Department of Public Health

Public Health Major - Health Education Track

Program Overview

Designed to be completed in a minimum of four full-length semesters, students who major in Public Health take a variety of courses covering the five core areas of public health, including behavioral sciences, health administration, research, environmental health and epidemiology. 

The Health Education track prepares entry-level health educators who are able to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate a broad range of health promotion and disease prevention programs among a community’s diverse population. Knowledge of public health education is achieved through a multi-discipline study of the physical and natural sciences, education, psychology, sociology, and public health. 

Practice-based skills are integral components of a carefully designed program.  Students become oriented to the profession of health education through the completion of a 12-credit full-time internship during their final semester, at which time they also take the national certification examination to become a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). 

Is the Health Education Track Right for You?

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Public Health Education track is a good choice for students who:

  • Want to be directly involved in planning and implementing programs that improve the health status of individuals and communities. 
  • Want to be eligible to work in a variety of settings, including governmental and non-governmental agencies, hospitals and clinics, and for-profit organizations, among others.
  • Want the opportunity to become a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), a nationally recognized professional credential indicating professional competency and a commitment to continued professional development.

Careers in Public Health Education

With a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health Education and CHES certification, graduates are eligible to pursue a wide variety of positions in the field of health education.  Examples of positions held by graduates of the program include:

  • Health educators for city, county, and federal departments of health
  • HIV/AIDS educators and counselors
  • School health educators for private schools
  • Environmental Health Specialists for health departments and private corporations
  • Health educators for family service organizations such as Catholic Charities and Jewish Family Services
  • Public education coordinators for non-profit agencies such as the American Cancer Society and the American Red Cross   
  • Counselors and case managers at Planned Parenthood, the Division of Youth and Family Services, senior centers and County Offices on Aging
  • Health promotion specialists in corporations and managed care organizations
  • Health education coordinators for hospitals and nursing homes

For information about the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential, visit the website for the National Commission for Health Education credentialing, Inc. at http://www.nchec.org.

Program Requirements

 

Core Courses: 24 credits

CR

UCC*

PREREQUISITES

PBHL 3000

Introduction to Public Health

3

 

 

PBHL 3020

Health Care in the United States

3

 

 Public Health major

PBHL 3040

Health Research Methods I

3

WI

MATH 1300

PBHL 3042

Health Research Methods II

3

TI 

PBHL 3040

PBHL 3400

Environmental Health

3

 

PBHL 3000

PBHL 3750

Human Disease

3

 

BIO 1140 & PBHL 1100 or 1300

PBHL 4000

Epidemiology

3

 

PBHL 3000

PBHL 4500

Health Administration

3

 

PBHL 3020, 3042

Health Education Track Courses: 25 credits

CR

UCC*

PREREQUISITES

PBHL 3010

Health Education: Theory & Practice

3

 

 PBHL 1100 or 1300

PBHL 3610

Methods of Public Health Education

3

 TI

PBHL 3010

PBHL 4610

Public Health Education Program Planning

3

PBHL 3042, 3610

PBHL 4963

Introduction to Internship in PH Education

1

 

PBHL 3042, 3400, 3610, 3750

PBHL 4770

Internship in Public Health

12

 

 C- or better in all major and co-requisite courses

Major elective: 3 credits (choose one of the following)

 

 

 

PBHL 2100

Women’s Health

3

 

 

PBHL 2150

Drugs and Health

3

 

 

PBHL 2200

Stress Management

3

 

 

PBHL 2210

Nutrition

3

 

 

PBHL 2700

Concepts and Issues of Aging

3

 

 

PBHL 2950

Disparities in Health

3

A4

 

PBHL 3110

Global Health Issues

3

A6

 

PBHL 3140

Reproductive Health

3

A5

 

PBHL 3150

Food and Community

3

A5

 

PBHL 3210

Lifespan Nutrition

3

 

PBHL 2210

PBHL 3220

Food and Social Issues

3

 

 

PBHL 3900

Human Sexuality

3

 

 

PBHL 4300

Counseling Skills for Health Professionals

3

 

 

PBHL 4950

Cultural Dimensions of Health

3

 

 

Co-Requirements: 4 credits (choose one)

CR

 

 

BIO 1300

Field Biology

4

 

 

 

BIO 1700

Basic Microbiology

4

 

 

 

CHEM 1310

College Chemistry (with lab CHEM 0310)

4

 

 

 

ENV 1100

Environmental Foundations

4

 

 

 

PHYS 1100

Introduction to Physics

4