Public Health Program

Description of Major

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 & management, social & 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. 

Prerequisite Coursework

Prerequisite Coursework: None
It is strongly recommended 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.

Admission Requirements

Requirements for Progression to the Upper-Division Major:
To be admitted, students must complete at least 52 hours of coursework with a minimum FSU GPA of 2.00 and most of the General Education requirements met, including freshman English composition and mathematics, or an AA Degree. 

Coursework

Major Program of Studies at FSU: (33 hours)
The major in Public Health requires 33 hours with a grade of C or better in each course; at least 21 credit hours must be taken in upper level (3000 and 4000) courses.

Required core courses:

  • PHC 4101 (3) Introduction to Public Health
  • PHC 4030 (3) Introduction to Epidemiology
  • PHC 4157 (3) Health Policy and Society
  • PHC 4470 (3) Health Behavior and Health Promotion
  • PHC 4047 (3) Environmental Health
  • PHC 4069 (3) Biostatistics 
  • GIS 4421 (3) GIS and Health or GIS 4043 (3) Geographic Information Systems and GIS 4043L (1) GIS Lab

Elective Courses:
Twelve (12) hours of coursework from at least two separate departments must be selected from the approved course list. To see a list of approved elective courses, visit the undergraduate program page at https://coss.fsu.edu/publichealth/.

Computer Skills Competency:
CGS 2060 (3), CGS 2100 (3), or BSC 2010L (1) will fulfill the requirement for this major.

Oral Communication Competency: 0-3 hours
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. This requirement may be met with an approved college-level course

Minimum Program Requirements - Summary
Total Hrs. Required 120
General Education 36*
Major Coursework 33*
Minor Coursework 12
Computer Skills 1-3 beyond major
Oral Competency 3
Electives to bring total hours to 120

*NOTE: Hours taken to meet General Education requirements cannot be used to fulfill the 33 required hours in Public Health.*

Mapping 
Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semester to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. Transfer students must meet mapping guidelines to be accepted into their majors. You may view the map for this major at https://academic-guide.fsu.edu/. 

Remarks

  1. A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, 30 of which must be taken at this University.
  2. Half of the major course semester hours must be completed in residence at this University.
  3. The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.
  4. At least 18 hours must be completed at the 3000 level or above within the major.

Employment Information 
Salary Information: For more information go to: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org) or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm) provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Representative Job Titles Related to this Major (with Baccalaureate): health educators, hospital patient advocates, social marketing coordinators, home visitation workers, restaurant / sanitation inspectors, environmental science workers, disaster management technicians, biohazard inspector technicians, health insurance workers, data collectors, researcher lab technicians, pharmaceutical sales, data entry clerks, clinic coordinators, health care office personnel, prevention program planners, school health educators, policy advocates for special populations. 

Representative Employers: Federal, State, and Local Governments, Health Corporations, Non-Profit Organizations and Health Care Facilities

View Public Health Academic Map