Public Health professionals with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health–Allied Health Option (BS-PHLT-AHO) are prepared to:

• understand the context and impact of public health history, systems and ethics on population health
• determine the scope and influential factors for public health challenges and how they affect individuals and communities
• assess community and population health needs and develop strategies that promote well-being and disease prevention
• communicate effectively with individuals, communities and other stakeholders about public health challenges and opportunities with cultural competence
• integrate principles of public health with foundational knowledge in the biological and behavioral sciences to prepare for further study in allied health or health-related professions

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Public Health program is based on a philosophy of health promotion and disease prevention to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities through education and intervention. The BS in Public Health focuses on four primary areas:

1. the determinants of health, including biological, environmental, sociocultural, health service and economic factors
2. identification and use of scientific data, informatics and other information tools for understanding factors that both foster and hinder population health
3. addressing major local, state, national and global health challenges
4. designing public health approaches and interventions that improve health outcomes and well-being

The BS in Public Health-Allied Health option provides students with a strong foundation in public health while offering flexibility to complete prerequisite coursework for professional allied health programs such as nursing, physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology. This option is designed for students intending to pursue graduate or professional training in allied health disciplines or entry-level positions in public or community health settings.

The coursework for this program qualifies students to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Certified in Public Health (CPH) exams.

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Cannot use both ENGL 103 and ENGL 104.

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Must make a grade of C or better.

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A list of approved courses that fulfill the directed elective hours is available below. Courses that constitute the major are those offered by the School of Public Health and those approved for public health studies electives. Additional courses may be available. Students must check with their academic advisor. PHLT course range excludes PHLT 410, PHLT 425/HLTH 425, PHLT 445 from this option.

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Chosen in consultation with BSPH academic advisor.

Directed Electives

Public Health- Allied Health Option (PHLT) directed electives are courses that are specifically approved for the curriculum. A student must select 16 semester credit hours from the following list of approved courses in consultation with their academic advisor. Directed electives must have a letter grade of C or better.

Approval of degree plan does not guarantee access to courses. Students must satisfy prerequisites, and some courses (writing intensive classes included) are available to majors only. It is the responsibility of the student to ascertain whether there are any restrictions or prerequisites for courses in their degree plan.