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Curriculum: Public Health Science - College Park

Public Health Science Curriculum

The following information is for students who declared Public Health Science as their major in Spring 2018 or later on the College Park campus. 

Current Course Offerings for Public Health Science majors

Since Public Health Science is an interdisciplinary major, we suggest checking current course offerings by term. These documents are updated regularly, but you should refer to the Schedule of Classes for additional information.

PHSC Major Requirements

Public Health Science majors at the University of Maryland, College Park, complete 74+ credit hours of required coursework in public health and life sciences. In their final semester, students enroll in the PHSC Capstone course, for which they analyze and propose solutions to a public health issue of their choice in a scholarly research paper and presentation. 

The required coursework for the BS in Public Health Science falls into three categories:

31 credits
Open to students in any major

Certain mathematical techniques and scientific principles serve as a foundation for future study in Public Health Science. The courses in the Scientific Foundation category cover the scientific concepts essential to advanced study in the field.

Guidelines for PHSC Scientific Foundations courses: 
  • You must pass all Scientific Foundations courses with a C- or higher
  • Course prerequisites and restrictions are strictly enforced
  • We recommend taking no more than 8 credits of lab sciences or math courses in a single semester

Course Code and Title (GenEd) Credits Prerequisites Typically Offered
BSCI170*: Principles of Molecular & Cellular Biology (DSNL) 3 MATH120 eligibility Fall, Spring, Summer
BSCI171*: Principles of Molecular & Cellular Biology Lab 1 MATH120 eligibility; corequisite BSCI170 Fall, Spring, Summer
CHEM131*: General Chemistry I Lecture/Discussion (DSNL) 3 MATH120 eligibility Fall, Spring, Summer
CHEM132*: General Chemistry I Lab 1 MATH120 eligibility; corequisite CHEM131 Fall, Spring, Summer
CHEM231**: Organic Chemistry I Lecture/Discussion 3 CHEM131 and CHEM132 Fall, Spring, Summer
CHEM232**: Organic Chemistry I Lab 1 CHEM131 and CHEM132; corequisite CHEM231 Fall, Spring, Summer
MATH120***: Elementary Calculus I (FSMA, FSAR) 3 MATH120 eligibility Fall, Spring, Summer
BSCI201: Human Anatomy and Physiology I (DSNL) 4 BSCI170 and BSCI171 Fall, Spring, Summer
BSCI202: Human Anatomy and Physiology II 4 BSCI201 Fall, Spring, Summer
BSCI222: Principles of Genetics 4 (CHEM131/132 and BSCI170/171) and (CHEM231/232 or BSCI160/161) Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
BSCI223: General Microbiology (DSNL, SCIS) 4 BSCI170 and BSCI171 Fall, Spring, Summer

* Benchmark 1: must be completed with grades of “C-” or higher by the end of two semesters into the major.
** Benchmark 2: must be completed with grades of “C-” or higher by the end of three semesters into the major.
*** Benchmark 3: must be completed with grades of “C-” or higher by the end of four semesters into the major.

31 credits
Open only to current Public Health Science majors

The courses in this category introduce students to the five core disciplines of public health (behavioral science, biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, and health services administration) as well as kinesiology. 

Guidelines for Public Health Science Foundations courses: 
  • You must pass all Public Health Science Foundations courses with a C- or higher
  • Course prerequisites and restrictions are strictly enforced

