The School of Public Health offers a 5-year degree program including a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology.
The 3+2 Bachelor of Science in Public Health/Masters in Public Health in Epidemiology degree program is more than a means to produce next-level Epidemiologists. It will deliver a graduate who can not only immediately impact the field of Epidemiology, but also deliver someone with a well-rounded understanding of the role that Epidemiology and Public Health play in medicine, nursing, allied health or other health professions.
The undergraduate component of the 3+2 program is based on a philosophy of health promotion and disease prevention, to improve the quality of life of individuals, families and communities. The graduate MPH component is a non-thesis degree program with culminating experiences as part of the degree requirements. Students will participate in a practicum demonstrating overall public health problem solving skills and complete a rigorous capstone class.
The following is a suggested schedule that includes the required courses for the combined BS/MPH in Public Health-Epidemiology. It is recognized that many students will change the sequence and number of courses taken in any semester. Deviations from the the prescribed course sequence, however, should be made with care to ensure that prerequisites for all courses are met.
Plan of Study Grid First Year |
Fall |
BIOL 111 | Introductory Biology I | 4 |
| 3 |
| Public Speaking | |
| Communication for Technical Professions | |
| Argumentation and Debate | |
| Composition and Rhetoric | |
| Writing about Literature | |
| Technical and Professional Writing | |
| Performing Literature | |
| 3 |
| Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences | |
| Business Calculus | |
| Calculus I for Biological Sciences | |
| Calculus II for Biological Sciences | |
| Engineering Mathematics I | |
| Engineering Mathematics II | |
| Finite Mathematics | |
| Calculus I | |
| Calculus II | |
| Introduction to Logic | |
| 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 |
Spring |
BIOL 112 | Introductory Biology II | 4 |
| 3 |
| Public Speaking | |
| Communication for Technical Professions | |
| Argumentation and Debate | |
| Composition and Rhetoric | |
| Writing about Literature | |
| Technical and Professional Writing | |
| Performing Literature | |
| 3 |
| Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences | |
| Business Calculus | |
| Calculus I for Biological Sciences | |
| Calculus II for Biological Sciences | |
| Engineering Mathematics I | |
| Engineering Mathematics II | |
| Finite Mathematics | |
| Calculus I | |
| Calculus II | |
| Introduction to Logic | |
| 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 |
Second Year |
Fall |
CHEM 119 | Fundamentals of Chemistry I | 4 |
POLS 206 | American National Government | 3 |
| 3 |
1 | 6 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
Spring |
POLS 207 | State and Local Government | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
1 | 6 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
Third Year |
Fall |
PHLT 302 | Foundations of Public Health | 3 |
PHLT 303 | Social Context of Population Health | 3 |
PHLT 304 | Biological Basis of Public Health | 3 |
PHLT 310 | Public Health Writing | 1 |
PHLT 313 | Health Care and Public Health System | 3 |
PHLT 314 | Public Health Data Management and Assessment I | 2 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
Spring |
PHLT 305 | Epidemiology in Public Health | 3 |
PHLT 309 | Population Health Promotion | 3 |
PHLT 311 | Narrative Approach to Public Health | 1 |
PHLT 315 | Public Health Data Management and Assessment II | 2 |
PHLT 330 | The Environment and Public Health | 3 |
PHLT 412 | Health Advocacy and Policy | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
Fourth Year |
Fall |
PHEB 602 | Biostatistics I | 3 |
PHLT 411 | Project Management in Public Health | 3 |
PHLT 441 | Strategies for Population Health Improvement | 3 |
SOPH 601 | Thinking in Populations: The Public Health Mindset 2 | 2 |
SOPH 602 | Investigation and Control: Acute Public Health Events 2 | 3 |
SOPH 603 | Assessment and Intervention: Wicked Problems in Public Health 2 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 17 |
Spring |
PHEB 603 | Biostatistics II | 3 |
PHEB 605 | Epidemiologic Methods I | 3 |
PHEB 612 | Data Management / Computing | 3 |
PHLT 410 | Public Health Communication | 3 |
PHLT 445 | Applications of Public Health | 3 |
SOPH 604 | Framing and Persuasion: Public Health in the Public Sphere 2 | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
Summer |
PHEB 684 | Practicum 2 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 3 |
Fifth Year |
Fall |
PHEB 609 | Categorical Data Analysis | 3 |
PHEB 610 | Epidemiologic Methods II | 3 |
| 3 |
PHLT 307 | Public Health in the Global Context | 3 |
3 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
Spring |
| 3 |
PHLT 415 | Emergency Management in Public Health | 3 |
SOPH 680 | Public Health Capstone 2 | 3 |
3 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 12 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 150 |
The program includes a total of 165 hours which up to 15 hours may be applied toward both the Bachelor of Science in Public Health and the Master of Public Health in Epidemiology.
Approval of degree plan does not guarantee access to courses. Students must satisfy prerequisites, and some course (writing intensive classes included) are available to majors only. If is the responsibility of the student to ascertain whether there are any restrictions or prerequisites for courses in their degree plan.