Public Health Major: Public Health Education Concentration or Pre-Health Professional Concentration, B.A., B.A.A., B.S.
B.A. degree, B.A.A. degree, or B.S. degree
Major Map
The purpose of this major is to prepare students for careers in a variety of official, voluntary, community-based organizations, private health agencies, health departments, and hospitals. The major has two concentrations (Public Health Education and Pre-Health Professional). Students will decide if they want an education or clinical focus. Please see the descriptions below.
Pre-Health Professional: Undergraduate students who plan to apply to medical and graduate training programs and would like to gain public health skills can benefit from the pre-health professional concentration. This concentration is designed to provide students with public health skills and prepare students for entry into professional training programs such as medicine and physician assistant programs.
Public Health Education: Students who are looking for a career in public health and/or interested in obtaining a Master of Public Health (MPH), might consider the Public Health Education concentration.
Admission Requirements, Retention & Termination Standards
Students interested in this major are encouraged to obtain advising and admission information early during the pre-admission coursework by contacting a faculty advisor.
Admission Standards
To declare this major, a student must meet the following criteria:
- Complete at least 30 credit hours;
- Complete the following courses HSC 106QR, HSC 110, PSY 211QR or STA 282QR;
- Earn an overall GPA of 2.50 or higher;
- Meet specific program Technical Standards. A copy of the Technical Standards is available on the program's website.
Retention & Termination Standards
Once a student signs the major, students will sign an agreement of Technical Standards for the major.
In addition to meeting Technical Standards, the following criteria must also be met:
- Earn a grade of C or higher in each HSC course in the major;
- Maintain a GPA of 2.50 or higher in the major.
- If a student does not meet the Admission Requirements or does not continue to meet the Retention and/or Technical Standards, he/she may be dismissed from the major. Appeals will be considered. The program maintains the right to terminate a student from the major if he or she is not progressing satisfactorily.
Credit/No Credit coursework will not count on any course on this major, except for the internship experience, HSC 599. This course has been approved and is often offered as a Service Learning (SL) course.
Program Requirements
Public Health Core Courses I (27 hours)
Public Health Core Courses II (3 hours)
Select one of the following:
| PSY 211QR | Introduction to Psychological Statistics | 3(3-0) |
| STA 282QR | Introduction to Statistics | 3(3-0) |
Concentrations
Select one of the following concentrations:
Pre-Health Professional Concentration
Required Concentration Courses I (7-8 hours)
Select one of the following options:
Option A (7 hours)
Option B (8 hours)
| BIO 111 | Foundations of Evolution and Diversity | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 112 | Foundations of Cell Biology | 4(3-3) |
Required Concentration Courses II (5-8 hours)
Select one of the following options:
Option A (5 hours)
| CHM 120 | Survey of Chemistry | 4(4-0) |
| CHM 127 | Introductory Chemistry Laboratory | 1(0-2) |
Option B (8 hours)
Required Concentration Courses III (4-8 hours)
Select one of the following options:
Option A 4 hours
| CHM 342 | Survey of Organic Chemistry | 4(3-3) |
Option B (8 hours)
| CHM 345 | Organic Chemistry I | 3(3-0) |
| CHM 346 | Organic Chemistry II: Synthesis and Bioorganic Chemistry | 3(3-0) |
| CHM 349 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2(0-6) |
Electives (9-12 hours)
Select from the following:
| BIO 211 | Foundations of Genetics | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 315 | Human Genetics | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 392 | Mammalian Physiology | 4(3-3) |
| CHM 421 | Introductory Biochemistry for Health Sciences | 3(3-0) |
| CHM 520 | Introductory Biochemistry | 3(3-0) |
| CHM 521 | Biochemistry I | 3(3-0) |
| CHM 522 | Biochemistry II | 3(3-0) |
| GEO 203QR | Introduction to Geographic Information Science | 3(2-2) |
| HSC 211 | Human Anatomy and Physiology | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 214 | Human Anatomy | 4(3-3) |
| HSC 215 | Human Physiology | 4(3-2) |
| HSC 221 | Public Health Theory | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 317 | Community Health | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 319 | Methods and Materials in Community Health Education | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 325 | Public Health Policy and Advocacy | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 411 | Pathophysiology | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 418 | Professional Aspects of Health Education | 2(2-0) |
| HSC 419WI | Community Health Assessment, Planning and Program Evaluation | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 532 | Diversity Issues in the Health Professions | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 538WI | Development of Proposals and Reports in Health Administration | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 590 | Public Health and Social Justice | 3(3-0) |
| PHY 130QR | College Physics I | 4(4-0) |
| PHY 131 | College Physics II | 4(4-0) |
Total 55-66 semester hours
Public Health Education Concentration
Required Concentration Courses (32 hours)
| GEO 203QR | Introduction to Geographic Information Science | 3(2-2) |
| HSC 211 | Human Anatomy and Physiology | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 221 | Public Health Theory | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 317 | Community Health | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 319 | Methods and Materials in Community Health Education | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 325 | Public Health Policy and Advocacy | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 418 | Professional Aspects of Health Education | 2(2-0) |
| HSC 419WI | Community Health Assessment, Planning and Program Evaluation | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 532 | Diversity Issues in the Health Professions | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 538WI | Development of Proposals and Reports in Health Administration | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 590 | Public Health and Social Justice | 3(3-0) |
Total: 62 semester hours