Public Health
| Degree: | Bachelor of Science (B.S.) |
| Major: | Public Health |
| Minor: | Health Promotion |
| College: | Usha Kundu, MD College of Health |
| CIP Code: | 51.2201 |
| Semester Hours Required For Degree: 120 | |
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
Department of Public Health
| Building | Phone | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building 38, Room 135 | 850-474-3191 | https://uwf.edu/ukcoh/departments/public-health/ | publichealth@uwf.edu |
Health Promotion Minor
Department of Movement Sciences and Health
| Building | Phone | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building 72, Room 241 | 850-474-2194 | https://uwf.edu/ukcoh/departments/movement-sciences-and-health/ | pbarrington@uwf.edu |
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) degree program prepares graduates for careers in public health at the local, state, national, and global health agencies as well as in community and organizational settings. Graduates will be equipped with competencies to conduct health needs assessments; to develop, implement, and evaluate health programs geared toward disease prevention and control. With the appropriate mix of elective courses, graduates of the BS in Public Health degree program may petition NCHEC to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) national exam. Additionally, the BS in Public Health degree prepares graduates for advanced public health education at the master's and doctoral levels with training in any of the major domains of social behavioral health sciences, environmental health, health policy, health education, epidemiology, and qualitative and quantitative research.
Admission Requirements
In order to graduate, all students must complete at least 120 semester hours with a minimum of 48 specified upper-division hours (3000/4000 level) at UWF.
Acceptance to the University does not constitute admission to the upper-division Public Health Degree. Students entering UWF or declaring a major in public health will automatically be placed in a pending status until they meet the requirements for admission.
- Students must successfully complete all common prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of a “C” or better.
- Students must be at the level of a sophomore or higher.
- Students will not be admitted to the program less than one week before the beginning of the term in which they have applied.
Those who do not complete these requirements may be denied further registration and may be prevented from further enrollment in Public Health courses. Not all states authorize online programs, if you reside outside of Florida you will want to check the status of your state's acceptance of this program: UWF State Authorization Status
This program will not meet immigration requirements for students holding an F1 or J1 Visa to maintain status. Contact International Affairs for further information.
No more than 24% of the program requirements for this degree may be in traditional business subjects.
Students must consult with the BSPH academic advisor for courses which may satisfy both the General Education requirements and common prerequisites.
A minimum grade of "C-" or better is required in all courses in the BSPH program, except for the common prerequisites which require a grade of "C" or better. A BSPH program minimum GPA of 2.0 is required for graduation.
General Education
ADDENDUM - 06/12/2025
In addition to the General Education requirements, students must satisfy all additional State of Florida requirements, including the College-Level Communication and Computation, Civic Literacy, and Foreign Language requirements. With appropriate planning and coordination with an academic advisor, students may satisfy some of the general University requirements through the General Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the State University Requirements and Degree Requirements sections of this catalog.
General Education Curriculum:
Civic Literacy Requirement
The 2017 Florida Legislature amended Section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, to require students initially entering a State University System (SUS) and/or Florida College System (FCS) institution in 2018-2019 and thereafter to demonstrate competency in civic literacy by passing an assessment or taking AMH 2020 United States Since 1877 or POS 2041 American Politics.
The 2021 Legislature further amended Florida Statutes, requiring students to complete both a civic literacy course and an exam. In 2024, the Board of Governors made an additional revision, recognizing two new courses meeting the Civic Literacy requirement, AMH 2010 United States to 1877 and AMS 2010 Civil Discourse and the American Political Order. As a result, there are four cohorts of students currently matriculating at Florida public institutions that are subject to varying requirements.
As demonstrated in the table below, the exact civic literacy requirements are based on the academic term in which a student first enrolled in a Florida public institution.
| Students Included in Cohort | Civic Literacy Competency Requirement |
| Cohort 1: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS before fall 2018 | None |
| Cohort 2: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in Academic Year 2018 through Academic Year 2020 | Complete a course or Assessment. |
| Cohort 3: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in Academic Year 2021 through Academic Year 2023 | Course and Assessment. |
| Cohort 4: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in fall 2024 and thereafter | Course and Assessment. |
Additionally, for Cohorts 3 and 4, approved accelerated mechanisms may meet the course and/or assessment requirement, and students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) in high school are exempt from the postsecondary exam requirement.
