Undergraduate Program in Public Health
College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
Website: https://coss.fsu.edu/publichealth/
Director: Dr. Amy Burdette Undergraduate Program Director: Dr. Benjamin Dowd-Arrow Faculty: Homan, Mahony, Roach, Taylor, Ramírez-Surmeier, Barath, Peek, Rowan
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) is designed to educate and prepare students in the policy, practice, and methods of public health. The program of study includes training in each of the fundamental areas of public health: epidemiology, environmental health sciences, health policy and management, social and behavioral sciences, and biostatistics. In addition to the core curriculum composed of 21 hours, students will select 12 additional credit hours of public health electives from at least two academic departments. These courses will complement the training provided by core courses by focusing on specific aspects of population health and the healthcare system. The BSPH provides the training required for entry-level public health careers found in non-profit organizations, government agencies, health corporations, and health care facilities.
Digital Literacy Requirement
Students must complete at least one course designated as meeting the Digital Literacy Requirement with a grade of “C–” or higher. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:
- Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
- Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
- Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
- Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
- Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
- Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically
Each academic major has determined the courses that fulfill the Digital Literacy requirement for that major. Students should contact their major department(s) to determine which courses will fulfill their Digital Literacy requirement.
Undergraduate majors in Public Health satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of “C–” or higher in any course at FSU which meets the CoreFSU Curriculum computer competency designation, though it is strongly recommended that students take CGS 2060 (3), CGS 2100 (3), or BSC 2010L (1) to satisfy this requirement.
State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites
The state of Florida has not identified common program prerequisites for this University degree program; however, the faculty in this program strongly recommends that students pursuing a major in Public Health take a 2000-level Statistics (STA) course as part of their lower-division or general education coursework.
At the time this document was published, some common program prerequisites were being reviewed by the state of Florida and may have been revised. Please visit https://dlss.flvc.org/admin-tools/common-prerequisites-manuals for a current list of state-approved prerequisites.
Study Abroad
Students majoring in Public Health are encouraged to take advantage of study abroad opportunities which further their understanding of global and regional health issues. FSU International Programs (https://international.fsu.edu/) offers programs through the London Study Center which include coursework that will satisfy major Core requirements. Students should consult with their academic advisor about any study abroad programs they wish to pursue. Coursework taken abroad must be approved in advance for credit toward the major.
Internship
Although not a major requirement, the Public Health program encourages students to take advantage of internships at the local, state, national, or international level related to public health issues and careers. Information and application materials are available through the Public Health program office. Applications must be submitted and all internship credit must be approved prior to the start of the semester in which the internship takes place. Students approved for academic credit in a Public Health internship will be enrolled in and must satisfactorily complete PHC 4944 Public Health Internship, which may satisfy up to three elective hours in the major. For further information, contact the BSPH Internship Coordinator Dr. Annette Schwabe by emailing aschwabe@fsu.edu.
Honors in the Major
The Public Health program offers honors in the major (PHC 4918) to encourage students to undertake independent research. Up to six hours of Honors in the Major coursework either may be used to satisfy elective hours in the major or with approval from the Program Director may substitute for the student's core Methods requirement.
Combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Public Health (BS/MPH) Pathway
For the Combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Public Health (BS/MPH) Pathway, Florida State University undergraduate students may apply up to 12 credits of MPH courses taken while enrolled as undergraduates toward the MPH if they enroll in the Public Health degree program. The combined bachelor's/master's pathway allows academically talented students the opportunity to acquire their MPH degree in a shorter time. Undergraduate students may take up to 12 hours of graduate-level work while completing their bachelor's degree. These hours will count towards both the 120 credit hours needed for the bachelor's and the overall 43 credits hours needed for the MPH degree.
This pathway is designed to allow FSU undergraduate students to take graduate level coursework, however, admission into the Combined Pathway does not grant admission into the MPH program. Students must still apply to the MPH program by the appropriate deadlines. In addition, admission into the Combined Pathway forgoes any opportunity to apply or enroll in the Joint Pathway between Urban Regional Planning and Public Health. Any courses taken under the Combined Pathway are subject to approval for transfer to a program outside of the FSU MPH program. Any course with a grade lower than a “B” will be ineligible to transfer for MPH credit.
