Public Health, (B.S.)

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Public health is an interdisciplinary field encompassing the science and practice of promoting the health and well-being of communities and populations. This happens through such approaches as health education, health analytics, identifying and addressing social and other determinants of health, preventive interventions and services, and the monitoring and control of communicable diseases and environmental hazards.

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health major at the University of Memphis is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in public health through evidence-informed course content; a curriculum based on established competencies, best practices, and accreditation standards; and community-based internships and practicum experiences. The Public Health B.S. degree is recommended for students planning to pursue a career or continue graduate education in Public Health or related biomedical fields.

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Program Summary for BSPH
I. General Education 41 hours
II. Integrated Public Health Core 30 hours
III. Interdisciplinary Core 15 hours
IV. Field Experience & Capstone 5 hours
V. Guided Electives 12 hours
VI. General Electives 17 hours

Minimum Required for Graduation: 120 hours
Students must complete at least 62 hours of upper-division credit (3000 or 4000-level).
Students must complete at least 30 of the last 60 hours through the University of Memphis.

University General Education Program (41 hours)

See University General Education Program for the General Education requirements.

Integrated Public Health Core (30 hours)

PUBH 3120 - Environmental Health 1: Basics & Method Credit Hours: (3)
PUBH 3130 - Introduction to Social Determinants of Health Credit Hours: (3)
PUBH 3150 - Analytic and Research Methods in Public Health I Credit Hours: (3)
PUBH 3180 - Public Health Principles & Practices I Credit Hours: (3)
PUBH 3710 - Public Health Systems & Policy I Credit Hours: (3)
PUBH 4121 - Environmental Health II: Practice and Application Credit Hours: (3)
PUBH 4131 - Social Justice & Public Health Credit Hours: (3)
PUBH 4151 - Analytic and Research Methods in Public Health II Credit Hours: (3)
PUBH 4181 - Public Health Principles & Practices II Credit Hours: (3)
PUBH 4711 - Public Health Systems & Policy II Credit Hours: (3)

Interdisciplinary Core (15 hours)

ANTH 4511 - Medical Anthropology Credit Hours: (3)
ANTH 4571 - Race and Health Disparities Credit Hours: (3)
COMM 4015 - Health Literacy Credit Hours: (3)
HLSC 4200 - Cultural Competence in Health Credit Hours: (3)
SOCI 4442 - Sociology of Poverty Credit Hours: (3)

Field Experience & Capstone (5 hours)

PUBH 4010 - Field work Credit Hours: (2)
PUBH 4985 - Capstone Experience Credit Hours: (3)

Senior Capstone Experience (3 hours)

The senior Capstone Experience is a student’s culminating experience or capstone designed to synthesize and integrate the content of a student’s program of study. The senior project is intended to coalesce the theoretical and applied areas of study into an academically-relevant example of scholarship. Students will complete research on a topic of their choice with approval of their senior project instructor. The senior capstone project is completed during a student’s final semester and includes a completed e-portfolio.

Guided Electives: (12 hours)

Select at least four (4) courses from the list below:

PUBH 3101 - Environ Health in the Media Credit Hours: (3)
PUBH 3102 - Epidemics: The Plague to Ebola Credit Hours: (3)
ANTH 3500 - Anth of Global Health ** Credit Hours: (3)
ANTH 3511 - Culture/Kin/Family Credit Hours: (3)
ANTH 4111 - Evolution and Human Health Credit Hours: (3)
ANTH 4417 - Food, Culture, Power Credit Hours: (3)
ANTH 4521 - Culture, Soc & Mental Health Credit Hours: (3)
ANTH 4531 - Alcohol/Drugs/Culture Credit Hours: (3)
BIOL 4241 - Biogeog/GIS Analyses/Ecology Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 3401 - Parent Child Relations Credit Hours: (3)
CDFS 3410 - Soc Emotion Lrng Early Child Credit Hours: (3)
CJUS 4460 - Race, Ethnicity and Justice in America Credit Hours: (3)
COMM 4016 - Public Health Campaigns Credit Hours: (3)
HLSC 4100 - Health and Aging Credit Hours: (3)
NUTR 4602 - Community Nutrition Credit Hours: (3)
PHIL 3514 - Biomedical Ethics ** Credit Hours: (3)
SOCI 4851 - Medical Sociology Credit Hours: (3)
SWRK 3010 - Soc Response to Human Need Credit Hours: (3)
SWRK 4061 - Substance Abuse Treatment Credit Hours: (3)

General Electives: (17 hours)

Electives will be chosen to bring the total number of hours to 120 with a minimum of 62 upper-division hours.

Total Hours Required for Graduation: 120

Students must complete at least 62 hours of upper-division credit (3000 or 4000-level).
Students must complete at least 30 of the last 60 hours through the University of Memphis.