Public Health, Public Health (BSPublichealth)
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health prepares graduates for entry-level positions in public health and equips them to pursue certificate and graduate degrees in the field. All of the options offer broad-based training in the five core areas of public health.
Students for whom the degree is appropriate include those interested in health careers and in dual graduate degree programs in medicine and public health. The degree is administered by the School of Human Ecology.
Public health students who plan to follow the advanced option must apply for admission. Admission requirements for the advanced option are given in the public health advanced option. Students who plan to follow the public health honors option must be admitted to the Dean's Scholars, Health Science Scholars, or Polymathic Scholars Honors Program.
Total Hours Required: 120
Plan of Study
The Plan of Study is a suggested four-year course sequence to support academic planning and serves as a helpful guide. Currently enrolled students should meet with their academic advisor to tailor their course selections and timelines to their individual goals and circumstances.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| BIO 311C | Introductory Biology I | 3 |
| CH 301 or CH 301C |
Principles of Chemistry I or Foundations of Chemistry I |
3 |
| M 408C |
Differential and Integral Calculus or Differential Calculus or Differential Calculus for Science or Differential and Integral Calculus for the Sciences |
4 |
| CH 104M | Introduction to Chemical Practice I | 1 |
| First-Year Signature Course (090) | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| BIO 311D | Introductory Biology II | 3 |
| CH 302 | Principles of Chemistry II | 3 |
| CH 104N | Introduction to Chemical Practice II | 1 |
| PBH 317 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| SDS 320E | Elements of Statistics | 3 |
| BIO 325 or BIO 325H |
Genetics or Genetics: Honors |
3 |
| CH 320M | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| NTR 312 or NTR 306 |
Introduction to Nutritional Sciences or Fundamentals of Nutrition |
3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| BCH 369 | Fundamentals of Biochemistry | 3 |
| Humanities (040) | 3 | |
| Foreign Language and Culture | 3 | |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| ECO 304K |
Introduction to Microeconomics or Introduction to Macroeconomics or Introduction to Psychology or Introduction to Social Demography or Sociology of Health and Illness |
3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| PBH 354 | Epidemiology I | 3 |
| Foreign Language and Culture | 6 | |
| MAN 320F or GOV 358 |
Foundations of Management and Organizational Behavior or Introduction to Public Policy |
3 |
| Visual and Performing Arts (050) | 3 | |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| PBH 358D | Health Policy and Health Systems | 3 |
| PBH 356 | Health Behavior Theory and Practice | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: PBH | 3 | |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| PBH 334 | Global Health | 3 |
| PBH 338 | Environmental Health | 3 |
| MBS 326M or MBS 326R |
Introductory Medical Microbiology and Immunology or General Microbiology |
3 |
| MBS 226L | General Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| PBH 137 | Selected Topics in Public Health (Topic 1: Senior Seminar in Public Health) | 1 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| INB 365S | Human Systems Physiology | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: PBH | 3 | |
| PBH 363 | Project Management, Planning, and Evaluation | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (080) | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Requirements
All requirements are listed below, starting with the most specialized moving to the most general. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration | ||
| Math and Science | ||
| M 408C | Differential and Integral Calculus | 4 |
| or M 408N | Differential Calculus for Science | |
| or M 408R | Differential and Integral Calculus for the Sciences | |
| Hours chosen from: | 9 | |
| Introductory Biology I and Introductory Biology II and Genetics | ||
| Advanced Introduction to Genetics: Honors and Genetics: Honors | ||
| CH 301 | Principles of Chemistry I | 3 |
| or CH 301C | Foundations of Chemistry I | |
| CH 302 | Principles of Chemistry II | 3 |
| or CH 302C | Foundations of Chemistry II | |
| CH 104M | Introduction to Chemical Practice I | 1 |
| CH 104N | Introduction to Chemical Practice II | 1 |
| CH 320M | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| BCH 369 | Fundamentals of Biochemistry | 3 |
| Advanced Coursework (with a grade of at least C-; may not be used for other requirements) | ||
| PBH 363 | Project Management, Planning, and Evaluation | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: | 6 | |
| Public Health Research | ||
| Public Health Internship | ||
| Epidemiology II: Quantitative Methods | ||
| Field Epidemiology | ||
| Public Health Informatics | ||
| Global Health in Action | ||
| Foreign Language/Culture Choices | 6 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
First course in a foreign language and a three-semester-hour course in the culture of the same language area | ||
Two three-semester-hour courses in one foreign culture area; the courses must be chosen from an approved list available in the dean's office and the college advising centers | ||
| Subtotal | 42 | |
| Degree (see details below) | 39 | |
| Subtotal | 39 | |
| Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | 9 | |
| General Education | ||
| Core Curriculum | 30 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | ||
| Subtotal | 39 | |
| College Requirements - Natural Sciences | ||
| General University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Degree-Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPublichealth)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation coursework, with a grade of at least C-: | ||
| PBH 317 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| MBS 326M | Introductory Medical Microbiology and Immunology | 3 |
| or MBS 326R | General Microbiology | |
| NTR 312 | Introduction to Nutritional Sciences | 3 |
| or NTR 312H | Introduction to Nutritional Sciences: Honors | |
| or NTR 306 | Fundamentals of Nutrition | |
| INB 365S | Human Systems Physiology | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Microeconomics | ||
| Introduction to Macroeconomics | ||
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Social Demography | ||
| Sociology of Health and Illness | ||
| GOV 358 | Introduction to Public Policy | 3 |
| or MAN 320F | Foundations of Management and Organizational Behavior | |
| Public Health, with a grade of at least C-: | ||
| SDS 320E | Elements of Statistics | 3 |
| PBH 338 | Environmental Health | 3 |
| PBH 354 | Epidemiology I | 3 |
| PBH 334 | Global Health | 3 |
| PBH 358D | Health Policy and Health Systems | 3 |
| PBH 356 | Health Behavior Theory and Practice | 3 |
| A cumulative, integrative, and scholarly or applied experience or inquiry project that serves as a capstone to the educational experience approved by the public health faculty | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: | ||
| Public Health Research | ||
or PBH 379H | Honors Tutorial Course | |
| Honors Tutorial Course and Honors Tutorial Course | ||
| Global Health in Action | ||
| Senior Seminar in Public Health | ||
| Total Hours | 39 | |
Additional Requirements and Policy
At least 21 semester hours of upper-division coursework must be completed in residence at the University. All students must complete at least 36 semester hours of upper-division coursework. They must also earn a major and degree coursework grade point average of at least 2.00