BS, Public Health Practice

1. Discuss the history and philosophy of public health as well as its core values, concepts, and functions across the globe and in society.
2. Use basic public health concepts, methods, and tools for data collection and analysis.
3. Identify the major health-related needs and concerns of populations and formulate basic processes, approaches, and interventions as possible solutions.
4. Describe the underlying science of human health and disease including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the lifespan.
5. Examine the socio-economic, behavioral, biological, environmental, and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities.
6. Demonstrate the fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment, and evaluation.
7. Compare and contrast the fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the health systems of the United States and other countries.
8. Characterize the basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory dimensions of health care and public policy.
9. Illustrate the basic concepts of public health-specific writing and communication.
10. Assess and communicate individual and community-level needs for health promotion and disease prevention.
11. Create and apply strategies that effectively incorporate cultural competencies with health promotion and community health initiatives.
12. Synthesize and apply principles and theories of community health that are needed for the development of effective and evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention strategies.
13. Promote and advocate for effective community health initiatives at the local, state, and federal levels.
14. Collaborate with community organizations to apply public health principles in a real-world setting.
15. Demonstrate requisite competencies in professional etiquette and career readiness to allow for a successful transition into the workplace (adapted from NACE).
16. Critically analyze the impact racism has on population health and reflect on what it means to be anti-racist.

The BS in Public Health Practice requires completion of at least 120 credits of coursework. In addition to completing General Education requirements, students complete 13 credits in the Public and Community Health Course, 8 credits in Public and Community Health Foundational Science, 9 credits in Social and Behavioral Public Health, 9 credits in Community Public Health, 12 credits in Health Electives, and complete the program with a 12-credit capstone internship experience taken during the final semester.

The Public Health Practice internship is a full-time, semester-long internship where students work in a Community/Public Health agency approximately 36 hours a week. This unique and rewarding experience provides Public Health Practice undergraduates with the opportunity to work in a mentored, professional, public/community health setting prior to graduation. This required internship is completed during the student’s final semester and only after all other academic requirements have been successfully completed. The department offers domestic and global internship opportunities. Students are guided through the internship search process in HLTH 490 and mentored during the internship in HLTH 491.

Public Health Practice Course Offerings

Health Elective Master List 

The Department of Behavioral and Community Health offers students three guided specialization areas in the Community Health major: 

View detailed descriptions of each of the specializations and courses across the university that count towards each specialization.

Special Populations

Life circumstances and related bio/psycho/social conditions can warrant special attention in understanding the health risks of populations.  People with characteristics or circumstances with unique health implications may include the groups and subgroups in the following categories:   women, children, ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, the LBGT community, older adults, and people living in poverty, as examples.  Specific health risks and approaches to addressing these risks are explored within this specialization area.

Health Communication

Health communication is the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence decisions that enhance health. Health communication is fundamental in disease prevention, health promotion, health care policy, and the business of health care. Health communication uses various approaches to deliver targeted messages to diverse audience segments ranging from at-risk groups to health professionals to policymakers.  This specialization focuses on theory and practice in understanding health communication uses and methods and materials that can be applied to health campaigns and social marketing efforts.

Health Risk Behavior

Risk behaviors are those associated with increased susceptibility to disease and/or injury.  Risk behaviors are varied and include cigarette smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, poor nutrition practices, unprotected sexual behavior, distracted driving, and violence, as examples.  Understanding health risks associated with specific behavior patterns, why people engage in health risk behaviors, and methods of prevention are explored in this specialization. 

What does this mean for you?

• You can take a cluster of courses in a specific area while earning health elective credit.
• You can strengthen your knowledge in a specific area of interest to you.
• You can cite your specialization area on your resume, cover letter and/or graduate/professional school application.
• You can start anytime and apply for classes retroactively.

How does this work?

• You are required to take 12 credits in your specialization area
  • At least 6 credits must be taken in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health
  • 6 credits of approved courses can be taken outside of the Department of Behavioral and Community Health (advance approval is required by a Community Health Academic Advisor)
• Your specialization will be recognized in a letter from the Department of Behavioral and Community Health. This letter will be provided after you have completed all requirements for the Community Health major.  The specialization will not be noted on your transcript. 
• Grades of C- or higher are required in all coursework applied to your Specialization. 
• Questions? Contact your Community Health advisors!  

What steps should I take to declare a specialization?

• Review the Specialization table and guidelines in this document (also provided on the Department website).
• If selecting a course outside of the approved list, email Dr. Tracy Zeeger (tzeeger@umd.edu) with the syllabus and a brief justification for why you think the course fits in your Specialization.
  • The syllabus will be reviewed for applicability, and you will be notified via email.
  • Outside courses must be submitted for approval before the HLTH491 internship semester.
• Track your Specialization progress.
• In the semester in which you are graduating, you will receive an email through the listserv requesting confirmation of completion.
  • Upon review and approval, a letter from the Department Chair will be emailed to you to recognize your Specialization.
  • Keep this letter as documentation of your Specialization.  

Which courses can count toward my specialization area?

Approved courses must:

• Have a minimum of 3 credits.
• Clearly address your specialization area theme.
• Directly address health content/promotion, or address one or more social determinants of health (e.g., physical environment, policy, societal/cultural forces, economics).

FAQs

1. Can Peer Education experiences count for more than one specialization area?

• No. Peer Education experiences cannot be double-counted and will be applied toward one Specialization only.
• No more than 3 credits of Peer Education coursework can count toward a Specialization.

2. Can courses used as health electives outside of the Department of Behavioral and Community Health be used as one of the three required HLTH courses?

• Because these courses do not have the “HLTH” course code, they fall in the “other” category and can be used once to ensure that students are getting Specialization information from an accredited and monitored entity. 

View the BS in Public Health Practice Handbook (Fall 2024 and later)

The Department of Behavioral and Community Health Honors program offers undergraduates the opportunity to engage in challenging educational experiences related to the social and behavioral aspects of public health.  Rising juniors with strong academic records and significant interest in intellectual pursuits are invited to apply for this opportunity to partake in independent, mentored, scholarly work.  

View the BCH Undergraduate Honors Program Application.

Applications are due June, 7 2024.

To be eligible for the program, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• Public Health Practice major
• Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Have successfully completed at least 3 HLTH classes (9 credits with a GPA of 3.5 or higher in HLTH classes.  Must have taken HLTH200 by the start of the program.)
• Have completed 45 total credits before applying to the program.  Students should be of “junior standing” their first semester in the program (approximately 60 credits)
• Ideally should have 2 semesters left of coursework before the BCH internship

Some Program Highlights:

• Getting to work 1:1 with a BCH faculty member on a thesis/project topic of your choosing
• Graduating with the distinction of departmental honors
• Ability to take HONR seminars and be a member of the University of Maryland Honors College
• Access to a small seminar class (HLTH 410) to develop personal interests and professional skills

Overview of Program Requirements:

• Enrollment in HLTH 410 (health elective) in the Fall 
• In Spring and Fall, students work with a faculty mentor of their choosing (faculty members must agree) to complete a research-oriented thesis or an honors-level project.  This may be original work or one that is derived from the ongoing work of the faculty mentor’s lab or research group (6 credits total)
• 12 credits of honors-level coursework through a combination of H sections, HONR courses, or graduate classes

If you have any questions please email Dr. Kerry Green, Undergraduate Honors Program Director, at greenkm@umd.edu.