The Department of Public Health Sciences

The Department of Public Health Sciences administers two undergraduate programs: the Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) and the Interdisciplinary Health Studies minor (IDHS).

Public health is the science and art of promoting health, preventing disease and injury, and prolonging life through organized efforts of society. The Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) coursework provides students with a solid foundation in the core disciplines of public health (health behavior, epidemiology, administration, environmental health, and biostatistics), and the internship and capstone experiences allow students to integrate and demonstrate their knowledge and analytical skills in research and practice settings.

The Interdisciplinary Health Studies Minor was created to support students (a) interested in health-related careers or (b) seeking a health dimension within other career choices. The interdisciplinary health studies minor extends students' working knowledge of health applications, better preparing them to be competitive in the job market and to make advanced degree choices. National health priorities in the first decade of the 21st century emphasize interdisciplinary training. As students develop specific healthcare competencies, undergraduate interdisciplinary experiences provide students better flexibility in working across disciplines as well as within their own major.