Public Health, B.A.

Offered by Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health .

The Public Health, B.A. is designed for career-oriented students who recognize that health and health care in America are major public concerns and who plan to seek employment in one of a variety of administrative, supportive, planning and policy positions. Students may choose an undergraduate emphasis in health services administration, health policy or public health.

Students in the Public Health, B.A. can expect to achieve the following objectives: a comprehensive understanding of health-care issues and the health care system that will underpin various educational and career goals; training in basic administrative, managerial and research skills; preparation for entry-level employment in community health and health care organizations and in support systems in the private and public sectors; and preparation for a graduate program leading to an advanced degree in a health-related field.

Public health majors study with instructors and faculty who are working in the health-care field or who have had years of applied experience before joining the academic arena. Each instructor brings this practical understanding of the health-care field into the classroom. For qualified majors there are opportunities to work with faculty members on their personal research or to develop the student’s own research project.

University Requirements

Completion of Minimum University Requirements for an Undergraduate Baccalaureate Degree .

Minimum 120 credits and minimum GPA of 2.0
Completion of 45 upper-level credits, residence requirement, Writing Intensive requirement, and General Education requirement

Major Requirements

Minimum 49 credits
Minimum grade of ‘C’ in courses applied to the major and minimum major GPA of 2.5
Completion of one of the following tracks: Public Health, B.A., Health Policy Track , Public Health, B.A., Health Services Administration Track , Public Health, B.A., Public Health Track

Course Requirements

Core Courses (28 credits)

Complete the following:

Quantitative Methods

Complete one of the following:

Approved Electives (9 credits)

Complete 9 credits, including at least 6 credits at the 300 level or higher, from HAPP courses not used for major or track requirements, from ANTH or SOCY courses at the 300 level or higher, and from the following or other approved courses:

Track (12 credits)

Complete one of the following tracks: Public Health, B.A., Health Policy Track , Public Health, B.A., Health Services Administration Track , Public Health, B.A., Public Health Track

Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Programs

Qualified students may apply to an accelerated program, which allows them to share courses between a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. Students take graduate courses as undergraduate students and later apply those courses to master’s degrees. An undergraduate may apply to participate in an accelerated program even if the desired graduate program is in a department other than the one in which the student is majoring. More information is available from the Graduate School website: https://gradschool.umbc.edu/admissions/nontraditional/accelerated/