Transfer students may present equivalent courses taken elsewhere, for which they have received a grade of B or better, to satisfy this requirement.
  • PUBH 300 – Critical Thinking in Public Health (4 semester hours)
  • PUBH 301 – Critical Thinking in Public Health II (2 semester hours)
  • PUBH 310 – Public Health and Global Citizenship (3 semester hours)
  • PUBH 320 – Ecologies of Health and Modern Life (3 semester hours)
  • PUBH 330 – Health Equity and Health Disparities (3 semester hours)
  • PUBH 340 – Health Literacy (3 semester hours)
  • PUBH 350 – Health Systems, Health Policy (3 semester hours)
  • PUBH 360 – Local Citizenship and Community Health Initiatives (4 semester hours)
  • PUBH 370 – Using the Public Health Toolbox (3 semester hours)
  • PUBH 395 – Professional Topics Seminar (two semesters of enrollment required) (0 semester hours)
  • PUBH 397 – Baccalaureate Project in Public Health (3 semester hours)
  • PUBH 410 – Historical and Contemporary Public Health Challenges I (2 semester hours)
  • PUBH 411 – Historical and Contemporary Public Health Challenges II (2 semester hours)
  • Public Health Selectives (15 semester hours) – In consultation with their Advisor, students must develop an area of focus and choose 15 hours from a list of courses representing an array of bench, lab, and applied sciences. Students are highly encouraged to consider PUBH 393 for one of their selective options. PUBH 420 is among the selective options and may be a prerequisite requirement for some other public health courses on the list.
  • Public Health Electives (3 semester hours) – Pre-approved by Advisor as relevant to the student’s plan of study.
  • Free Electives (7 semester hours)

Note: If any of the selective courses have prerequisites that are not already satisfied with the University and General Education Requirements, students are advised to choose free electives that work toward satisfying these prerequisites requirements.