Course Code and Title (GenEd) Credits Prerequisites Typically Offered
SPHL100: Foundations of Public Health 3 none Fall, Spring, Summer
EPIB301: Epidemiology for Public Health Practice 3 45+ credits Fall, Spring, Summer
EPIB315: Biostatistics for Public Health Practice (FSAR) 3 45+ credits; EPIB301 Fall, Spring, Summer
HLTH366: Behavioral and Community Issues in Public Health 3 45+ credits; HLTH130, HLTH230, PSYC100, SOCY100, SOCY105, or ANTH260 Fall, Spring, Summer
HLSA300: Introduction to Health Policy and Services 3 60+ credits; SPHL100 (completed or concurrent) Fall, Spring, Summer
KNES320: Physiological Basis of Physical Activity and Human Health 4 BSCI201 and BSCI202 Fall, Spring, Summer
MIEH300: A Public Health Perspective: Introduction to Environmental Health 3 60+ credits; CHEM131 and CHEM132; SPHL100 (completed or concurrent) Fall, Spring, Summer
PHSC450: Addressing Social and Structural Inequities Through Public Health (DVUP) 3 60+ credits; MIEH300 and SPHL100 Fall, Spring, Summer (beginning summer 2023)
PHSC415: Essentials of Public Health Biology: The Cell, The Individual, and Disease 3 60+ credits; BSCI201 and BSCI202 Fall, Spring, Summer
PHSC497: Public Health Science Capstone (DSSP) 3 100+ credits; FSPW and MIEH400 or PHSC450 Fall, Spring, Summer

12+ credits required

The Public Health Science Options are 300 and 400 level courses that allow students in the major to build upon the Scientific and Public Health Science Foundations courses to pursue interests and experiences that align with your intellectual and career goals.

Guidelines for PHSC Options courses: 

  • You must pass all Public Health Science Options courses with a C- or higher
  • You must take at least 3 credits of Public Health Science Options within the School of Public Health (course prefixes EPIB, FMSC, HLSA, HLTH, KNES, MIEH, or PHSC)
  • **Courses approved as a PHSC option cannot fulfill a GenEd Scholarship in Practice (DSSP) outside the major**
  • A maximum of 6 credits of experiential learning (internship or research) may apply towards the total 12 credits of options

Below is a list of approved PHSC Options courses that have been offered recently at UMD. See the buttons at the top of this page for current offerings. Please check the Schedule of Classes to confirm pre-requisites and restrictions for each course.

You may request to have other courses reviewed for possible Public Health Science Options credit by filling out this request form

 

Course Code & Title (GenEd)

Credits

Prerequisites/Restrictions

Last Offered

AMST320 (Dis)ability in American Film (DSHU or DSSP, DVUP)

3

none

Fa22

AREC365 World Hunger, Population, and Food Supplies (DVUP)

3

none

Fa22, Sp23

BCHM462 Biochemistry II

3

BCHM461

Su22, Fa22, Sp23

BCHM463 Biochemistry of Physiology

3

CHEM271/2 or CHEM276/7

Su22, Fa22, Sp23

BSCI330 Cell Biology and Physiology

4

BSCI170/1 & CHEM131/2

Su22, Fa22, Sp23

BSCI348M Special Topics in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics; Epidemiology of Microbial Pathogens

3

BSCI105

Su22, WT23

BSCI353 Principles of Neuroscience

3

BSCI207 or BSCI330;
coreq: PHYS122, PHYS142, or PHYS132

Su22, Fa22, WT23, Sp23

BSCI417 Microbial Pathogenesis**

3

60+ credits; BSCI223 and BSCI222

Sp22

BSCI437 General Virology

3

BSCI222; 60+ credits

Su22, Fa22, Sp23

BSCI483 Insects, Pathogens, and Public Health

3

BSCI207

Fa21, Fa22

BSST334 States of Emergency (DSHS, SCIS)

3

none

Fa21, Fa22

CHSE338B Teaching and Learning about Cultural Diversity through Intergroup Dialogue; Race, Gender, or Socioeconomic Status (DVCC)

1

none

Fa21, Fa22

CHSE338I Teaching and Learning about Cultural Diversity through Intergroup Dialogue; Religion and Spirituality; Size and Appearance (DVCC)

1

none

Fa21, Fa22

CHSE338L Teaching and Learning about Cultural Diversity through Intergroup Dialogue; Race, Gender, or CItizenship (DVCC)

1

none

Fa21, Fa22

CHSE338N Teaching and Learning about Cultural Diversity through Intergroup Dialogue; Race, Gender, or CItizenship (DVCC)

1

none

Sp22, Sp23

CHSE338P Teaching and Learning about Cultural Diversity through Intergroup Dialogue; Emergent Theme (DVCC)

