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Curriculum & Requirements

The BSPH curriculum consists of 10 credits of introductory Foundational courses, including a one-credit first-year seminar. This is followed by 15 credits of Core courses that provide students with an introduction to each of the fundamental disciplines of public health (epidemiology, behavioral and community health, biostatistics, health policy and management, and environmental health). “Major Electives consist of 18-credit elective topical clusters. Finally, each student will complete one of five choices of course-based capstone experience as well as a service-learning requirement.

Bachelor of Science in Public Health Competencies

All BSPH students must complete the Foundational and Core courses (25 credit hours total) as part of the degree. The courses in Foundational and Core have been designed to provide students with a strong foundation in the core competencies of public health as outlined by our accrediting agency, the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH). Competencies required to be achieved within the BSPH are as follows:

1. the history and philosophy of public health as well as its core values, concepts and functions across the globe and in society
2. the basic concepts, methods and tools of public health data collection, use and analysis and why evidence-based approaches are an essential part of public health practice
3. the concepts of population health, and the basic processes, approaches and interventions that identify and address the major health-related needs and concerns of populations
4. the underlying science of human health and disease, including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the life course
5. the socioeconomic, behavioral, biological, environmental and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities
6. the fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment and evaluation
7. the fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the US health system as well as the differences between systems in other countries
8. basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic and regulatory dimensions of health care and public health policy and the roles, influences and responsibilities of the different agencies and branches of government
9. basic concepts of public health-specific communication, including technical
10. The ability to communicate public health information, in both oral and written forms, through a variety of media and to diverse audiences
11. The ability to locate, use, evaluate and synthesize public health information

In addition to the above competencies, CEPH requires that the overall undergraduate curriculum expose students to concepts and experiences necessary for success in the workplace, further education and lifelong learning. Students are exposed to these concepts through any combination of learning experiences and co-curricular experiences. These concepts are as follows:

• advocacy for protection and promotion of the public’s health at all levels of society
• community dynamics
• critical thinking and creativity
• cultural contexts in which public health professionals work
• ethical decision making as related to self and society
• independent work and a personal work ethic
• networking
• organizational dynamics
• professionalism
• research methods
• systems thinking
• teamwork and leadership

General education requirements

Basic Core BSPH Curriculum (24 credit hours):

BSPH Major Electives (18 credits)

Students must take a minimum of 18 credit hours of Major Elective Courses. Electives are organized into topical areas to allow students to explore an area of interest in greater depth. A portfolio of elective courses to be developed by Pitt Public Health can be found in the Appendix, along with example clusters. Students are free to create their own cluster based on their area of interest in collaboration with their advisor. Public health is an interdisciplinary field by design, and our goal is to provide a degree that encourages students to take advantage of the full breadth of training in relevant disciplines that is available across the University of Pittsburgh by incorporating classes from other schools into their clusters.

Capstone (3 credits)

The BSPH Capstone Experience provides students with the opportunity to synthesize their learning in different competency areas and apply cross-cutting skills. Students can choose from five course-based options to complete their undergraduate training within the school. Each experience is designed to challenge students to synthesize what they have learned, apply knowledge and skills acquired, and gain new experience in public health practice. The capstone will be guided and monitored by advisors in addition to being supervised within the course context.

Option 1: Senior Seminar Capstone

• 3-credit course taught each Spring for graduating seniors
• 20-30 students
• Project-based course in collaboration with local organization
• Organization provides students with a real-life challenge. Students work in groups to design solution to pitch organization upon completion of course
• Students assessed on final presentation and attendance and participation

Option 2: Undergraduate Practicum with Group Recitation Capstone

• Semester-long project
• Students placed with local organization to complete internship
• Must log 30 hours of work (for the organization)
• Must attend weekly 1-hour recitation course to reflect on independent experiences and receive additional professional development content and resources
• Students assessed through personal reflection essay and passing evaluation from organizational proctor upon completion