Eligibility Requirements:
Major: Any undergraduate major is eligible
Minimum Criteria:
- 3.5 FSU GPA
- 90 credit hours of completed coursework (60 credit hours if the student is an honors student)
- Minimum two semesters and 24 credit hours completed at FSU
- One-page paper showing intent and interest in the program
You can find the course equivalencies and the application for the pathway at https://coss.fsu.edu/publichealth/combined-bs-mph.
Requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Public Health
Major Requirements
The major in Public Health requires 33 hours beyond General Education requirements or the articulated AA degree. Coursework in the major requires a grade of “C” or better in each course; at least 21 credit hours in the major must be above the 2999-level. At least 18 hours of major coursework must be completed through FSU. An audit of articulated A.A. requirements completed through the Office of Academic Affairs may be used to certify A.A. coursework beyond the statewide General Education requirement of 36 hours for use in the major.
Public Health majors are required to have a minor or second major and to meet the requirements stipulated by that department or program.
Public Health Core Requirements
All Public Health majors must complete 21 hours of core coursework including 18 hours of specific PHC coursework listed below and at least 3 hours of approved methods coursework. A grade of “C” or better must be earned in all Core coursework.
PHC Core Coursework
PHC 4030 Introduction to Epidemiology (3)
PHC 4069 Introduction to Biostatistics for Public Health (3)
PHC 4101 Introduction to Public Health (3)
PHC 4157 Health Policy and Society (3)
PHC 4047 Introduction to Environmental Epidemiology (3)
PHC 4470 Health Behavior and Health Promotion (3)
Methods Core Coursework
At least three credit hours in an approved methods course for the major must be completed with a grade of C or better. While completing additional Methods courses may be recommended, only one of the below may be credited towards hours in the major.
GIS 4030/L Geographic Information Systems and Lab (4)
GIS 4330 Florida GIS Applications (3)
GIS 4421 GIS and Health (3)
PHC 4721 Qualitative Research Methods (3)
Elective Course Requirements
Twelve (12) hours of coursework from at least two separate departments as listed below must be selected from the approved course list. Elective courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. Approved elective courses may be subject to additional enrollment caps or requirements set by their respective academic departments and are not guaranteed availability. Supplemental or semester available lists may be accessed through the undergraduate program page at https://coss.fsu.edu/publichealth/ or by speaking with a College academic advisor.
Anthropology
ANT 2301 Evolution of Human Sexuality
ANT 3451 Race: Biology and Culture
ANT 4465 Foodways Archaeology
ANT 4468 Bones, Bodies, and Disease
Biology
BSC 2010 Biological Science I
BSC 2011 Biological Science II
IDS 2132 Busting Common Biology Myths
IDS 2134 Evolution, Medicine, and Evidence
IDS 2135 Genetics in Society
Classics
CLT 2049 Medical Terminology
Communication
COM 3120 Communication for Organizing
MMC 4300 Diffusion of Innovations
SPC 4710 Interracial/Intercultural Communication
Communication Science and Disorders
ASL 2510 Deaf Culture
Criminology
CCJ 3651 Drugs and Crime
CCJ 3678 Policing Diversity
CCJ 4667 Crime Victimization and Victim Services
Economics
ECP 3302 Econ of Nat Resources, Energy, & Envirnmnt
ECP 4530 Economics of Health
Educational Leadership
LDR 2162 Leadership in Groups and Communities
LDR 2218 Leadership and Well-Being
LDR 2231 Global Leadership
LDR 2241 Black Male Leadership
LDR 2242 Gender and Leadership
LDR 2290 Leadership and Sustainability in Action
LDR 3215 Leadership and Change
Educational Psychology and Learning Systems
APK 4401 Intro to Exercise Psychology
EDF 4210 Ed Psych: Developing Learners
IDH 3702 Becoming & Being Leaders
Geography
GEO 4330 Environmental Perception
GEO 4340 Living in a Hazardous Environment
GEO 4450 Medical Geography
IDS 2227 Sustainable Society
History
AMH 4930 ST: Environmental Policy
HIS 3464 History of Science
HIS 3491 Medicine and Society
IDS 2419 Cultures of Medicine
Human Development and Family Science
CHD 2220 Child Growth and Development
CHD 3243 Contexts of Adolescent Development
FAD 2230 Family Relationships
FAD 3220 Individual & Family Life Span Dev.
