Public Health, BS (Online)

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The Department of Public Health at Chicago State University offers a fully online, Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) generalist degree. Our fully online program ensures flexibility for students while equipping them with skills for both conventional and non-traditional career paths. Our program consist of synchronous and asynchronous courses that aim to improve health by addressing the social determinants of health and health inequities in communities. We offer a variety of courses across the life course, including but not limited to nutrition, substance use, complementary and integrative medicine, biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental and occupational health, health policy and administration, health inequities, grant and research writing, and the social and behavioral sciences.

General Education Requirements (36 credit hours)

Core Requirements (12 credit hrs) See List…

English composition (6 hrs)
Oral communication (3 hrs)
Mathematics (3 hrs)
- MATH 1600 - Requirement

General Requirements (24 credit hrs)

Humanities/Fine Arts (9 hrs); at least 3 hrs Humanities and 3 hrs Fine Arts
Social Sciences (9 hrs); in at least two different disciplines
Natural Sciences (6 hrs); 3 hrs Physical Science and 3 hrs Life Sciences, one of which must be a lab course
- Life Sciences: BIOL 1701 Recommended; BIOL 1080 or BIOL 1070 also accepted

Program / Major Requirements (54 credit hrs)

Public Health Core Requirements (30 credit hrs)

H SC 3200 - Research Methods Credit Hours: 3
OR
HIA 4200 - Research in Health Care and Health Information Management Credit Hours: 3
OR
NURS 3200 - Research Methods Credit Hours: 3
H SC 3313 - Health Disparities Credit Hours: 3
H SC 3316 - Human Diseases Credit Hours: 3
H SC 3319 - Intro to Public Health Credit Hours: 3
H SC 3450 - Public Health Communication Credit Hours: 3
H SC 4418 - Basic Epidemiology Credit Hours: 3
H SC 3315 - Hlth Behavior/Promtn Credit Hours: 3
H SC 3375 - Health Policy and Admin Credit Hours: 3
H SC 4423 - Intro Environmental Hlth Credit Hours: 3
H SC 4424 - Program Planning & Evaluation Credit Hours: 3

Public Health Capstone Course (3 credit hrs)

H SC 4425 - Public Health Capstone Credit Hours: 3-6
(Fulfills the senior thesis/capstone requirement)

Public Health Required Courses (21 credit hrs)

Optional for Dual-Degree students.

H SC 3312 - Current Topics H SC Credit Hours: 1-9
H SC 2265 - Complementary and Integrated Medicine Credit Hours: 3
H SC 2350 - Drugs Alcohol Soc Credit Hours: 3
H SC 4420 - Introduction to Urban Health Credit Hours: 3
H SC 3328 - International Health Credit Hours: 3
H SC 4414 - Entrepreneurshp Hlth Care Credit Hours: 3
H SC 3311 - Spec Topics in A H Credit Hours: 1-9

Required Program Core and Supportive Courses (30 credit hrs)

Students can select 30 hours of free electives in coordination with academic advisor.

Sample 4-Year Plan

Consult with your academic advisor for support.

1st Year - Fall

BIOL 1701 - Introduction to Biology I Credit Hours: 4
ENG 1270 - Composition I Credit Hours: 3
OR
ENG 1230 - Writers’ Workshop I Lecture and Laboratory Credit Hours: 3
OR
HON 1200 - Honors English Comp I Credit Hours: 3
MATH 1600 - Basic Prob/Statis I Credit Hours: 3
Oral Communication - Credits / Units: 3
Social Sciences I - Credits / Units: 3

1st Year - Spring

ENG 1240 - Writers’ Workshop II Lecture and Laboratory Credit Hours: 3
OR
ENG 1280 - Composition II Credit Hours: 3
OR
HON 1200 - Honors English Comp I Credit Hours: 3
Humanities or Fine Arts I - Credits / Units: 3
Any Physical Science - Credits / Units: 3
Social Science II - Credits / Units: 3
Elective # 1 - Credits / Units: 3

2nd Year - Fall

H SC 2265 - Complementary and Integrated Medicine Credit Hours: 3
H SC 2350 - Drugs Alcohol Soc Credit Hours: 3
Humanities or Fine Art II - Credits / Units: 3
Social Sciences III - Credits / Units: 3
Elective # 2 - Credits / Units: 3

2nd Year - Spring

H SC 3312 - Current Topics H SC Credit Hours: 1-9
H SC 3328 - International Health Credit Hours: 3
H SC 3311 - Spec Topics in A H Credit Hours: 1-9
Humanities or Fine Arts III - Credits / Units: 3
Elective # 3 - Credits / Units: 3

4th Year - Spring

Elective # 7 - Credits / Units: 3
Elective # 8 - Credits / Units: 3
H SC 4425 - Public Health Capstone Credit Hours: 3-6
Elective # 9 - Credits / Units: 3
Elective # 10 - Credits / Units: 3