Overview
Students enrolled in the public health major must complete the coursework listed under curriculum requirements to earn the BSPH degree through the School of Nursing and Health Studies (SONHS). Students should meet with an academic advisor in the Office of Student Services (OSS) to discuss any questions related to their degree requirements.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Written Communication Skills: | ||
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | 3 |
| or ENG 106 | Writing About Literature and Culture | |
| Quantitative Skills: | ||
| BPH 202 | Introductory Statistics in Health Care | 3 |
| Areas of Knowledge: | ||
| Arts & Humanities Cognate | 9 | |
| People & Society Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major)* | 0 | |
| STEM Cognate | 9 | |
| Degree Requirments | ||
| Mathematics | ||
| MTH 107 or higher | 3 | |
| Social Science | ||
| PSY 110 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| One additional approved social science elective | 3 | |
| Modern Language | ||
| One modern language course at or above the 200 level | 3 | |
| Natural Science | ||
| BIL 150 & BIL 151 | General Biology and General Biology Laboratory | 5 |
| Choose one chemistry option below: | 4-5 | |
| Chemistry for the Health Sciences I and Chemistry for the Health Sciences I (Laboratory) | ||
| Principles of Chemistry and Chemistry Laboratory I | ||
| Major** | ||
| BPH 206 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| BPH 208 | Introductory Epidemiology | 3 |
| BPH 305 | Issues in Health Disparities | 3 |
| BPH 309 | Health and Environment | 3 |
| BPH 310 | Global Health | 3 |
| BPH 321 | Health Promotion and Disease Prevention | 3 |
| BPH 322 | Introduction to Health Policy | 3 |
| BPH 352 | Biological Principles of Public Health | 3 |
| BPH 465 | Public Health Statistics and Data Management | 3 |
| BPH 490 | Field Practicum in Community Health | 4 |
| Major Elective*** | 3 | |
| Advanced Writing and Communication Skills**** | 0 | |
| Electives***** | 39-38 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 121 | |
- *
The public health major may be used to fulfill this cognate area.
- **
Students must complete at least 18 of the 33 credits required of the major in residence at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies.
- ***
Students may choose an elective from the following courses: APY 205, BPH 301, BPH 303, BPH 306, BPH 317, BPH 319, BPH 355, BPH 365, BPH 402, BPH 419, BPH 461, BPH 487, BTE 450, HMP 460, COS 324, COS 325, COS 426, COS 427, COS 472, GEG 231, GEG 241, GEG 334, GEG 336, GEG 341, GEG 343, GEG 345, GEG 346, GEG 348, GEG 366, GEG 412, GHS 570, GHS 571, GHS 572, GHS 573, INS 599, KIN 155, HMP 270, MKT 388, and SOC 480
- ****
The Advanced Writing and Communication Skills requirement empowers students to develop their communication skills, both written and verbal, enabling them to better articulate information relating to public health. Several designated writing-intensive courses are built into the public health major to satisfy this requirement. Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in each course.
- *****
The number of electives students take may vary due to differences in placement scores, transfer credits, course and cognate selections, etc.
This is only a sample. There are numerous ways students can create plans of study for the public health major. Students should feel empowered to use the information listed in the Academic Bulletin and the Student Handbook to take charge of their education, pursue their own academic interests, and create their own, unique plans of study.
The School of Nursing and Health Studies (SONHS) recommends students create their own plan of study that accounts for their ENG, MTH, and modern language placements and incorporates their major, minor, and cognate interests. Once students draft their initial plan of study, they are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor in the Office of Student Services (OSS) to review their plan, address any questions or concerns, discuss areas for improvement, and brainstorm ways to integrate research experiences, study abroad opportunities, global initiatives, graduate school requirements, and career preparation experiences.