FAD 3343 Contexts of Adult Development & Aging
FAD 4451 Human Sexuality Education
Information
IDS 3493 Empower Health Consumers E-Health Era
LIS 4785 Intro to Health Informatics
Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences
BMS 4401 Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology
IHS 4123 Narrative Medicine: Patient-Centered Care
IHS 4210 Future Healthcare Challenges
Management
MAN 3240 Organizational Behavior
Nursing
NSP 3185 Multicultural Factors and Health
NUR 3076 Communication in Healthcare
Nutrition and Integrative Physiology
HSC 4711 Wellness/Health Risk Reduction
HUN 1201 The Science of Nutrition
HUN 2125 Food and Society
Philosophy
PHI 2630 Ethical Issues and Life Choices
PHI 2635 Bioethics
PHI 3400 History and Philosophy of Science
PHM 2121 Philosophy of Race, Class, and Gender
PHM 2300 Introduction to Political Philosophy
PHM 3020 Philosophy of Sex
PHM 3123 Philosophy of Feminism
PHM 3331 Modern Political Thought
PHM 3400 Philosophy of Law
PHM 4340 Contemporary Political Thought
Psychology
CLP 3314 Health Psychology
CLP 4134 Abnormal Child Psychology
CLP 4143 Abnormal Psychology
DEP 3103 Child Psychology
DEP 3305 Psych of Adolescent Behavior
DEP 4404 Psych of Adult Development and Aging
EAB 3703 Applied Behavior Analysis
SOP 3742 Psych of Women
SOP 3782 Psych of African Americans
Public Administration
PAD 3003 Public Admin in American Society
PAD 4372 Leadership & Comm. in Emer Mgmnt
PAD 4833 Internat'l Comparative Disaster Mgmt
PAD 4844 Public Health & Emer. Management
Public Health
PHC 4918 Honors
PHC 4935 Special Topics (topics vary)
PHC 4944 Public Health Internship
PHC **** other Public Health department PHC courses
Religion
REL 3142 Self and Society
REL 3160 Religion and Science
REL 3180 Religion and Bioethics
Sociology
IDS 2322 Sexual Health in the Modern World
SYA 3741 Sociology of Death & Dying
SYA 4940 Maternal and Child Health
SYD 3020 Population and Society
SYG 3245 Sociology of Food
SYO 4402 Medical Sociology
SYP 3730 Aging and the Life Course
SYP 4062 Sexual and Reproductive Health
SYP 4550 Alcohol and Drug Problems
Urban & Regional Planning
URP 4408 Food Systems Planning
URP 4423 Environmental Planning
URP 4715 Bike and Pedestrian Planning
Definition of Prefixes
GIS—Geography: Information Science
HSC—Health Sciences
PHC—Public Health Concentration
Undergraduate Courses
GIS 4043. Geographic Information Systems (3). This course is a survey of GIS topics, including locational control, spatial data structures, modeling and analysis, and future trends in decision support, sensors, and geographic methods.
GIS 4421. GIS and Health (3). In this course, students use a suite of computer-based tools called geographic information systems to apply geographic theory to public health questions, such as where diseases are located, how places affect our well-being, and what geographic tools can be used to understand global health epidemics. The course is held in a GIS computer lab, where data on health is analyzed and applications in health and medicine are discussed as ongoing challenges in data collection related to issues of surveillance and privacy.
