Public Health, Honors (BSPublichealth)
Honors program
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 honors students must be admitted to the Dean's Scholars, Health Science Scholars, or Polymathic Scholars Honors Program.
Total Hours Required: 126
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 315H | Advanced Introduction to Genetics: Honors | 3 |
| CH 301C | Foundations of Chemistry I | 3 |
| M 408D | Sequences, Series, and Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| First-Year Signature Course (090) | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| BIO 325H | Genetics: Honors | 3 |
| CH 302C | Foundations of Chemistry II | 3 |
| CH 204 | Introduction to Chemical Practice | 2 |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing | 3 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| PBH 317 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| Visual and Performing Arts (050) | 3 | |
| CH 320M | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| Liberal Arts/Fine Arts course | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| MBS 326M or MBS 326R |
Introductory Medical Microbiology and Immunology or General Microbiology |
3 |
| MBS 226L | General Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
| Liberal Arts/Fine Arts course | 3 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (080) | 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 | 14 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| PBH 354 | Epidemiology I | 3 |
| BCH 369 | Fundamentals of Biochemistry | 3 |
| SDS 320H | Elements of Statistics: Honors | 3 |
| RHE 309S | Critical Reading and Persuasive Writing | 3 |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| PBH 358D | Health Policy and Health Systems | 3 |
| PBH 356 | Health Behavior Theory and Practice | 3 |
| NTR 312 or NTR 312H |
Introduction to Nutritional Sciences or Introduction to Nutritional Sciences: Honors |
3 |
| Humanities (040) | 3 | |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| PBH 379H | Honors Tutorial Course | 3 |
| PBH 338 | Environmental Health | 3 |
| PBH 334 | Global Health | 3 |
| PBH 137 | Selected Topics in Public Health (Topic 1: Senior Seminar in Public Health) | 1 |
| SDS 325H | Honors Statistics | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| PBH 379H | Honors Tutorial Course | 3 |
| MAN 320F or GOV 358 |
Foundations of Management and Organizational Behavior or Introduction to Public Policy |
3 |
| INB 365S | Human Systems Physiology | 3 |
| PBH 363 | Project Management, Planning, and Evaluation | 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 | ||
| M 408C | Differential and Integral Calculus | 4 |
| or M 408N | Differential Calculus for Science | |
| or M 408R | Differential and Integral Calculus for the Sciences | |
| 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 |
| First-Year Signature Course (090) (approved by program honors advisor) | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: | 1 | |
| Planning Your Capstone Experience (for Health Science Scholars) | ||
| Health Science Scholars Capstone Experience Preparation (for Dean’s Scholars) | ||
| Polymathic Capstone Field Invention (for Polymathic Scholars) | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 6 | |
| Honors Tutorial Course (two semesters with at least a grade of B in each) | ||
| Natural Sciences Topics and Capstone Thesis Seminar | ||
| Honors Tutorial Course and Honors Tutorial Course | ||
| Complete a thesis and presentation based on research, approved by the research supervisor and the honors advisor | ||
| PBH 363 | Project Management, Planning, and Evaluation | 3 |
| Subtotal | 25 | |
| Honors breadth requirement: Credit earned by examination may not be counted. | ||
| Honors mathematics or statistics course | 3 | |
| BIO 315H | Advanced Introduction to Genetics: Honors | 3 |
| BIO 325H | Genetics: Honors | 3 |
| CH 301C | Foundations of Chemistry I | 3 |
| CH 302C | Foundations of Chemistry II | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: Liberal Arts and/or Fine Arts | 6 | |
| Hours chosen from: coursework approved by the departmental honors advisor | 10 | |
| Subtotal | 31 | |
| Degree (see details below) | 39 | |
| General Education | ||
| Free Elective | 1 | |
| Remaining Core Curriculum (42 hours total) | 30 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | ||
| Subtotal | 70 | |
| College Requirements - Natural Sciences | ||
| General University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 126 | |
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.
Public Health Departmental Honors
Most departments in the College of Natural Sciences offer departmental honors programs to their majors. The statement “Special Honors in (name of field)” appears on the transcript of each graduate certified as having completed the honors program.
Students must remain in good academic standing in the Dean's Scholars, Health Science Scholars, or Polymathic Scholars Honors Program, must submit an honors thesis, and present their research in an approved public forum, such as the college's annual Undergraduate Research Forum or CNS Honors Thesis Symposium.
Admission
Majors who plan to seek departmental honors in public health should apply to the honors advisor for admission to the honors program no later than the beginning of the senior year. Students are encouraged to apply as early as the beginning of the junior year. A minimum 3.00 university GPA and 3.50 GPA in public health are required for admission.
Requirements
- A minimum 3.00 university GPA
- A minimum 3.50 GPA in required major coursework for the field in which the student seeks honors
- A minimum 60 hours of coursework taken at the University and counted toward the degree
- All Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPublichealth) degree requirements
- 2 semesters of Public Health 379H with at least a grade of B
- A 3-hour thesis or research project, or a reasonable equivalent, with a grade of at least B-
- A thesis and presentation based on research and approved by the research supervisor and the honors advisor