The Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health Science at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) consists of 120 credits. Up to 60 of those credits can be transferred from a community college or another accredited 4-year institution. The remaining 60 credits are completed in UMD’s Public Health Science program at Shady Grove and can be completed either on a full-time or part-time basis. Classes are offered Monday through Thursday in-person, including some evening and a limited number of online courses. Students entering the Public Health Science program at Shady Grove will have completed their freshman and sophomore years at a community college or accredited 4-year institution prior to transferring into the major. All coursework for the Public Health Science program at Shady Grove is offered at the 300 and 400-level.
Prior to transferring, students must successfully complete the following prerequisite courses with grades of C- or higher
| Course Title | University of Maryland Course | Course Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology/Lab | BSCI170/171 | 3/1 |
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I | BSCI201 | 4 |
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II | BSCI202 | 4 |
| General Microbiology | BSCI223 | 4 |
| Elementary Calculus 1 | MATH120 | 3 |
| Fundamentals of General Chemistry/ Lab | CHEM131/132 | 3/1 |
| Organic Chemistry 1 OR Essentials of Organic & Biochemistry** | CHEM231/232 or CHEM105 | 3/1 |
| Principles of Genetics | BSCI222 | 4 |
| One of the following: | HLTH130, HLTH230, ANTH260, SOCY100, SOCY105, or PSYC100 | 3 |
**To fulfill the organic chemistry requirement, students transferring from Montgomery College to PHSC at Shady Grove may take the MC equivalent of CHEM150: Essentials of Organic and Biochemistry. This equivalency does not fulfill the organic chemistry requirement for students in the College Park program.
Application consideration to PHSC at Shady Grove will be given to students applying for Spring 2025 and beyond, who have not yet completed the UMD equivalents of BSCI222, BSCI223 and/or CHEM231/232. Once admitted, these courses must be completed with grades of C- or higher by the end of the student’s second semester in the major.
Please refer to the prerequisite equivalencies for the following community colleges: Montgomery College, Frederick Community College, Prince George’s Community College, Howard Community College, Anne Arundel Community College, and College of Southern Maryland.
For the full list of transfer course equivalencies and for additional transfer course information, please refer to UMD’s Transfer Credit Services
Once in the Public Health Science program at Shady Grove, students are immersed in coursework exemplifying many of the various disciplines in the public health field. These courses include, but are not limited to, the five core disciplines of public health, including behavioral science, epidemiology, environmental health, and health services administration. Students must complete each of these requirements with grades of C- or higher. Please refer to the Public Health Science standard fall and spring course schedule to determine which courses are offered in each semester.
| Course ID | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHSC300 | Foundations of Public Health | 3 |
| HLTH366 | Behavioral and Community Issues in Public Health | 3 |
| EPIB301 | Epidemiology for Public Health Practice | 3 |
| EPIB315 | Biostatistics for Public Health Practice | 3 |
| HLSA300 | Introduction to Health Policy and Services | 3 |
| MIEH300 | Introduction to Environmental Health | 3 |
| KNES320 | Physiology of Exercise | 4 |
| PHSC415 | Essentials of Public Health Biology: The Cell, The Individual, and Disease | 3 |
| PHSC450 | Addressing Social and Structural Inequities Through Public Health | 3 |
| PHSC497 | Public Health Science Capstone | 3 |
In addition to the prerequisite and Public Health Science Foundation courses, students must take 12 credits of Public Health Science Options coursework. These courses are intended to build upon existing knowledge, offering students the opportunity to customize their programmatic experience and explore topics of interest on a deeper level. The Public Health Science program at Shady Grove typically offers 3-4 Options courses each semester, based on student feedback and interest.
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, FMSC, 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. Please check the Schedule of Classes to confirm prerequisites and restrictions for each course.
You may request to have other courses reviewed for possible Public Health Science Options credit by contacting a PHSC advisor.
| Course Code & Title (GenEd) | Credits | Prerequisite/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 |
The Public Health Science degree program consists of 120 credits. In addition to completing courses for the Public Health Science major and UMD General Education* requirements, students may need to take general electives to reach the total of 120 credits. Students in the Public Health Science program at Shady Grove typically fulfill general electives in the following ways:
- Completion of additional Public Health Science Options courses beyond the required 12 credits.
- Selection of courses offered through other UMD programs at Shady Grove through a predetermined list of available courses.
- Obtaining permission to take select general elective courses at the College Park campus in the fall or spring semester. Students must meet the prerequisite requirements for the desired course and receive permission from the designated department. For additional information, email a Public Health Science program at Shady Grove academic advisor.
*Students whose Associate’s degree from a Maryland community college has been verified by UMD are exempt from General Education requirements, with the exception of Professional Writing.