School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
Public Health (BA)
The field of public health involves the study and promotion of the health of communities and populations. Public health practitioners monitor and seek to control the spread of infectious diseases, behavioral risks, and environmental hazards that affect health, as well as to promote healthier behavior. The Bachelor of Arts in Public Health (BAPH) program provides understanding into the social structural and cultural factors that shape health and illness at the individual and population levels; and knowledge about effective strategies for promoting the health of individuals and communities. The curriculum includes basic training in social epidemiology, statistics, research methods, and program development and evaluation.
The BAPH program prepares students for a variety of roles in the health care system, in community-based private and nonprofit groups, in public agencies such as local and state health departments and the U.S. Public Health Service and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in global health programs. These might include entry level epidemiology or community health education roles from county to federal level. Students will be prepared for graduate training in a Master of Public Health (MPH/MSPH) program and can choose to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) certification upon graduation. The BAPH is also a good fit for those seeking clinical careers in medicine, nursing, medical social work, and mental health who seek a better understanding of the social and community dimensions of health and illness.
Bachelor of Arts in Public Health
Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)1
View an Example of Degree Requirements by Semester
Faculty
I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours2
Communication: 6 semester credit hours
Choose two courses from the following:
COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication
RHET 1302 Rhetoric
Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Communication Core courses (see advisor)
Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
MATH 1314 College Algebra
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses (see advisor)
Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences Core courses (see advisor)
Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
Select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses (see advisor)
Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
Select any 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts Core courses (see advisor)
American History: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 3 semester credit hours from American History Core courses (see advisor)
Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
GOVT 2305 American National Government
GOVT 2306 State and Local Government
Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Government/Political Science Core courses (see advisor)
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
SOC 1301 Introduction to Sociology3, 4
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses (see advisor)
Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
EPPS 2301 Research Design in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 4, 5
EPPS 2302 Methods of Quantitative Analysis in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 4, 5
Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Component Area Option Core courses (see advisor)
II. Major Requirements: 48 semester credit hours
Major Preparatory Courses: 3 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics
or ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics
EPPS 2301 Research Design in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 6, 5
EPPS 2302 Methods of Quantitative Analysis in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 4, 5
SOC 1301 Introduction to Sociology3, 4
Major Core Courses: 27 semester credit hours
SOC 3303 Classical Social Theory
SOC 4305 Applied Data Analysis
SOC 3381 Field Research Methods
or PA 3381 Field Research Methods
SOC 4306 Advanced Sociological Research
SOC 4369 Public Health and Society
SOC 4372 Health and Illness
SOC 4384 Social Epidemiology
SOC 4385 Global Health and Society
SOC 4386 Health and Social Policy
or PA 4386 Health and Social Policy
or PSCI 3325 American Public Policy
Major Related Courses: 18 semester credit hours
Choose 18 semester credit hours from the following:
ECON 3330 Economics of Health
GEOG 3357 Spatial Dimensions of Health and Disease
GEOG 3372 Population and Development
GEOG 3384 Sustainable Food and Place
HLTH 1322 Human Nutrition
PHIL 3320 Medical Ethics
PSY 4346 Human Sexuality
SOC 3315 Socio-Behavioral Sciences for Medicine
SOC 3382 Sustainable Communities
SOC 4302 Class, Status, and Power
SOC 4357 Drugs, Alcohol and Society
SOC 4371 Mental Health and Illness
SOC 4V98 Internship
SOC 3390 Community Health
SOC 3391 Environmental Health
III. Elective Requirements: 30 semester credit hours
This requirement may be satisfied with lower- and upper-division courses from any field of study.
The plan must include sufficient upper-division courses to total 45 upper-division semester credit hours.
1. Incoming freshmen must enroll and complete requirements of UNIV 1010 and the corresponding school-related freshman seminar course. Students, including transfer students, who complete their core curriculum at UT Dallas must take UNIV 2020.
2. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from institutions of higher education. The courses listed are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
3. A Major requirement that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Semester credit hours are counted in Core Curriculum.
4. Prerequisite course to upper-division PA courses.
5. The Bachelor of Arts in Public Health degree requires EPPS 2301 and 2302 as a requirement or as a prerequisite for another required course which makes it a necessity to take both courses as soon as is prudent in a student's academic career. Otherwise students run the risk of falling behind in their time to graduation.
6. Prerequisite course to upper-division PH courses.