Curriculum
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health will provide students with a strong foundation in population health, social and environmental determinants of health and strategies related to disease prevention and health promotion—all critical to addressing health threats and strengthening the public health workforce. Public health’s interprofessional nature is ideally suited within an undergraduate curriculum, giving students an opportunity to apply core concepts to myriad fields, including public health, clinical practice, research, mental health or a non-health profession, such as business or engineering.
The B.S. in Public Health curriculum will expose students to the essential principles of public health and the biomedical sciences concurrently (for students pursuing the health professions) and will provide ample opportunities to immerse students in community-based public health experiences and research. The academic rigor, emphasis on science and core public health foundation will fully prepare students for a career in public health or medicine. The instructional delivery method of the B.S. in Public Health program will be an on-site model, with opportunities to participate in global, domestic and local medical outreach initiatives. Traditional classroom instruction will be augmented with innovative, community-based experiential learning and the use of contemporary information technology.
The first three years of the B.S. in Public Health curriculum include traditional liberal arts courses, core public health courses and medical school prerequisites (for students interested in pursuing a medical degree). Courses will be taught by faculty members from the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Department of Public Health, Department of Nutrition and Department of Family Therapy, as well as by faculty members from the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences.
The fourth year of the program comprises major elective courses in the public health concentration and intensive community-based learning opportunities, with coursework ranging in focus from public health planning to public health issues in disasters so as to fully prepare the student for myriad career choices in public health. Students pursuing the dual admissions B.S. in Public Health-D.O. 3 + 4 option will pursue a concurrent course of study in their fourth year comprising courses in the medical concentration that fulfill the requirements for the B.S. in Public Health degree alongside the first year D.O. curriculum.
General Education Requirements (30 credits)
Students are required to complete 30 credit hours as part of the General Education Program. For specific course requirements, refer to
the “General Education Program” section on page 98 of this catalog.
Public Health Major Requirements (57 credits)
Core Courses (39 credits)
BPH 1010 Foundations of Public Health (3 credits) BPH 1020 Principles of Health Behavior (3 credits)
BPH 2022 Public Health Biology (3 credits)
BPH 2030 Public Health Seminar (3 credits)
BPH 2040 Health Communication (3 credits)
BPH 2050 Community Health (3 credits)
BPH 3010 Concepts in Epidemiology (3 credits) OR
BPH 3010H Epidemiology: Distribution and Determinants of Health
(3 credits)
BPH 3020 Public Health Leadership and Management (3 credits)
BPH 3030 Introduction to Global Health (3 credits)
BPH 4020 Policies, Systems, and Environments of Healthcare (3 credits)
BPH 4910 Environmental and Occupational Health (3 credits)
BPH 4950 Essentials of Public Health Planning (3 credits)
BPH 4951 Community Based Health Project (3 credits)
Public Health Major Electives (18 credits required)*
BPH 2010 Human Genomics (3 credits)
BPH 2060 Introduction to School Health (3 credits)
BPH 2070 Introduction to Public Health Research (3 credits)
BPH 2080 Dimensions of Wellness (3 credits)
BPH 2090 Public Health Special Topics (3 credits)
BPH 3040 Public Health Issues in Disasters (3 credits)
BPH 3970 Disparities and Health (3 credits)
BPH 3990 Understanding Mental Health as Public Health (3 credits)
BPH 3990 (H) Inside Out: Exploring Mental Health and Well-Being
BPH 4900 Global Outreach and Applied Learning (3 credits)
BPH 4901 Domestic Outreach and Applied Learning (3 credits)
BPH 4901B Local Outreach and Applied Learning (3 credits)
BPH 4920 Population Health Outcomes and Analysis (3 credits)
BPH 4980 Ethical Issues in Population Health (3 credits)
HONR 2020E Grant Writing for Human Subjects Research and Human Services (3 credits)
BPH 4990 Independent Study in Public Health (1, 2, 3 credits)
*Students are permitted to take 9 of the required 18 major elective credits from the BSHN (Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition), HAWC (Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness Coaching), and/or BSHI (Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics) course prefixes.
General Education Requirements (30 credits)
Students are required to complete 30 credit hours as part of the General Education Program. For specific course requirements, refer to
the “General Education Program” section on page 98 of this catalog.
