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Undergraduate Catalog

2012 - 2013

BS in Public Health: Epidemiology Emphasis
(56 hours*)

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The Discipline

Public health professionals work to create conditions that ensure the health and safety of individuals, families, and communities. Public health students are trained to inform, educate, and empower people about health issues; mobilize communities to take ownership for their own health; monitor health status and diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards; develop policies and laws to protect health and ensure safety; and link people to needed health services. The public health mission is carried out through organized, interdisciplinary efforts that address the physical, mental, and environmental health concerns of communities and populations at risk for disease and injury.

Four of several disciplines within public health are represented as tracks within the major: (1) environmental/occupational health identifies and controls factors in the environment (air, water, food, toxins, etc.) or conditions at the workplace which affect health; (2) epidemiology investigates and discovers what causes disease and disability and how diseases are spread or distributed across populations; (3) health promotion facilitates behavior change among individuals and improves population health through policy, advocacy, education, and communication; and (4) health science trains students interested in working in public health after earning an advanced degree in a medical, dental, or other allied health area.

Career Opportunities

There has never been a better time to pursue a career in public health. It is an exciting and growing field of study and a diverse and dynamic profession. It is filled with rewards associated with the pursuit of serving others. The development and delivery of population-based prevention programs will be the key to major advances in health improvement in the 21st century. Public health will continue to be called upon to monitor and assess health problems, prevent and control diseases and injuries, and protect the health of communities and worksites from various environmental and occupational risks associated with man-made and natural disasters and emergencies.

Public health graduates are qualified to work in governmental health agencies on the local, state, federal, and international levels. Private-sector employment can be found in a variety of businesses, community health agencies, managed care organizations, hospitals, clinics, research institutes, voluntary health agencies, and non-governmental organizations. Opportunities for employment in public health are readily available. But recruiters will not typically come to campus to hire graduates. This means graduates must be organized and proactive in their career planning. Students can increase the likelihood of obtaining a position by balancing classroom activities with voluntary or paid service to public health agencies. Obtaining certifications related to specific tracks within the major and careful development of a professional portfolio enhance employment opportunities.

While there are many specialties or disciplines in public health, most career opportunities are found in the tracks associated with the major. Entry-level salaries with a bachelor's degree in public health will range from approximately $35,000–$60,000 but will vary significantly depending upon the specific discipline, type of organization, and geographic location.

Program Requirements    |    View MAP

  1. Complete the following courses:
      HLTH 100 : Introduction to Public Health. (1:1:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      HLTH 100 : Introduction to Public Health. (1:1:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring
      DESCRIPTION: Introduction to public health professions including exploration of current issues, job opportunities, the essential public health services, and an overview of the public health major.

      Course Outcomes


      HLTH 310 : Chronic Diseases: Prevention and Control. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      HLTH 310 : Chronic Diseases: Prevention and Control. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
      DESCRIPTION: Pathogenesis, epidemiology of major chronic diseases, health costs to society, at-risk populations, population-based prevention, and related best-practice interventions.

      Course Outcomes


      HLTH 311 : Infectious Diseases: Prevention and Control. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      HLTH 311 : Infectious Diseases: Prevention and Control. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring
      DESCRIPTION: Human infectious disease risk factors; bacterial, viral, and parasitic agents; pathology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control; communicable, vector-borne, zoonotic, and bioterror diseases of public health.

      Course Outcomes


      HLTH 322 : Environmental Health. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      HLTH 322 : Environmental Health. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring
      DESCRIPTION: Environmental factors as determinants of human health: ecosystem and population dynamics; biological, chemical, and physical hazards; risk assessment; economic, political, cultural, and genetic factors.

      Course Outcomes


      HLTH 330 : Principles and Practices of Health Promotion. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      HLTH 330 : Principles and Practices of Health Promotion. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
      DESCRIPTION: Introduction to the health promotion profession, emphasizing current issues, professional preparation and employment, as well as the philosophy and foundations of professional practice in various settings.

      Course Outcomes


      HLTH 345 : Principles of Epidemiology. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      HLTH 345 : Principles of Epidemiology. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
      DESCRIPTION: Applying analytical tools to study acute and chronic disease to facilitate investigation and control of epidemics.