1

Permission required

Sp22, Sp23

CHSE338T Teaching and Learning about Cultural Diversity through Intergroup Dialogue; Race, Gender, or CItizenship (DVCC)

1

none

Sp22, Sp23

CHSE338X Teaching and Learning about Cultural Diversity through Intergroup Dialogue; Race, Socioeconomic Status, or (Dis)Ability (DVCC)

1

none

Sp22, Sp23

EPIB330 Introduction to Infectious Disease Epidemiology

3

PHSC major; EPIB301

Su21, Fa21, Sp22

EPIB463 Biostatistical Programming

3

PHSC major

Sp22, Fa22

FGSM320 Public Health Policy

3

Application required (spring)

Fa21, Fa22

FGSM340 Energy and Environmental Policy

3

Application required (spring)

Fa21, Fa22

FGSM370 Science Diplomacy: Foreign Policy & Science, Technology, and Innovation

3

Application required (spring)

Fa21, Fa22

FGSM380 Responses to Global Challenges

3

Application required (spring)

Fa21, Fa22

FGSM390 Water Security and Global Health Challenges

3

Application required (spring)

Fa21, Fa22

FMSC310 Maternal, Child, and Family Health

3

none

WT22, Sp22, Su22, Fa22, Sp23

FMSC330 Family Health: Health Happens in Families

3

60+ credits (approved beginning spring 2023)

Sp23

FMSC332 Children in Families (DSHS)

3

PSYC100 or FMSC105

Su22, Fa22, Sp23

FMSC460 Violence in Families (DSHS, DVUP)

3

PSYC100, SOCY105, or SOCY100

Sp22, Su22, Fa22, WT23, Sp23

GEOG373 Geographic Information Systems

3

none

Su22, Fa22, WT23, Sp23

HLSA465 Redesigning Mental Health Services

3

HLTH366, (rec. EPIB301)

Fa21, Sp22

HLSA484 Redesigning Health Care: Developing a Clinic to Meet Community Needs

3

60+ credits

Fa22, Sp23

HLTH377 Human Sexuality

3

none

Sp22, Su22, Fa22, WT23, Sp23

HLTH402 Disability is Not an Outcome: An Introduction to Understanding Disability

3

tbd

Su22

HLTH424 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Health

3

PHSC major; 60+ credits; rec. PSYC, SOCY, EPIB

Fa21, Sp22, Sp23

HLTH431 Health Literacy in Action

3

PHSC major (0201); rec. HLTH371

Fa22, Sp23

HLTH434 Introduction to Public Health Informatics

3

PHSC major (0201);
60+ credits

Sp22, Fa22

HLTH460 Multicultural Population Health

3

PHSC major (0201); HLTH140, HLTH230, or HLTH366

Fa21, Fa22

HLTH471 Women's Health

3

PHSC, HLTH, or WMST major

Su22, WT23, Sp23

INST402 Designing Patient-Centered Technologies

3

Tech Infor Design or
InfoSci major;
INST362 or INST367

Fa22, Sp23

INST408A Special Topics in Information Science; Consumer Health Informatics

3

InfoSci major;
INST126, INST201, STAT100, MATH115,
and PSYC100

Fa21, Fa22

INST452 Health Data Analytics

3

InfoSci major;
INST201, MATH115, PSYC100, INST126,
and STAT100

Sp22, Sp23

INST462 Introduction to Data Visualization

3

InfoSci major;
(INST201 or INST301)
and INST126,
INST314, MATH115, PSYC100 and
STAT100

Su22, Fa22, WT23, Sp23

MIEH321 Environmental Determinants of Emerging Infectious Diseases

3

SPHL100 (coreq)