Pre-Med Public Health Major Requirements (57 credits)
Core Courses (39 credits)
BPH 1010 Foundations of Public Health (3 credits) BPH 1020 Principles of Health Behavior (3 credits)
BPH 2022 Public Health Biology (3 credits)
BPH 2030 Public Health Seminar (3 credits)
BPH 2040 Health Communication (3 credits)
BPH 2050 Community Health (3 credits)
BPH 2090 Public Health Special Topics (3 credits)
BPH 3010 Concepts in Epidemiology (3 credits) OR BPH 3010 (H) (3 credits)
BPH 3010(H) Epidemiology: Distribution and Determinants of Health (3 credits)
BPH 3020 Public Health Leadership and Management (3 credits)
BPH 3030 Introduction to Global Health (3 credits)
BPH 4020 Policies, Systems, and Environments of Healthcare (3 credits)
BPH 4910 Environmental and Occupational Health (3 credits)
BPH 4950 Essentials of Public Health Planning (3 credits)
BPH 4951 Community Based Health Project (3 credits)
Pre-Med Public Health Major Electives (18 credits required)*
BPH 2010 Human Genomics (3 credits)
BPH 2060 Introduction to School Health (3 credits)
BPH 2070 Introduction to Public Health Research (3 credits)
BPH 2080 Dimensions of Wellness (3 credits)
BPH 2090 Public Health Special Topics (3 credits)
BPH 3040 Public Health Issues in Disasters (3 credits)
BPH 3970 Disparities and Health (3 credits)
BPH 3990 Understanding Mental Health as Public Health (3 credits)
BPH 3990 (H) Inside Out: Exploring Mental Health and Well-Being
BPH 4900 Global Outreach and Applied Learning (3 credits)
BPH 4901 Domestic Outreach and Applied Learning (3 credits)
BPH 4901B Local Outreach and Applied Learning (3 credits)
BPH 4920 Population Health Outcomes and Analysis (3 credits)
BPH 4980 Ethical Issues in Population Health (3 credits)
HONR 2020E Grant Writing for Human Subjects Research and Human Services (3 credits)
BPH 4990 Independent Study in Public Health (1, 2, 3 credits)
Pre-Med BSPH Science Requirements (Required Open Electives) (36 credits):
BIOL 1500 Biology I/Lab (4 credits)
BIOL 1510 Biology II/Lab (4 Credits)
CHEM 1300 General Chemistry I/Lab (4 Credits) OR CHEM 1300H General Chemistry I/Lab Honors (4 Credits)
CHEM 1310 General Chemistry II/Lab (4 Credits) OR CHEM 1310H General Chemistry II/Lab Honors (4 Credits)
CHEM 2400 Organic Chemistry I/Lab (4 Credits) OR CHEM 2400H Organic Chemistry I/Lab Honors (4 Credits)
CHEM 2410 Organic Chemistry II/Lab (4 Credits) OR CHEM2410H Organic Chemistry II/Lab Honors (4 Credits)
CHEM 3650 Biochemistry/Lab (4 Credits)
PHYS 2350 General Physics I/Lab (4 Credits) OR PHYS 2350H General Physics I/Lab Honors (4 Credits) OR
PHYS 2400 Physics I/Lab (4 Credits)
PHYS 2360 General Physics II/Lab (4 Credits) OR PHYS 2360H General Physics II/Lab Honors (4 Credits) OR
PHYS 2500 Physics I/Lab (4 Credits)
*Students are permitted to take 9 of the required 18 major elective credits from the BSHN (Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition), HAWC (Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness Coaching), and/or BSHI (Bachelor of Science in Health
Public Health Minor
KPCOM’s Public Health Minor provides curriculum in areas relevant to public health, social and behavioral health sciences, and community health. The interprofessional experiences of KPCOM faculty offer students a realistic look into the benefits, rewards, and challenges of public health.
Public Health Minor Requirements (9)
BPH 1010 Foundations of Public Health (3 credits)
BPH 1020 Principles of Health Behavior (3 credits)
BPH 2050 Community Health (3 credits)
BPH Open Major Elective
BPH Open Major Elective
BPH Open Major Elective
*Students are permitted to take 9 of the required 18 major elective credits from the BSHN (Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition), HAWC (Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness Coaching), and/or BSHI (Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics) course prefixes.
The BSPH addresses the following Foundational Domains (Council on Education for Public Health):
- History and philosophy of public health as well as its core values, concepts and functions across the globe and in society;
- Basic concepts, methods and tools of public health data collection, use and analysis and why evidence-based approaches are an essential part of public health practice;
- Concepts of population health, and the basic processes, approaches and interventions that identify and address the major health-related needs and concerns of populations;
- Underlying science of human health and disease, including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the life course;
- Socioeconomic, behavioral, biological, environmental and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities;
- Fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment and evaluation;
- Fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the US health system as well as the differences between systems in other countries;
- Basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic and regulatory dimensions of health care and public health policy and the roles, influences and responsibilities of the different agencies and branches of government; and
- Basic concepts of public health-specific communication, including technical and professional writing and the use of mass media and electronic technology
The BSPH also addresses the following Foundational Competencies (Council on Education for Public Health):
- Ability to communicate public health information, in both oral and written forms, through a variety of media and to diverse audiences, and
- Ability to locate, use, evaluate, and synthesize public health information.
2. Demonstrate essential knowledge of the core functions of public health: assessment, policy development and assurance
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the ecological model of health behavior and the logic model of public health practice
4. Apply evidence-based principles to public health practice
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of research design and analysis
6. Describe the scientific foundation for understanding health and disease, as well as chronic, infectious and emerging diseases
7. Demonstrate essential knowledge of population health and vulnerable population groups
8. Explain the impact of health behaviors, ethics, diversity and culture
9. Identify emerging topics in public health, including nutrition, disaster preparedness, and infectious diseases
The Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine places a strong emphasis on experiential learning and practice-based education. The experiential learning approach “learning by doing” is a vital aspect of these courses. The public health local, domestic and global outreach courses are practice-based field experiences that expose students to public health issues both domestically and globally. All outreach trips involve participating with underserved populations in a public health capacity. Trips have included India, New Orleans, Mississippi and Puerto Rico.