Santa Clara University

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PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM

 

Director:  Craig M. Stephens


The Public Health Program in the College of Arts and Sciences offers the Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health Science. The program also offers a minor degree in public health, and manages the Global Health Pathway of the University Core.

The public health science (PHS) major is an interdisciplinary degree providing students with a strong scientific foundation in biology and chemistry to understand the functioning of the human body in health and disease. The PHS major further addresses the complex influences of environmental and social factors on human health through relevant coursework in the social sciences and humanities. Courses for the major are drawn from numerous departments but are connected through required and elective public health courses. Through the senior capstone and a mandatory internship, PHS majors engage in health-focused service and research projects integrating learning across disciplines and apply their education to real-world public health problems. Students are encouraged to study abroad to gain perspective on global health issues. The Public Health Program is evolving and students are encouraged to petition the Director of the Public Health Program to consider new relevant courses developed at Santa Clara and partner institutions abroad in addition to the electives described below.


Public health science majors will be well-prepared for careers, graduate education, or professional training in health-related professions, including medicine and nursing. There are many professional options in the field of public health, including healthcare administration, planning, and public policy; epidemiology and disease surveillance; clinical research and clinical trials management; health-related education and social work; health and science communication; and basic research.

Students intending to pursue a medical degree, or post-graduate training in other health-related professions, should contact the University pre-health advisor to discuss prerequisites for admission to such programs. Many require a full year of physics coursework (e.g., PHYS 11–13 or 31–33) and completion of the organic chemistry series (CHEM 33) in addition to the requirements for the Public Health Science major.



REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR

In addition to fulfilling the University Core Curriculum requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree, Public Health Science majors must complete the following courses:
  • PHSC 1, 100, 139, 190
  • BIOL 21, 22, 24, 25
  • CHEM 11, 12, 13, 31, 32
  • Three introductory social science courses (two preferably from the same department) from the following: ANTH 1, ANTH 3, POLI 1, POLI 25, PSYC 1, PSYC 2, SOCI 1, SOCI 33
  • MATH 11, 12
  • One statistics course: MATH 8 or PSYC 40 or SOCI 120 or BIOL 160
  • One public health elective: PHSC 21, 28, or 101
  • Three natural science electives (at least two with lab) chosen from: BIOL 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 124, 127, 131, 145, 159, 160, 173, or CHEM 141
  • Three social science or humanities electives chosen from: ANTH 112, ANTH 132, ANTH 133, ANTH 134, ANTH 135, ANTH 140, ANTH 150, COMM 164B, ECON 101, ECON 129, ECON 130, ECON 134, ECON 135, ECON 160, ENVS 146, ENVS 147, ENVS 149, ETHN 156, HIST 106, HIST 123, POLI 50, POLI 140, POLI 146, POLI 158, POLI 165, POLI 167, PSYC 43, PSYC 115, PSYC 117, PSYC 150, PSYC 167, PSYC 172, PSYC 185, SOCI 132, SOCI 134, SOCI 138, SOCI 165, SOCI 172, TESP 157, RSOC 170

Internship Requirement
The PHS major requires students to complete at least 100 hours of public health-related internship work. Internships should be approved in advance by the Director of the Public Health Program. Internships can be done on a part-time or full-time basis, during the academic year or summer. Students may receive course credit for volunteer internships. For guidance on internships, contact the Director of the Public Health Program.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR

The interdisciplinary public health minor provides an introduction to the field of public health and is particularly useful for students interested in careers related to medicine, health care, community health, social work, education, or public policy. The public health minor establishes a sound scientific foundation to understand the functioning of the human body in health and disease and to appreciate the mechanisms by which diseases arise and spread in populations. Students also develop a foundation in the social sciences and statistical methods. Upper-division courses address the influences of biological, environmental, cultural, economic, and historical factors on human health. Students are encouraged to study abroad, if possible, to gain perspective on global health issues. The Public Health Program is evolving and students are encouraged to petition the Director of the Public Health Program to consider new relevant courses developed at Santa Clara and partner institutions abroad in addition to the electives described below.

Public Health Courses
  • PHSC 1
  • At least one of the following: PHSC 21, 28, 100, 101

Statistics Course
  • MATH 8 or PSYC 40 or SOCI 120 or BIOL 160

Natural Science Courses
  • BIOL 21, 22
  • CHEM 11, 12

Social Science Courses
  • At least two courses chosen from ANTH 1, ANTH 3, POLI 1, POLI 25, PSYC 1, PSYC 2, SOCI 1, SOCI 33

Elective courses
  • At least three courses from the following list, including courses from at least two departments: ANTH 133, ANTH 140, ANTH 134, ANTH 135, ANTH 150, BIOL 110, BIOL 111, BIOL 112, BIOL 113, BIOL 114, BIOL 115, BIOL 124, BIOL 127, BIOL 131, BIOL 145, BIOL 159, BIOL 160, BIOL 173, CHEM 141, ECON 101, ECON 129, ECON 130, ECON 134, ECON 135, ECON 160, ENVS 146, ENVS 147, ENVS 149, HIST 106, HIST 123, POLI 140, POLI 146, POLI 158, POLI 165, POLI 167, PSYC 115, PSYC 117, PSYC 150, PSYC 167, PSYC 172, PSYC 185, SOCI 132, SOCI 134, SOCI 138, SOCI 165, SOCI 172

LOWER and UPPER DIVISION COURSE LISTINGS are AVAILABLE in the Undergraduate Bulletin (PDF)
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