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.
- If you are a student on the Shady Grove campus, view the PHSC Curriculum for Shady Grove.
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, GBHL, or PHSC)
- **Courses approved as a PHSC Options cannot fulfill a GenEd Scholarship in Practice (DSSP) outside the major**
- **Due to overlapping content, only one of HLTH 431 or GBHL 310 can be used toward Options credits**
- 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.
**Courses approved as a Public Health Science Option cannot fulfill a GenEd Scholarship in Practice (DSSP) outside the major**
**Due to overlapping content, only one of HLTH 431 or GBHL 310 can be used toward Options credits.**
Public Health Science is working on an improved way to share approved Options courses. Please check back soon!
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)
Big Question (formally I-Series)
- Big Question (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:
- a second major
- a minor
- prerequisite courses for health professions
- career preparation courses
- Academy for Innovation courses
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.
- PHSC Degree Requirements Checklist and sample 4-year plan (.pdf)
- Public Health Science Major in the UMD Undergraduate Catalog
- Advising and Support for Public Health Science majors
- Current PHSC Majors only: PHSC Major Toolkit in ELMS
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 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 2024 commencement activities, please complete this form by April 5th.