The sample plan of study listed below is based on the following ENG, MTH, and modern language placement information and major, minor, and cognate selections:
- ENG placement: WRS 105
- MTH placement: MTH 101
- Modern Language placement: SPA 101
- Major(s): Public Health
- Minor(s): None
- Cognates
- Art & Humanities: Popular Culture (RAU = English)
- People & Society: Public Health major (RAU = Nursing & Health Studies)
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Biology and Chemistry for Pre-Health Sciences (RAU = Chemistry)
Sample Plan of Study
| Freshman Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| BPH 206 | Introduction to Public Health (W) | 3 |
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| MTH 101 | Algebra for College Students | 3 |
| PSY 110 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| SPA 101 | Elementary Spanish I | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BPH 208 | Introductory Epidemiology | 3 |
| WRS 106 or ENG 106 | First-Year Writing II or Writing About Literature and Culture | 3 |
| MTH 107 | Precalculus Mathematics I | 4 |
| SPA 102 | Elementary Spanish II | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BPH 310 | Global Health | 3 |
| BIL 150 & BIL 151 | General Biology and General Biology Laboratory (counts for STEM cognate) | 5 |
| BPH 202 | Introductory Statistics in Health Care (W) | 3 |
| SPA 201 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 |
| Major Elective (*) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHM 121 & CHM 113 | Principles of Chemistry and Chemistry Laboratory I (counts for STEM cognate) | 5 |
| ENG 383 | The Literature of Science Fiction (W; counts for Arts & Humanities cognate) | 3 |
| PSY 240 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Junior Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| AMS 322 | Topics in American Studies: Literature (counts for Arts & Humanities cognate) | 3 |
| BPH 321 | Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (W) | 3 |
| BPH 352 | Biological Principles of Public Health | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BPH 309 | Health and Environment (W) | 3 |
| BPH 322 | Introduction to Health Policy | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BPH 465 | Public Health Statistics and Data Management (W) | 3 |
| GSS 210 | Popular representations of Queer sexualities | 3 |
| Major Elective (*) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BPH 305 | Issues in Health Disparities | 3 |
| BPH 490 | Field Practicum in Community Health (W) | 4 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 123 | |
(W) = Course is designated as writing-intensive
(*) = Students may choose an elective from the following courses: APY 205, BPH 301, BPH 303, BPH 306, BPH 317, BPH 319, BPH 355, BPH 365, BPH 402, BPH 419, BPH 461, BPH 487, BTE 450, HMP 460, COS 324, COS 325, COS 426, COS 427, COS 472, GEG 231, GEG 241, GEG 334, GEG 336, GEG 341, GEG 343, GEG 345, GEG 346, GEG 348, GEG 366, GEG 412, GHS 570, GHS 571, GHS 572, GHS 573, INS 599, KIN 155, HMP 270, MKT 388, and SOC 480
Mission
The Mission of the School of Nursing and Health Studies is to educate students and support faculty committed to excellence in the art and science of nursing and health studies through creating and disseminating health knowledge and developing culturally competent leaders to provide safe service to our community, the nation and the world. The University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies offers courses leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Public Health. Baccalaureate education provides the foundation for further education in Public Health and/or other specialized health professional fields.
Foundational Competencies
- Students will be able to communicate public health information, in both oral and written forms and through a variety of media, to diverse audiences.
- Students will be able to locate, use, evaluate and synthesize public health information.
Concentration Competencies
- Students will be able to apply knowledge from multiple disciplines to define and describe public health problems locally and globally.
- Students will be able to use principles of epidemiology to describe health and alterations in health.
- Students will be able to interpret quantitative and qualitative research findings in the medical, nursing, public health, and social science literature.
- Students will be able to examine the principal determinants of health problems facing the world’s populations within social, economic, and political contexts.
- Students will be able to identify biological, behavioral, and social principles of health promotion and disease prevention across the lifespan.
- Students will be able to discuss the impact of the physical and social environment on health.
- Students will be able to explore the interactions between biological, psychological, environmental, and cultural factors influencing public health and disease prevention strategies.
- Students will be able to examine health care policy, finance, and regulatory environments with attention to health care disparities.
- Students will demonstrate awareness of local health problems, determinants, and interventions in South Florida, with attention to vulnerable populations.