      Course Outcomes


      HLTH 439 : Program Planning and Evaluation. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      HLTH 439 : Program Planning and Evaluation. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring
      RECOMMENDED: Hlth 330, 322, 437, 438.
      DESCRIPTION: Introduction to needs assessment, program development, implementation, and evaluation in health promotion and public health.

      Course Outcomes


      HLTH 440 : Computer Applications in Epidemiology. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      HLTH 440 : Computer Applications in Epidemiology. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall
      RECOMMENDED: Hlth 345, Stat 121.
      DESCRIPTION: Introduction to the basics of SAS and EXCEL focusing on the set of commands useful for data-reporting, data-management, formatting and graphics, and data-analysis. Topics include tables and regression models for epidemiologists (cumulative-incidence, case-control, and incidence rate data).

      Course Outcomes


      HLTH 441 : Clinical Trials. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Winter
      RECOMMENDED: Hlth 345, Stat 121.
      DESCRIPTION: Introduction to methods used in the design, interim monitoring, and analysis of clinical trials, including the impact of patient exclusions and other causes of incomplete data. Concepts and principles emphasized. Main focus on randomized Phase III (comparative) trials.

      Course Outcomes


      HLTH 442 : Special Topics in Epidemiology. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      HLTH 442 : Special Topics in Epidemiology. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Winter
      RECOMMENDED: Hlth 345, Stat 121.
      DESCRIPTION: Topics include environmental epidemiology, statistical methods in epidemiology, social epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, categorical data analysis, applied longitudinal analysis, survival analysis, and life table methods.

      Course Outcomes


      HLTH 443 : Field Epidemiology. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      HLTH 443 : Field Epidemiology. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall
      RECOMMENDED: Hlth 345, Stat 121.
      DESCRIPTION: Applying epidemiologic methods, including outbreak investigation; surveillance systems and methods; and infectious disease epidemiology to unexpected health problems when a rapid on-site investigation is necessary for timely intervention.

      Course Outcomes


      PDBIO 305 : Human Physiology (with lab). (4:4:2)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      PDBIO 305 : Human Physiology (with lab). (4:4:2)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring
      PREREQUISITE: Chem 101 or equivalent.
      RECOMMENDED: A general biology course.
      DESCRIPTION: Function of body organ systems.
      NOTE: Not acceptable for physiology and developmental biology, biophysics, or neuroscience majors. Designed for students with basic chemistry / no molecular biology. Students with chemistry/molecular biology should take PDBio 362.

      Course Outcomes


      STAT 121 : Principles of Statistics. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      STAT 121 : Principles of Statistics. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      OFFERED: Independent Study also; Honors also.
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
      RECOMMENDED: MATH 110 or equivalent.
      DESCRIPTION:  Stemplots, boxplots, histograms, scatterplots; central tendency, variability; confidence intervals and hypothesis testing involving one and two means and proportions; contingency tables, simple linear regression.

                : Honors Principles of Statistics.

      Course Outcomes



  2. Complete one of the following courses:

  3. Complete 14 hours from the following:



Recommended GE Courses:

    ENGL 315 : Writing in the Social Sciences. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
    ENGL 315 : Writing in the Social Sciences. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
    OFFERED: Honors also.
    WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
    PREREQUISITE: Junior or senior status.
    DESCRIPTION: Writing characteristic of disciplines that inquire into human behavior and institutions; correspondence, proposals, library paper, empirical research, and reviews.
    NOTE: Carries GE Advanced Written and Oral Communication credit.

    Course Outcomes


      Or
      ENGL 316 : Technical Communication. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      ENGL 316 : Technical Communication. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      OFFERED: Honors also.
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
      PREREQUISITE: Junior or senior status.
      DESCRIPTION: Effective processes of written, oral, and visual technical communication, including collaborative processes. Writing for academic and professional audiences.
      NOTE: Carries GE Advanced Written and Oral Communication credit.

      Course Outcomes


    STAT 121 : Principles of Statistics. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
    STAT 121 : Principles of Statistics. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
    OFFERED: Independent Study also; Honors also.
    WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
    RECOMMENDED: MATH 110 or equivalent.
    DESCRIPTION:  Stemplots, boxplots, histograms, scatterplots; central tendency, variability; confidence intervals and hypothesis testing involving one and two means and proportions; contingency tables, simple linear regression.

              : Honors Principles of Statistics.

    Course Outcomes




*Hours include courses that may fulfill university core requirements.



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