Option 3: Independent Study/Research Capstone

• Semester-long project
• Students matched with faculty member and tasked with project
• Students assessed through passing research paper, and the completion of 45-60 hours of work with sign off from faculty proctor
• Must attend weekly 1-hour recitation course to reflect on independent experiences and receive additional professional development content and resources

Option 4: International Study Capstone

• Semester-long international program that provides academic research or internship projects. Organized through Pitt Office of Study Abroad and pre-approved by BSPH advisor.
• Program examples include: School for International Training (SIT) programs and CIEE
• Students must present their work at a school-wide symposium upon return and will be graded for credit approval
• GSPH could work towards creating a Pitt summer international capstone taught by our faculty in tandem with international research endeavors

Option 5: Bachelor of Philosophy

• Pitt Honors gives qualified University of Pittsburgh undergraduates the opportunity to pursue a unique research-based degree.
• Designed by faculty from throughout the University and designated the Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil) by the University Board of Trustees, this University-wide degree combines (i) General Degree Requirements for an individually approved Program of Study with (ii) Special Degree Requirements for concentration and evaluation following upper-level research and independent scholarship that culminates in a thesis. 

Service Learning and Study Abroad Opportunities

As part of the BSPH degree, we will incorporate service learning and experiential learning opportunities as a way to compliment the curriculum and provide students with meaningful ways to apply their coursework to real work scenarios. Our goal is to require all students to complete 120 hours of service learning over the course of four years. The first tenhours are built into PUBHLT 0100, and portions of the remainder will also be course-based. Students will self-track hours but will be monitored by the Office of Student Affairs. Additionally the Office of Student Affairs will assist in placement and learning objectives at these sites. Students can also earn service learnings hours as part of their practicum, study abroad experiences or internships. These opportunities should be discussed with the academic advisor.

APPENDIX 1: School of Public Health General Education Requirements

The School of Public Health is committed to providing all undergraduates with a holistic learning experience. In addition to the public health course requirements, students also most fulfill their general education requirements. See more information below.

A. Writing

Written communication is central to almost all disciplines and professions. Developing writing proficiency is a lifelong process, and it is especially important that undergraduate education accelerates and directs that process toward the achievement of writing skills that will provide a base appropriate for professional or graduate education or for professional employment. The school requires that all students complete the following writing courses during their undergraduate career.

1. Composition

Students must complete the composition requirement, ENGCMP 0200 Seminar in Composition or its equivalent, with a minimum grade of C- by the end of their first year of study. Part-time students should complete the requirement within their first 30 credits. Transfer students must complete this requirement within their first 15 credits. 

Based on placement, students may be required to complete ENGCMP 0150 Workshop in Composition (or its equivalent) prior to enrolling in ENGCMP 0200. Students may be exempt from the composition requirement with a 660 or above Evidence-Based Reading and Writing SAT score or an ACT English score of 27 and a 5 on the AP English: Language and Composition or AP English: Literature and Composition.

2. Two Writing-Intensive Courses

Writing intensive courses (W-Courses) are designed to teach writing within a discipline through writing assignments that are distributed across the entire term. In these courses, students will produce at least 20-24 pages of written work. A significant portion of this work should be substantially revised in response to instructor feedback and class discussion.

All students must complete two courses that are designated as W-Courses, or one W-Course. Students must satisfy one element of this requirement within their major field of study. W-Courses may also be courses that fulfill other General Education Requirements.

B. Algebra and Quantitative and Formal Reasoning

1. Algebra

Students must complete the algebra requirement, MATH 0031 College Algebra or its equivalent, with a minimum grade of C- by the end of their first year of study. Part-time students should complete the requirement within their first 30 credits.  Transfer students must complete this requirement within their first 15 credits. Students will be exempt from the algebra requirement with a 620 or above Math SAT score or a 27 or above Math ACT score, or completion of full year High School Algebra 2, Trigonometry, Pre-calculus, or Calculus course with a grade of B or better.

