DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Undergraduate Program in Public Health

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & PUBLIC POLICY

Director: Alan Rowan Undergraduate Program Director: Ladanya Ramirez Surmeier Graduate Program Director: Helen Mahoney Faculty: Deanna Barath, Amy Burdette, Daniel Grischy, Helen Mahoney, Tory Peek, Ladanya Ramirez Surmeier, Alan Rowan, Annette Schwabe Affiliate Faculty: Coutts, DeJohn, Homan, Lee, McFarland, Roach, Sherron, Taylor (J.), Uejio

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) is designed to educate and prepare students in the methods, policy, and practice of public health. The program of study includes training in each of the following fundamental areas of public health: biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology, geographic information systems, health behavioral sciences, health policy, and qualitative methods.

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 different academic departments. These courses will complement the training provided by core courses by focusing on specific aspects of population health and public health practice. 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, providing students with strong foundational skills to facilitate success in post-graduate training in public health.

Digital Literacy Requirement

All undergraduates at Florida State University must demonstrate digital literacy prior to graduation. The Digital Literacy requirement will be satisfied by earning a grade of “C–” or higher in a course(s) that has been approved by the CoreFSU Coordinating and Policy Committee as satisfying Digital Literacy in the major. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:

Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically

CoreFSU Digital Literacy courses prepare students to critically understand and use digital resources and technologies in personal, professional, and societal contexts. Each academic major has determined the courses that fulfill the Digital Literacy requirement for that major. Students should contact their major department(s) to determine which courses will fulfill their Digital Literacy requirement. Undergraduate majors in Public Health satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of “C–” or higher in any course at FSU that meets the CoreFSU Curriculum Digital Literacy designation. However, of the courses approved to meet the Digital Literacy requirement, we recommend strongly that students take GIS 4043L since it also counts as the third required methods course for the major. We also recommend CGS 2060 (3), CGS 2100 (3), or STA 3024 (3) as options for students to meet the Digital Literacy requirement.

State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites

The state of Florida has not identified common program prerequisites for this University degree program; however, the faculty in this program strongly recommends 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 prior to becoming a BSPH major

At the time this document was published, some common program prerequisites were being reviewed by the state of Florida and may have been revised. Please visit the Common Prerequisites Manual website for a current list of state-approved prerequisites.

Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Public Health Major

To be accepted into the BSPH major, students must have successfully completed Florida State University’s math and English requirements for CoreFSU Curriculum with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher and meet FSU’s major mapping requirements. See the Public Health Academic Map webpage.

BSPH majors are encouraged to complete all CoreFSU Curriculum requirements before admission to the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy.

Study Abroad

Students majoring in Public Health are encouraged to take advantage of study abroad opportunities which further their understanding of global and regional health issues. FSU International Programs (International Programs website) offers programs through the FSU Republic of Panama Campus and the London Study Center which include coursework that will satisfy major Core requirements. Students should consult with their academic advisor about any study abroad programs they wish to pursue. Coursework taken abroad must be approved in advance for credit toward the major.

Internship

Although not a major requirement, the Public Health program encourages students to identify and engage in internships at the local, state, national, or international level related to public health issues and careers in tandem with the Bachelor of Science in Public Health Internship course, PHC4944. Information and application materials are available through the Public Health website. Applications to enroll in PHC4944 must be approved by the BSPH internship coordinator prior to the start of the term in which the internship takes place. Students who complete PHC 4944, with a grade of C or higher will earn three elective hours toward the major and meet the Liberal Studies Formative Experiences graduation requirement. Students may earn an additional three elective hours toward the major by successfully completing PHC4944 while participating in an approved internship experience in a subsequent semester. If the additional internship experience is unique from the initial internship for which they received credit. For further information, visit the BSPH Internship webpage or contact the BSPH Internship Coordinator, Dr. Annette Schwabe, by emailing aschwabe@fsu.edu.

Honors in the Major

The Public Health program offers Honors in the Major, PHC 4918, to encourage students to undertake independent research with close supervision by members of the Public Health faculty. Up to six hours of Honors in the Major coursework may be used to satisfy elective hours in the major. Please refer to the Honors in the Major website or the Public Health HITM webpage to learn more about the program.

Combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Public Health (BS/MPH) Pathway

For the Combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Public Health (BS/MPH) Pathway, Florida State University undergraduate students may apply up to 12 credits of MPH courses taken while enrolled as undergraduates toward the MPH if they enroll in the Public Health degree program. The combined bachelor's/master's pathway allows academically talented students the opportunity to acquire their MPH degree in a shorter time. Undergraduate students may take up to 12 hours of graduate-level work while completing their bachelor's degree. These hours will count towards both the 120 credit hours needed for the bachelor's and the overall 43 credits hours needed for the MPH degree.

This pathway is designed to allow FSU undergraduate students to take graduate level coursework, however, admission into the Combined Pathway does not grant admission into the MPH program. Students must still apply to the MPH program by the appropriate deadlines. In addition, admission into the Combined Pathway forgoes any opportunity to apply or enroll in the Joint Pathway between Urban Regional Planning and Public Health. Any courses taken under the Combined Pathway are subject to approval for transfer to a program outside of the FSU MPH program. Any course with a grade lower than a “B” will be ineligible to transfer for MPH credit.

Eligibility Requirements

Major: Any undergraduate major is eligible

Minimum Criteria:

3.0 minimum FSU GPA (3.5 FSU GPA or higher preferred)
90 credit hours of completed coursework (60 credit hours if the student is an honors student)
Minimum two terms and 24 credit hours completed at FSU

You can find the course equivalencies and the application for the pathway on the BS-MPH Combined Pathway webpage.