Sp22, Fa22

MIEH325 Introduction to Clinical Research Methods

3

none

Sp22

MIEH330 Environmental Justice, Racism, and Environmental Health Disparities

3

SPH major;
MIEH300

Sp21

MIEH331 The Built Environment, Sustainability, and Public Health

3

PHSC major;
MIEH300

Sp21

MIEH333 Every Drop Counts: Water, Food, and Global Public Health

3

MIEH300 or ENSP101

Su21, Fa22

MIEH407 One Health: Global Food Safety and Security

3

90+ credits; Global Classroom

Su22

MIEH480 Introduction to Occupational Health

3

PHSC major;
EPIB301, MIEH300;
rec. BSCI201

Sp22

NFSC315 Nutrition During the Life Cycle

3

NFSC100

Sp22, Sp23

PEER311 Peer Education Mental Health & Wellness (DVCC)

3

Not accepting new applications 2022-2023

Fa20

PEER312 Peer Education: Preventing Power-Based Violence (DVCC)

3

Not accepting new applications 2022-2023

Fa21, Fa22

PEER314 Peer Education: Sexual Health and Wellness (DVCC)

3

Not accepting new applications 2022-2023

Fa19

PEER318 CARE Peer Advocacy

3

Not accepting new applications 2022-2023

Fa21, Sp22, Fa22, Sp23

PEER338 Peer Leadership and Education

3

Not accepting new applications 2022-2023

Sp22, Fa22, Sp23

PHSC388B Special Topics in Public Health Science; States of Emergency in Public Health

3

none

Sp21

PHSC389 Independent Research Study in Public Health Science

1-6

PHSC major;
Advance permission of PHSC Research Coordinator

Su22, Fa22, Sp23

PHSC399 Public Health Science Internship

1-6

PHSC major;
Advance permission of PHSC Internship Coordinator

Su22, Fa22, Sp23

PHSC401 History of Public Health

3

PHSC major;
45+ credits

Su22

PHSC405 Policy Advocacy and Public Health

3

PHSC major;
60+ credits;
HLSA300

Sp21

PHSC410 Public Health Program Planning and Evaluation

3

PHSC major;
60+ credits

Fa21, Fa22

PHSC412 Food, Policy, and Public Health

3

PHSC major;
60+ credits; HLSA300;
rec. NFSC100

Fa20, Fa22, Sp23

PHSC420 Vaccines and Immunology

3

PHSC major;
60+ credits;
BSCI223

Sp22

PHSC426 Climate Change and Health

3

PHSC major;
60+ credits;
MIEH300

Sp21

PHSC430 Public Health in the City: Perspectives on Health in the Urban Environment (DSHS, DVUP, SCIS)

3

PHSC major;
BSCI202 and MIEH300;
60+ credits

WT22, Sp22, Su22

PHSC440 Public Health Nutrition

3

PHSC major; BSCI170/171, CHEM131/132 and EPIB301

Fa21 Fa22

PLCY388A/FMSC498P Special Topics in Public Policy; Child and Family Policy Impact

3

none

Sp22, Sp23

PSYC344 Health Psychology

3

SPH or PSYC major; PSYC100

Su22, Fa22, Sp23

SOCY335 Sociology of Health and Illness**

3

none

Sp22, Fa22, Sp23

SPAN371 Spanish for the Health Professions

3

SPAN303 and (SPAN311 or SPAN316)

Sp22, Fa22, Sp23

WGSS488B Senior Seminar; Health Inequality and Social Determinants: How Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender Matter

3

Permission required of WGSS

Fa22

**Courses approved as a Public Health Science Option cannot fulfill a GenEd Scholarship in Practice (DSSP) outside the major**


General Education and Elective courses

To complete any Bachelor's degree at the University of Maryland, you must successfully complete a minimum of 120 course credits. General Education and elective courses present an opportunity for you to explore interests and develop professional skills.

A college degree in the U.S. is about more than major requirements and vocational skills. In fact, even STEM employers and graduate school admissions highly value the intellectual curiosity, communication and critical thinking skills you can build through humanities and other "liberal arts" courses.  

40+ credits

All University of Maryland undergraduate students are required to complete general education requirements. Through these courses, students experience the University’s many resources while acquiring additional knowledge and skills that result in a more well-rounded graduate.