There are multiple ways to satisfy this requirement. Students should work with their academic advisor to determine which option is best for their degree requirements/degree plan.
Additional information can be found on our Civic Literacy website, SUS regulation BOG 8.006, and Florida Statute s.1007.25(4,a-b).
Mathematics Pathway
Students are advised to complete the following courses to fulfill the mathematics pathway that aligns with the mathematics skills needed for success in their program and their career goals. Students should refer to their academic advisor for questions about the math pathway for their program. For information about this requirement, refer to the catalog page for Mathematics Pathways. These courses may also fulfill requirements for General Education and Common Prerequisites.
| Statistical Reasoning | ||
| STA 2023 | Elements of Statistics | 3 |
| MAC 1105 | College Algebra | 3-4 |
| or MAC 1105C | College Algebra with Lab | |
| or MAC 1114 | Trigonometry | |
| or MAC 1140 | Precalculus Algebra | |
| or MAC 1147 | Precalculus with Trigonometry | |
| or MAC 2311 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | |
| or MAC 2233 | Calculus with Business Applications | |
| or MAC 2312 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | |
| or MGF 1130 | Mathematical Thinking | |
| or MGF 1131 | Mathematics in Context | |
Common Prerequisites
State-mandated common prerequisites must be completed prior to graduation, but are not required for admission to the program. See the Common Prerequisite Manual for course substitutions from Florida colleges and universities.
| BSC 1085 & 1085L | Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory * | 4 |
| BSC 1086 & 1086L | Anatomy and Physiology II and Anatomy & Physiology II Laboratory * | 4 |
| PSY 2012 | General Psychology * | 3 |
| STA 2023 | Elements of Statistics * | 3 |
| Total Hours | 14 | |
- *
Indicates common prerequisites which can be used to satisfy General Education requirements.
Lower Division Electives
| Students must complete sufficient 1000/2000 level electives to satisfy at least 60 semester hours (sh) in the lower division. Current UWF students may use elective courses at any level (1000-4000) to meet this elective requirement. | 22 | |
| Total Hours | 22 | |
| Students should choose 3 courses of the following courses for lower-division electives: | 9 | |
| Informatics and Your Health * | ||
| Personal, Family and Community Health * | ||
| Fundamentals of Human Nutrition | ||
| Introduction to Global Health Sciences | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
- *
Indicates courses which can be used to satisfy General Education requirements.
Upper Division Major Courses
All Bachelor of Science in Public Health students must complete the following required public health foundational courses.
| PHC 4101 | Essentials of Public Health + | 3 |
| PHC 4109 | Diseases in Human Populations + | 3 |
| MCB 4276 | Epidemiology of Infectious Disease + | 3 |
| PHC 4048 | Epidemiology for Public Health Practice + | 3 |
| PHC 4464 | Understanding Health Equity and Health Disparities + | 3 |
| PHC 3767 | Globalization and Public Health + | 3 |
| PHC 4140 | Public Health Planning and Analysis + | 3 |
| HSC 3510 | Data Analysis in the Health Sciences + | 3 |
| PHC 4024 | Applied Research Methods in Public Health + | 3 |
| STA 4173 | Biostatistics + | 3 |
| HSA 4191 | Health Information Systems + | 3 |
| PHC 4930 | Public Health Seminar + | 3 |
| HSC 4211 | Human Environmental Health + | 3 |
| HSC 4300 | Changing Health Behaviors + | 3 |
| HSA 3111 | Understanding U.S. Healthcare +, *** | 3 |
| PHC 4940 | Public Health Capstone + | 3 |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
- +
- Courses included in the major GPA.
- ***
Meets College-Level Communication Skills Requirement.
Approved Electives
Students must complete 12 semester hours from the following course groups based on career interests. Students should discuss their professional goals with their advisor and public health faculty before selecting elective courses.
