Public Health Department

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Professor: Martha Livingston
Associate Professor: Christopher Hartmann, Shijian Li, Sarah Smith, Chair
Assistant Professors: Keisha Goode, Bianca Rivera, Shameika Williams

Instructor: Pascale Fils-Aime

Lecturer: Lisa Chin

The Public Health department has offered a B.S. degree since 1975. The Mission of the Department of Public Health is to educate students with a social determinants perspective on health; identify the economic and social context within which individuals make behavioral choices; examine social and structural forces and resulting inequities that shape individuals’ destinies; and plan, implement, evaluate, and advocate health programs and policies both in the United States and throughout the world. Since 2019, the degree has been nationally accredited by the Council on Education in Public Health (ceph.org).

Public Health is a critical, multidisciplinary field whose goal is to maximize the health and well-being of populations and communities. Students learn the core disciplines of public health, including epidemiology and biostatistics, research methods, policy analysis, and program planning and evaluation. But they do so within a social determinants of health framework. That is, how our society is structured, how the resources of our wealthy society are distributed and in whose interest, profoundly shapes our ability to lead healthy lives. Social class and economic inequality, racism, sexism and gender discrimination, the environment, the workplace and access to decent employment, access to health care and healthy food and housing, social and community relationships - all determine our health, the nation’s health, and the health and survival of our planet.

Program Student Learning Outcomes/Core Competencies:

By completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. Communicate public health information, in both oral and written forms and through a variety of media, to diverse audiences
2. Locate, use, evaluate and synthesize public health information
3. Demonstrate and apply an understanding of the social determinants of health framework to public health research, practice and prevention efforts
4. Demonstrate the ability to define and use key epidemiological concepts and principles to identify and assess population health
5. Understand and integrate ethical practices and social justice in public health practice and action

Course of Study

This 120-credit program prepares students for entry into a broad range of professions in public health at the local, state, and national levels. Students from this program go on to enter the workforce in public health departments, public health education and promotion organizations, community-based agencies, health-care administration, social work, counseling, and numerous other health-related fields. Students who graduate from this program also frequently pursue graduate-level study. Our department has developed close relationships with graduate programs in our area. We also have a minor program to serve students from other majors with an interest in public health.

As described in the Requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health, students must complete one semester of Biology and Introduction to Statistics as well as eight core courses in the major. In addition, students will choose three courses from among the Public Health electives. All courses in the major must be completed with a grade of C or better.

Programs

• Public Health, B.S.

• Public Health, Minor

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