Guidelines for General Education for Public Health Science majors: 
  • All General Education requirements must be completed with a D- or higher, with the exception of FSAW, FSPW, and any major requirements, which require a C- or higher.
  • Some students may fulfill some General Education through transfer credit or prior learning credit. Transfer students with an Associate's Degree from a Maryland community college must still complete the FSPW - Professional Writing requirement.
  • The equivalent of twenty-four (24) UMD GenEd credits are satisfied by Public Health Science major requirements.
  • Any DSSP courses approved to satisfy PHSC major requirements (including PHSC Options) cannot apply as a DSSP outside of the major.

Public Health Science students can expect to fulfill the following General Education categories with courses outside the major requirements: 

Fundamental Studies

  • Academic Writing (FSAW) - 3 credits (Must take during first 30 credits)
  • Professional Writing (FSPW) - 3 credits
  • Oral Communication (FSOC) - 3 credits

Distributive Studies

  • History & Social Sciences (DSHS) - 3 credits (suggested - HLTH130, HLTH230, PSYC100, SOCY100, SOCY105, or ANTH260)
  • History & Social Sciences (DSHS) - 3 credits
  • Humanities (DSHU) - 3 credits
  • Humanities (DSHU) - 3 credits
  • Scholarship in Practice (DSSP) - 3 credits (outside of major)

I-Series

  • I-Series (SCIS) - 3 credits (should also fulfill a Distributive Studies)

Diversity

  • Understanding Plural Societies (DVUP) - 3 credits or Cultural Competence (DVCC) - 1 credit

There are a few ways that Public Health Science majors fulfill additional credits towards the 120 required to graduate.

These include but are not limited to:

Students accepted to the University's Accelerated BS/MPH Program fulfill 12 elective credits towards the BS in Public Health Science with their core MPH courses.

If you need elective credits but are not sure where to look, please reach out to a PHSC Advisor.

UMD and SPH Policies and Planning

It is your responsibility to be aware of and adhere to the policies and deadlines of the University of Maryland and the School of Public Health. 

If you have questions, reach out to a Public Health Science Advisor or the School of Public Health's Center for Academic Success and Achievement (SPH CASA). 

We review major requirements and policies during the new student orientation or change of major process for all students declaring Public Health Science.

Be sure to keep a copy of all documents provided to you when you declared the major. 

If you declared the PHSC major before Summer 2018, you can download a PDF document of your curriculum and major policies.

You can find links below to some policies governing degree completion, repeating courses, registration blocks, and graduation planning.

Can I take a class at another institution? 

Effective summer 2023, PHSC students will now be able to take any major required course from another institution. However, the following guidelines apply:

  • As with all classes taken from another institution, students will first need to complete a permission to enroll form.
  • If a student decides to take a course away, this will not result in a benchmark extension. 
  • If a student decides to take a course away in which they previously earned a D, F or W, in addition to completing the permission to enroll form, the student will also need to meet with a PHSC advisor.
Can I enroll in 19 credits next semester?

Public Health Science majors can register for up to 17 credits once your registration window opens. As of the first day of the semester, you can register for up to 20 credits with no restriction. If that's the case you will want to register for benchmark classes, required classes, and classes that fill quickly first.

For example, if you plan to take a course for your living learning program or another class in which you are assured a seat, you may want to wait until the first day of spring to register for it.

Can I take PHSC450 (or Professional Writing) the same semester as the PHSC497 capstone?

No, you must pass both PHSC450 and Professional Writing (FSPW) with a C- or higher before you can take PHSC497, so plan accordingly.

How do I complete my Senior Audit for Public Health Science?

In the semester after you complete 75+ credits, you will be invited to an ELMS space to complete your required Senior Audit modules and worksheet. You may be asked to meet with a PHSC advisor

Can I participate in the SPH spring commencement ceremony if I need to take my last major class in the summer?

Yes. Starting this semester (spring 2023), students who will have two or fewer remaining courses after the spring semester will be permitted to participate in the School of Public Health spring commencement. If you are a student who would have two or fewer courses to complete after this spring semester and would like to participate in the spring 2023 commencement activities, please complete this form by April 7.