Group A
| Choose three courses from the following list: | 9 | |
| Bioterrorism: The Interprofessional Response | ||
| Pandemics and Microbial Threats to Health | ||
| Bioinformatics and Data Science | ||
| Applied Qualitative Research Methods | ||
| Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene | ||
| Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Group B
| Choose one course from the following list: | 3 | |
| Foundations of Maternal and Child Health | ||
| Project Management | ||
or MAN 3025 | Management Fundamentals | |
| Sociology of Health, Illness and Health Care | ||
or ANT 4532 | Disease and Culture | |
| Health Promotion Strategies and Funding | ||
| Current Issues in Health Promotion | ||
or HSC 4143 | Drugs in Society | |
| Nutrition and Health | ||
or GEY 4001 | Gerontology | |
| Total Hours | 3 | |
Accelerated Bachelor's (BS) in Public Health to Master's (MPH) in Public Health Program
Minimum Requirements for admission include:
- Minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.25/4.0.
- Minimum GPA of 3.5 in major at UWF.
- One letter of recommendation from a faculty member.
Process
A prospective student who meets the minimum requirements for admission to the Accelerated Bachelor's (BS) in Public Health to Master's (MPH) in Public Health Program must schedule a meeting with their undergraduate faculty advisor and graduate advisor to discuss and develop a degree plan for the student's Accelerated BS/MPH program. The student must then submit an Accelerated BS/MPH program application and letter of recommendation to the graduate advisor.
Eligibility and Restrictions
Students must have completed 75 undergraduate credit hours, including credits earned from advanced placement, prior to applying to the Accelerated BS/MPH program. Transfer students must have completed a minimum of two semesters and at least 24 credit hours at the University of West Florida prior to application to the Accelerated BS/MPH program.
For admission into the Accelerated BS/MPH program in the summer semester, application materials must be submitted by April 1. For admission into the Accelerated BS/MPH program in the fall semester, application materials must be submitted by July 1. For admission into the Accelerated BS/MPH program in the spring semester, application materials must be submitted by November 15.
Admission into the Accelerated BS/MPH program does not guarantee admission into the MPH program upon completion of the BS. Students must still submit an Express Admission application for the MPH program. Students who are a part of the Accelerated BS/MPH program cannot be provisionally or conditionally admitted into the MPH program.
Program Requirements
Upon admission into the MPH, the 12 graduate credit hours completed as an undergraduate student will count for 12 semester hours in Public Health coursework for the MPH. Students in the Accelerated BS/MS program must earn a grade of "B" (3.0/4.0) or better in each of the graduate-level courses that are being applied to both degrees. Courses completed with a grade of "B-" or below cannot be applied to the MPH degree.
Students accepted into the MPH program must complete all MPH requirements within 24 months of completing the BS degree. If the MPH program requirements are not completed within 24 months; the student is no longer eligible to apply the graduate credit hours toward both degrees (i.e., the student can only apply the graduate credit hours either toward completion of the bachelor’s degree or toward a future master’s degree) and is automatically terminated from the Accelerated BS/MPH program.
If a student in the Accelerated BS/MPH program completes the BS degree requirements with an overall GPA of less than 3.25/4.0, the student is no longer eligible to apply the graduate credit hours to both degrees (i.e., the student can only apply the credit hours towards completion of the BS degree or toward a future master’s degree) and is automatically terminated from the Accelerated BS/MPH program.
A student who becomes ineligible to continue participating in or withdraws from the Accelerated BS/MPH program cannot apply any graduate credit hours toward both degrees.
Students who are enrolled in the Accelerated BS/MPH program are eligible for graduate assistantship positions only after completing the BS degree.
General Education
ADDENDUM - 06/12/2025
In addition to the General Education requirements, students must satisfy all additional State of Florida requirements, including the College-Level Communication and Computation, Civic Literacy, and Foreign Language requirements. With appropriate planning and coordination with an academic advisor, students may satisfy some of the general University requirements through the General Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the State University Requirements and Degree Requirements sections of this catalog.
General Education Curriculum:
Civic Literacy Requirement
The 2017 Florida Legislature amended Section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, to require students initially entering a State University System (SUS) and/or Florida College System (FCS) institution in 2018-2019 and thereafter to demonstrate competency in civic literacy by passing an assessment or taking AMH 2020 United States Since 1877 or POS 2041 American Politics.