2. Quantitative and Formal Reasoning

All students are required to take and pass with a minimum grade of C- at least one course in university-level mathematics (other than trigonometry) for which algebra is a prerequisite, or an approved course in statistics or mathematical or formal logic in a department of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.

C. Language

A Sequence of Two Courses in a Second Language
All students are required to complete with a grade of C- or better two terms of university-level study in a second language other than English. Exemptions will be granted to students who can demonstrate elementary proficiency in a second language through one of the following:

1. Having completed three years of high school study of a second language with a grade of B or better in each course;
2. Passing a special proficiency examination;
3. Transferring credits for two terms or more of approved university-level instruction in a second language with grades of C or better;
4. Having a native language other than English. 

D. Diversity

All students must complete one course that is designated as a Diversity course but may take this course within their major field of study. Diversity courses may also be courses that fulfill other General Education Requirements.

E. Division Requirements in the Humanities and Arts, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences

Each student is required to take nine courses in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences distributed as below. Such courses allow students to pursue their own interests while they explore diverse views of a broad range of human cultures, modes of thought, and bodies of knowledge. The courses that fulfill these requirements are truly courses in the disciplines that draw on the unique resources of a research university.

1. A Course in Literature

By studying a range of literary and other texts in this course, students will be introduced to the techniques and methods of textual analysis and will develop critical perspectives on a variety of forms of cultural expression.

2. A Course in the Arts

This course introduces students to modes of analysis appropriate to music, theatre, or the visual and plastic arts. It may take the form of a survey, the study of a genre or period, or may focus on a particular artist.

3. A Course in Creative Work

In this course students are expected to produce some form of creative work, and they will also be trained in the techniques and modes of its production. The course could be situated in theatre, studio arts, writing, visual arts (including photography, film), music, and dance; or it may be a course that engages in innovative or original work in relation to written, oral, or visual material, new media, social media, and other contemporary forms of communication and representation.

4. A Course in Philosophical Thinking or Ethics

This course will emphasize close and critical reading of theories about knowledge, reality, humanity, and values. Courses could focus on human nature; scientific reasoning; theories of cognition and consciousness; human/social rights; competing systems of belief; morality; concepts of freedom; theories of justice; social obligations/constraints; or ethics, including applied or professional ethics.

5. A Social Science Course

A course that treats topics considered of significant importance in the social or behavioral sciences (including social psychology). Courses will introduce students to the subject matter and methodology of a particular discipline and will involve them in the modes of investigation, analysis, and judgment characteristically applied by practitioners.

6. A Course in Historical Analysis

In this course, students will develop skills and methods by which to understand significant cultural, social, economic, or political accounts of the past. The course may focus on pivotal moments of change, or important transitions over longer periods of time. Courses could explore developments in science, technology, literature, or art, and the ideas around them, or examine critical historical shifts by analyzing various data or cultural forms.

7. Three Courses in the Natural Sciences

These will be courses that introduce students to scientific principles and concepts rather than offering a simple codification of facts in a discipline or a history of a discipline. The courses may be interdisciplinary, and no more than two courses may have the same primary departmental sponsor.

F. Global Awareness and Cultural Understanding

Each student must complete three courses in global awareness and cultural understanding distributed as below.

1. A Course in Global Issues

This course will examine significant issues that are global in scale. Courses could address, for example: globalization; the global and cultural impact of climate change/sustainability; the effects of and resistances to colonialism; or worldwide issues related to health, gender, ethnicity, race, technology, labor, law, or the economy.

2. A Course in a Specific Geographic Region

This course will be an in depth study and analysis of a particular region or locality outside of the United States.

3. A Course in Cross-Cultural Awareness

This course, through cross-cultural perspective, will promote knowledge of and reflection upon the cultures of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, or the indigenous peoples of the world past and present. Students will develop an understanding of cultures, traditions, and societies that differ substantially from those that prevail in North America and Europe.