PHC 3417. Alcohol and Other Drugs in Society (3). This course uses an interdisciplinary framework to explore the health and societal impacts of various substances conventionally referred to as “drugs.” Topics of discussion will include the history of drug use in the U.S., the social construction of epidemics and drug scares, the social costs of the drug war, the epidemiology of drug use, and policy alternatives to prohibition.
PHC 4030. Introduction to Epidemiology (3). This course is an introduction to epidemiology, i.e., to the study of the description and determinants of disease frequency in human populations. The course focuses on “how we know what we know” about the causes of disease in human populations.
PHC 4047. Introduction to Environmental Epidemiology (3). This course explores the relationship people have with their environment, the risk management choices made, and the resulting associations that affect health and physical well-being for the individual, communities, and susceptible populations. Students learn the role that the environment plays on our health and the research and practical methods that we use to control environmental hazards.
PHC 4069. Introduction to Biostatistics for Public Health (3). Prerequisites: STA 2122, and major status or department permission. This course introduces students to basic concepts of data analysis and statistical inference in medical and health sciences. This course covers key areas of biostatistics, including probability, hypothesis testing, and design and analysis of medical and health studies.
PHC 4101. Introduction to Public Health (3). This course introduces students to key public health concepts, the history of public health, and how the core areas of public health can be integrated to promote health at a population level. The course covers principal areas of public health, including analytic methods, epidemiology, social and behavioral factors, environmental issues, and medical care.
PHC 4157. Health Policy and Society (3). This course introduces students to the major public health concerns currently facing the U.S. population and a variety of policies intended to address them. This course begins with an overview of how the American health care system works and how it compares to other health care systems across the world. Students also examine how issues of race, class, gender, sexuality, and age influence the availability, cost and quality of the health care individuals receive.
PHC 4470. Health Behavior and Health Promotion (3). This course introduces students to theoretical perspectives regarding health behavior, health promotion and public health, as well as relevant and contemporary health research. Students are challenged to think critically about health behaviors as well as health policies and politics. Students are encouraged to engage in critical thinking, reading, writing, and discussion regarding all facets of health behavior, health promotion, and public health.
PHC 4604. Guns, Society, and Public Health (3). This course explores the multifaceted role guns play in the United States from a sociological, criminological, and public health perspective. As guns are an important as well as controversial subject in U.S. cultural discourse, and as Americans own nearly half of the world's civilian firearms, students will examine issues related to guns through theoretical models pertaining to race, gender, politics, and public health.
PHC 4620. Legal and Ethical Issues in Public Health and Health Professions (3). This course provides an overview of legal issues facing the health care industry, and provides students with a basic knowledge of health law and ethics. Students are provided with realistic knowledge of health law and how it is applied to the real world.
PHC 4721. Qualitative Research Methods in Public Health Practice (3). This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of research study design, the relevant methods, and data collection. Topics covered include paradigms of qualitative research and inquiry; selected data collection, management, and analysis methods for qualitative research in public health; and the standards for reporting qualitative findings.
PHC 4904r. Directed Individual Study (1–3). This is a directed independent study for public health majors. The content of the course varies depending on the agreement between the faculty member and student.
PHC 4918r. Honors in the Major Research (1–6). Prerequisite: Completion of sixty credit hours and a minimum 3.5 GPA. In this course, students accepted into the Honors in the Major program complete an original research or creative project in their major area of study. This course must be repeated at least twice to complete a minimum of six (6) credit hours total, but may be repeated up to a maximum of twelve credit hours in total.
PHC 4935r. Special Topics in Public Health (3). This course focuses on various topics within public health. The purpose of the course is to examine health patterns in the US population and focus on key public health issues. This course may also focus on the health behaviors or issues related to key subpopulations.
PHC 4944r. Public Health Internship (3). Prerequisite: PHC 4101. The public health internship course provides students with the opportunity to develop skills and a knowledge base that will facilitate a successful transition from coursework to the professional workplace. The internship course provides an opportunity for deep and focused reflection on the internship experience to enhance learning and professional development. May be repeated to a maximum of six credit hours.
For listings relating to graduate coursework, consult the Graduate Bulletin.