The 2021 Legislature further amended Florida Statutes, requiring students to complete both a civic literacy course and an exam. In 2024, the Board of Governors made an additional revision, recognizing two new courses meeting the Civic Literacy requirement, AMH 2010 United States to 1877 and AMS 2010 Civil Discourse and the American Political Order. As a result, there are four cohorts of students currently matriculating at Florida public institutions that are subject to varying requirements.
As demonstrated in the table below, the exact civic literacy requirements are based on the academic term in which a student first enrolled in a Florida public institution.
| Students Included in Cohort | Civic Literacy Competency Requirement |
| Cohort 1: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS before fall 2018 | None |
| Cohort 2: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in Academic Year 2018 through Academic Year 2020 | Complete a course or Assessment. |
| Cohort 3: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in Academic Year 2021 through Academic Year 2023 | Course and Assessment. |
| Cohort 4: Students initially entering the SUS or FCS in fall 2024 and thereafter | Course and Assessment. |
Additionally, for Cohorts 3 and 4, approved accelerated mechanisms may meet the course and/or assessment requirement, and students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) in high school are exempt from the postsecondary exam requirement.
There are multiple ways to satisfy this requirement. Students should work with their academic advisor to determine which option is best for their degree requirements/degree plan.
Additional information can be found on our Civic Literacy website, SUS regulation BOG 8.006, and Florida Statute s.1007.25(4,a-b).
Mathematics Pathway
Students are advised to complete the following courses to fulfill the mathematics pathway that aligns with the mathematics skills needed for success in their program and their career goals. Students should refer to their academic advisor for questions about the math pathway for their program. For information about this requirement, refer to the catalog page for Mathematics Pathways. These courses may also fulfill requirements for General Education and Common Prerequisites.
| Statistical Reasoning | ||
| STA 2023 | Elements of Statistics | 3 |
| MAC 1105 | College Algebra | 3-4 |
| or MAC 1105C | College Algebra with Lab | |
| or MAC 1114 | Trigonometry | |
| or MAC 1140 | Precalculus Algebra | |
| or MAC 1147 | Precalculus with Trigonometry | |
| or MAC 2311 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | |
| or MAC 2233 | Calculus with Business Applications | |
| or MAC 2312 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | |
| or MGF 1130 | Mathematical Thinking | |
| or MGF 1131 | Mathematics in Context | |
Common Prerequisites
State-mandated common prerequisites must be completed prior to graduation, but are not required for admission to the program. See the Common Prerequisite Manual for course substitutions from Florida colleges and universities.
| BSC 1085 & 1085L | Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory * | 4 |
| BSC 1086 & 1086L | Anatomy and Physiology II and Anatomy & Physiology II Laboratory * | 4 |
| PSY 2012 | General Psychology * | 3 |
| STA 2023 | Elements of Statistics * | 3 |
| Total Hours | 14 | |
- *
Indicates common prerequisites which can be used to satisfy General Education requirements.
Lower Division Electives
| Students must complete sufficient 1000/2000 level electives to satisfy at least 60 semester hours (sh) in the lower division. Current UWF students may use elective courses at any level (1000-4000) to meet this elective requirement. | 22 | |
| Total Hours | 22 | |
| Students should choose 3 courses of the following courses for lower-division electives: | 9 | |
| Informatics and Your Health * | ||
| Personal, Family and Community Health * | ||
| Fundamentals of Human Nutrition | ||
| Introduction to Global Health Sciences | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
- *
Indicates courses which can be used to satisfy General Education requirements.
