Public Health Major

Public Health Major

The bachelor of applied science (B.A.Sc.) in Public Health prepares students to succeed as professionals in global employment or for the pursuit of advanced degrees.

Graduates of the Public Health Major are prepared to:

• practice in a range of community settings (e.g., schools, voluntary health agencies, public health departments, hospitals, corporate work sites, and businesses)
• pursue graduate education (such as master's degrees in public health, health education, psychology, environmental health & safety)
• seek professional school training (e.g., nursing, occupational therapy, dental hygiene)
• earn related certifications in their fields of interest (e.g., certified health education specialist, certified health coach)

Curriculum

All students in the public health major participate in a service learning capstone experience through internship and/or assistantship. Coursework includes:

Required coursework

BIO 1001 - Biology and Society (4.0 cr)
HLTH 1100 - Health and Wellness Strategies for Life (3.0 cr)
HLTH 1104 - Health Science Terminology (3.0 cr)
STAT 1411 - Introduction to Statistics (3.0 cr)
HLTH 1470 - Human Nutrition (3.0 cr)
HLTH 1800 - Introduction to Public Health (3.0 cr)
HLTH 2200 - Research and Evaluation in Health Science (3.0 cr)
HLTH 2800 - Foundations of Public Health (3.0 cr)
HLTH 2900 - Professional Preparation in Public Health (3.0 cr)
HLTH 3000 - Program Administration in Public Health (3.0 cr)
HLTH 3115 - Consumer Health Education (3.0 cr)
HLTH 3116 - Principles of Epidemiology and Human Disease (3.0 cr)
WRIT 31xx - Advanced Writing (3.0 cr)
HLTH 3300 - Public Health Communication (4.0 cr)
HLTH 3303 - Planning Community Health Interventions (3.0 cr)
HLTH 3305 - Community Health Methods (4.0 cr)
HLTH 3500 - Environmental Health (3.0 cr)
HLTH 4996 - Internship

Additional coursework available in

HLTH 3117 - Principles of Sex Education (3.0 cr)
HLTH 3118 - Women's Health Issues (3.0 cr)
HLTH 3119 - Arts in Public Health (3.0 cr)
HLTH 3202 - Drug Education (3.0 cr)
HLTH 3307 - Conducting and Managing Worksite Health Promotion Programs (3.0 cr)
HLTH 3341 - Encountering Death and Grief: A Cross-Cultural Journey (3.0 cr)
HLTH 4100 - Historical Perspectives of Community Health Through Culture & Art in Italy (3.0 cr) (Study Abroad in Italy)
HLTH 4120 - Holistic Health and Healing (3.0 cr) (Study Abroad in the United Kingdom)
HLTH 4700 - Global Health (3.0 cr)
HLTH 4710 - Grant Development and Writing in the Social Sciences (3.0 cr)

Requirements

For a complete list of the major requirements and course descriptions, please visit the Public Health major catalog page. View a sample plan that shows one of several possible ways to complete this degree. Interested in seeing student projects related to their coursework? Check out our Spring 2021 Virtual Showcase! The program learning outcomes are available for the major, and our alumni are putting those skills to work after graduation. Learn more about the positive job outlook for public health professionals.

Quality Assurance

The Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) in Public Health at the University of Minnesota Duluth is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). 

• March 2, 2019: Initial application accepted
• October 13, 2020: Preliminary consultation
• March 2, 2021: Submission of preliminary self-study
• September 14, 2021: Submission of final self-study & third-party comments
• October 14-15, 2021: Site visit
• March 7, 2022: Accreditation decision date
• March 15, 2022: Notified that the CEPH Board of Councilors acted at its March 6-7, 2022, meeting to accredit the Public Health Program at the University of Minnesota Duluth for a five-year term, with an interim report due in winter 2024. Based on CEPH procedures, the program’s initial accreditation date will be recorded as March 2, 2019. The accreditation term extends until July 1, 2027, pending the program’s continued documentation of compliance through the interim report, annual reporting, and any other reporting required by the Council. To request a copy of the self-study or accreditation report, send an email to the Department of Applied Human Sciences at [email protected].

Prior to CEPH accreditation, the University of Minnesota Duluth Public Health program was approved by the SOPHE/AAHE Baccalaureate Program Approval Committee (SABPAC), which reviewed and evaluated community health education programs through 2014. The program earned SABPAC approvals in both 2003 and 2013.