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The Department of Public Health educates students in the core disciplines of public health including biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy and management, social and behavioral sciences, and environmental health to prevent disease and protect the public’s health and wellbeing. The department provides instruction, conducts research, delivers services, mentors students, and engages with the local community to enhance the educational experience for the student. Following graduation, the student is prepared to develop programs in a variety of professional settings and with diverse populations.

Public Health (PH)

Students earning a Bachelor of Science Degree, Major in Public Health will have the competencies needed to understand human health from a socioecological framework, identify health-related needs, and to be able to use personal, social and physical environment, and policy related interventions to improve the health and well-being of populations. Students will be trained to provide leadership in local and state public health agencies, non-profit agencies, worksite and student health and wellness programs, and in health education within fitness, medical, and hospital settings. 

The Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health (830A/51.2201)

P H GPA requirements: 2.5 cumulative GPA required for declaration, and 2.5 cumulative and 2.0 major GPA required for graduation. There are no GPA retention requirements.

P H grade requirements: All P H majors must earn a minimum grade of “C” (2.0) in all P H courses.

Minor in Public Health (830/51.2201)

(18 semester hours)
 

Honors Program in Public Health

The Public Health program within the Department of Public Health offers an honors program to students who exhibit academic excellence, a commitment to community engagement, and a desire to conduct public health research. The purpose of the Public Health Honors program is to foster independent and creative thinking, community engagement, and personal integrity. In order to be considered for the honors program, Public Health majors must (1) have an overall GPA of 3.45 or higher, (2) commit to engage in substantive service learning, and (3) develop an honors research project in collaboration with a faculty member in Public Health. Students must apply for the program. In order to graduate with “Honors in Public Health”, students must complete 9 credit hours of honors coursework in Public Health: one 3000- or 4000-level Public Health honors course (3 hours), the honors section of Seminar in Rural Public Health (P H 4650; 3 hours), an honors thesis chaired by a Public Health faculty member (P H 4510; 3 hours), and have an overall GPA of 3.45 or higher. Students must earn a minimum grade of “B” (3.0) in honors courses in order to receive credit as honors.

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Public Health offers the following degree at the graduate level: Master of Public Health. Persons interested in this degree are requested to consult the Graduate Bulletin for further information.

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