Curriculum: Public Health Science - College Park

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

* 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

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. 

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

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.

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 Required Courses list (.pdf)
  • Public Health Science Required Courses progression flow chart (.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.

• PHSC Major Policy Agreement 2023 (.pdf)
• SPH Academic Policies and Exceptions
• UMD Academic Policies and Regulations 
  • UMD Registrar -  Registration Guides

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.