Public Health Practice Major
Program Director: Tracy Zeeger, Ph.D.
Graduates of the BS in Public Health Practice program apply social and behavioral science to develop real-world solutions to public health challenges, improving health and quality of life. Students learn to address complex individual, community, and societal factors impacting health through a professionally focused program. Unique to this program, all students engage in a full-time, mentored capstone internship during their final semester.
The program is designed to serve as a gateway to graduate studies or to transition directly into the field as an engaged, prepared, and well-informed public health practitioner. During the program, students have opportunities to learn outside the classroom through volunteer work, study abroad, collaboration with departmental faculty through independent study, a department-based honors program, and public health-related student groups.
Graduates of the Public Health Practice major pursue careers in research, advocacy, policy, health education, social work, community outreach, and other public health-related areas. They work locally, nationally, and internationally, primarily through foundations, non-profit organizations, and government services.
Program Learning Outcomes
As a result of the Bachelor of Science in Public Health Practice degree program, students will be able to:
- Discuss the history and philosophy of public health as well as its core values, concepts, and functions across the globe and in society.
- Use basic public health concepts, methods, and tools for data collection and analysis.
- Identify the major health-related needs and concerns of populations and formulate basic processes, approaches, and interventions as possible solutions.
- Describe the underlying science of human health and disease including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the lifespan.
- Examine the socio-economic, behavioral, biological, environmental, and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities.
- Demonstrate the fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment, and evaluation.
- Compare and contrast the fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the health systems of the United States and other countries.
- Characterize the basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory dimensions of health care and public policy.
- Illustrate the basic concepts of public health-specific writing and communication.
- Assess and communicate individual and community-level needs for health promotion and disease prevention.
- Create and apply strategies that effectively incorporate cultural competences with health promotion and community health initiatives.
- Synthesize and apply principles and theories of community health that are needed for the development of effective and evidence based health promotion and disease prevention strategies.
- Promote and advocate for effective community health initiatives at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Collaborate with community organizations to apply public health principles in a real-world setting.
- Demonstrate requisite competencies in professional etiquette and career readiness to allow for a successful transition into the workplace (adapted from NACE).
- Critically analyze the impact racism has on population health and reflect on what it means to be anti-racist.
The total number of credits required to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health Practice is 120, and the number of Public Health Practice major-required course credits is 69. Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in all Public Health Practice major-required coursework. HLTH491, Community Health Internship, is completed during the final semester in the Public Health Practice major, after all other coursework has been successfully completed. Students can elect to complete an area of specialization in selected areas (Special Populations, Health Communication, Health Risk Behavior).
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Public and Community Health Core | 13 | |
| Foundations of Public Health | ||
| Introduction to Behavioral and Community Health | ||
| Epidemiology for Public Health Practice | ||
| Biostatistics for Public Health Practice | ||
| Macro Level Influences on Community Health | ||
| Public and Community Health Foundational Science | 8 | |
| Principles of Molecular & Cellular Biology | ||
| Principles Biology Laboratory | ||
or BSCI171 | Principles of Molecular & Cellular Biology Laboratory | |
| Unraveling the Human Body: Anatomy and Physiology from a Public Health Perspective | ||
or BSCI201 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | |
| Social and Behavioral Public Health | 9 | |
| Introduction to Research in Community Health | ||
| Introduction to Health Behavior | ||
| Social Media & Digital Tools for Community & Public Health | ||
| Community Public Health | 9 | |
| Personal and Community Health | ||
| Methods of Community Health Assessment | ||
| Making a Difference: Applying Community Health | ||
| Health Electives | 12 | |
Students can select from a pre-approved list of 3-credit health elective offerings | ||
| Professional Preparation | 18 | |
| Effective Strategies for Public Health Practice | ||
| Professional Preparation in Community Health | ||
| Community Health Internship | ||
| Total Credits | 69 | |
Click here for roadmaps for graduation plans in the School of Public Health.
Additional information on developing a graduation plan can be found on the following pages:
- http://4yearplans.umd.edu
- the Student Academic Success-Degree Completion Policy section of this catalog