Upper Division Major Courses
All Bachelor of Science in Public Health students must complete the following required public health foundational courses.
| PHC 4109 | Diseases in Human Populations +, 1 | 3 |
| MCB 4276 | Epidemiology of Infectious Disease +, 2 | 3 |
| PHC 4666 | Pandemics and Microbial Threats to Health + | 3 |
| PHC 4464 | Understanding Health Equity and Health Disparities + | 3 |
| PHC 3767 | Globalization and Public Health + | 3 |
| PHC 4140 | Public Health Planning and Analysis + | 3 |
| HSC 3510 | Data Analysis in the Health Sciences + | 3 |
| PHC 4024 | Applied Research Methods in Public Health + | 3 |
| STA 4173 | Biostatistics + | 3 |
| HSA 4191 | Health Information Systems + | 3 |
| PHC 4930 | Public Health Seminar + | 3 |
| HSC 4211 | Human Environmental Health + | 3 |
| HSC 4300 | Changing Health Behaviors + | 3 |
| HSA 3111 | Understanding U.S. Healthcare +, *** | 3 |
| PHC 4940 | Public Health Capstone + | 3 |
| Total Hours | 45 | |
- +
-
Courses included in the major GPA.
- ***
Meets College-Level Communication Skills Requirement.
- 1
Can substitute PHC 5123 Biological Basis of Public Health for Health Promotion concentration.
- 2
Can substitute MCB 5273 Epidemiology of Infectious Disease for Generalist or Health Promotion concentration.
Required 5000-level Courses for All ABM Program Students:
The following 5000-level courses are required for all students in the ABM program (regardless of concentration):
| PHC 5102 | Principles of Public Health 3 | 3 |
| PHC 5410 | Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health (required as an elective choice) | 3 |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
- 3
Replaces PHC 4101 Essentials of Public Health in BSPH for all concentrations.
Approved Electives
Students continuing into the Master of Public Health program at UWF should use the recommendations below for their elective course choices based on their selected concentration.
- MPH - Generalist concentration, choose these two courses as electives:
| PHC 5442 | Global Health | 3 |
| MCB 5273 | Epidemiology of Infectious Disease 4 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
- 4
Required substitution for MCB 4276 Epidemiology of Infectious Disease in BSPH.
- MPH - Global Health concentration, choose these two courses as electives:
| PHC 5442 | Global Health | 3 |
| PHC 5108 | Monitoring and Evaluation in Global Health | 3 |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
- MPH - Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior concentration, choose these two courses as electives:
| PHC 5123 | Biological Basis of Public Health | 3 |
| MCB 5273 | Epidemiology of Infectious Disease 5 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
- 5
Required substitution for MCB 4276 Epidemiology of Infectious Disease in BSPH.
Students may select remaining elective hours at the undergraduate level from the following course groups based on career interests. Students should discuss their professional goals with their advisor and public health faculty before selecting elective courses.
Group A
| Choose from the following list: | ||
| Bioterrorism: The Interprofessional Response | ||
| Pandemics and Microbial Threats to Health | ||
| Bioinformatics and Data Science | ||
| Applied Qualitative Research Methods | ||
| Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene | ||
| Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health | ||
Group B
| Choose from the following list: | ||
| Foundations of Maternal and Child Health | ||
| Project Management | ||
or MAN 3025 | Management Fundamentals | |
| Sociology of Health, Illness and Health Care | ||
or ANT 4532 | Disease and Culture | |
| Health Promotion Strategies and Funding | ||
| Current Issues in Health Promotion | ||
or HSC 4143 | Drugs in Society | |
| Nutrition and Health | ||
or GEY 4001 | Gerontology | |
No more than 24% of the program requirements for this degree may be in traditional business subjects.
Health Promotion Minor
Students earning the Minor in Health Promotion will be able to assess individual and community/worksite needs for health promotion, develop analytical skills to examine needs assessment data and determine priority area(s) of health promotion. They will also be able to compare and contrast health promotion program planning models and theories for application in a health promotion and wellness setting, and plan and implement effective health promotion programs.
| HSC 4581 | Health Promotion and Planning | 3 |
| HSC 3032 | Foundations in Health Education | 3 |
| Choose two of the following Health Foundations courses: | 6 | |
| Theoretical Foundations of Health Promotion and Planning | ||
| Drugs in Society | ||
| Communicable and Degenerative Diseases | ||
| Health Aspects of Stress Management | ||
| Human Environmental Health | ||
| Epidemiology | ||
| Current Issues in Health Promotion | ||
| Changing Health Behaviors | ||
| Nutrition and Health | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |