Public Health BS
Total Units Required: 120
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health prepares students for entry-level positions in county health departments, nonprofit health agencies, medical service settings, school systems, and businesses. Public health workers promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health. They do this by assessing needs; planning, implementing, and evaluating health programs; coordinating health services; serving as a resource person; and advocating for specific health issues. Graduates in this option are qualified to apply to take the test for national credentialing as a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).
Advising Requirement
Advising is mandatory for this program. Consult your department advisor or program coordinator for information.
E-advising Tools
Use the interactive e-advising tools designed to help students graduate within four years. These tools can be accessed through the Student Center in the Portal.
Grading Requirement
All courses taken to fulfill program course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as credit/no credit grading only.
A grade of C- or higher is required in all Public Health and Health Administration (PHHA) courses in the major.
Course Requirements for the Major: 67 units
Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.
A maximum of 15 units of internship (courses numbered 189, 289, 389, 489) may be applied to a bachelor's degree at California State University, Chico.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 104 | Human Physiology | 4 |
| MATH 105 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| NFSC 303 | Nutrition and Physical Fitness | 3 |
| PHHA 201 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| PHHA 320 | Chronic and Communicable Diseases | 3 |
| PHHA 325W | Public Health Writing and Practice (W) | 3 |
| PHHA 328 | Health Equity | 3 |
| PHHA 348 | Public Health Policy and Systems | 3 |
| PHHA 360 | Public Health Administration | 3 |
| PHHA 362 | Environmental Health | 3 |
| PHHA 369 | Public Health Communication Techniques | 3 |
| PHHA 425 | Research and Evaluation in Public Health | 3 |
| PHHA 463 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHHA 467 | Mental and Emotional Health | 3 |
| PHHA 471 | Planning Public Health Programs | 3 |
| PHHA 489 | Internship 1 | 6 |
| PHHA 579W | Grant Writing (W) | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Human Sexuality | ||
| International Health | ||
| Women's Health | ||
| Drugs in Our Society | ||
| Health in the Later Years | ||
| Select two of the following (at least one must be upper division): 2 | 6 | |
| Culture, Health, and Healing | ||
| Child Development | ||
| Marriage and Family Relationships | ||
| Risk and Resilience in Development | ||
| Introduction to Geographical Information Systems | ||
| Psychology of Coaching | ||
| Introduction to Adapted Physical Activity | ||
| Global Nutrition | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Population and Migration | ||
| Youth, Crime, and Delinquency | ||
| Overview of Special Education | ||
| Total Units | 67 | |
- 1
Must be taken for a minimum of six units.
- 2
Any other upper-division health-related and/or professional skills courses (such as nutrition or sociology) selected with prior approval from a public health advisor.
Electives Requirement
To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.
Honors in the Major
Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires six units of honors coursework completed over two semesters.
The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.
Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:
- You must take six units of Honors in the Major coursework. All six units are honors courses (marked by a suffix of H), and at least three of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each course with a minimum grade of B.
- You must have completed 9 units of upper-division coursework or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
- Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
- Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
- Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the six units of coursework over the two semesters of their senior year.
- Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.
Honors in the Major is not part of the Honors Program. Each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.
See Bachelor's Degree Requirements for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.
General Education Requirements: 43 units
See General Education and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education requirements and course offerings.
American Institutions Course Requirements: 6 units
The American Institutions graduation requirement, as mandated in Title 5, Section 40404, requires that students satisfactorily complete courses in United States history, the US Constitution, and government and American ideals (including California state and local government). At Chico State, HIST 130 meets the US history requirement (US-1), and POLS 155 meets the US Constitution and government requirement (US-2) and the California state and local government requirement (US-3). POLS 155 also fulfills three units of GE Area 4, Social and Behavioral Sciences. See Bachelor’s Degree Requirements for more information.
Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units
You must complete a minimum of two courses that focus primarily on cultural diversity. At least one course must be in US Diversity (USD) and at least one in Global Cultures (GC). See Diversity Requirements for a full list of courses. Many courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education.
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Writing Across the Curriculum (EM 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Writing and Math Requirements for more details on the four courses. The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.
- PHHA 325W Public Health Writing and Practice (W)
The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (EO 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE English Composition (1A) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.