Public Health Science

The Public Health Science Bachelor of Science degree is an interdisciplinary program designed to provide students with the educational foundation required to effectively address local, national and global issues within the public health arena. As a collaborative degree involving multiple scholarly disciplines, courses offered by this program may be found under the following acronyms: PHSC, SPHL, HLTH, KNES, EPIB, MIEH and HLSA.

The degree effectively prepares students to pursue exciting careers in allied health, medical, and public health fields as well as post-baccalaureate professional and academic degrees.

The degree is offered at both the College Park and Shady Grove campuses.

Program Objectives

The Public Health Science Bachelor of Science degree is an interdisciplinary program designed to provide students with the educational foundation required to effectively address local, national and global issues within the public health arena.

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Discuss the history and philosophy of public health as well as its core values, concepts, and functions across the globe and in society.
  2. Use basic public health concepts, methods, and tools for data collection and analysis.
  3. Identify the major health-related needs and concerns of populations and formulate basic processes, approaches, and interventions as possible solutions.
  4. Describe the underlying science of human health and disease including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the lifespan.
  5. Examine the socio-economic, behavioral, biological, environmental and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities.
  6. Demonstrate the fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment, and evaluation.
  7. Compare and contrast the fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the health systems of the United States and other countries.
  8. Characterize the basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory dimensions of health care and public policy.
  9. Illustrate the basic concepts of public health specific writing and communication.
  10. Interpret and synthesize scientific knowledge to propose evidence-based approaches and solutions to public health problems.
  11. Critically analyze the impact racism has on public health and reflect on what it means to be anti-racist.

Public Health Science is an interdisciplinary major with leadership and faculty representing multiple departments on campus. 

For a full listing, please see the Public Health Science Leadership and Faculty webpage. 

Major

Academic advising is strongly encouraged. To see specific advising requirements and resources for each campus location, please view our student resources.

Student Opportunities

Public Health Science majors are encouraged to participate in opportunities within the major, including research, internships, and study abroad. For more information on research opportunities for Public Health Science majors, please see the Research Credit: Public Health Science webpage. For more information on internship opportunities for Public Health Science majors, please see the Internship Credit: Public Health Science webpage. For more information on study abroad opportunities for Public Health Science majors, please see the Study Abroad: Public Health Science webpage.

Public Health Science majors are also invited to participate in a wide variety of student opportunities across the School of Public Health.   

Financial Assistance, Scholarships, & Awards

The Public Health Science program, School of Public Health, and the University of Maryland offer opportunities for financial assistance, scholarships, and awards based on merit and need.  

For a listing of awards and scholarships, please see the Awards and Scholarships: Public Health Science webpage.