Public Health Education, B.S.

The Department of Public Health Education offers the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Public Health Education major with a concentration in Community Health Education or Health Studies (an online degree program). Both concentrations provide a foundation in the core areas of public health including: social and behavioral sciences, epidemiology, public health statistics, and health policy and administration. Only students in the Community Health Education concentration are eligible candidates for national credentialing as a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES.). The Health Studies Online concentration is an online option available for second-degree seeking students looking for a non-professional degree to complement their current professional or career experiences.

Community Health Education Concentration
Increasing national interest in health and health promotion attracts students to the undergraduate degree program in Community Health Education. The concentration provides field experiences in public and private agencies as part of the professional preparation program. Students are prepared to design and implement health promotion programs in the community. Graduates have careers in national, state, and local health agencies, health and human services organizations, and business and industry; and many continue on into graduate study.

Health Studies Online Concentration
The program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Health Studies Online concentration, is designed to prepare individuals for positions in health-related fields and provide a base for graduate study. The Health Studies Online concentration will allow time and location bound students to complete an undergraduate degree without relocating to the UNC Greensboro campus. Our graduates, like other graduates in general education programs, are competitive in the job market for careers in administration, education, health sciences, human relations, and public service, and in other governmental, community-based and/or nonprofit settings.

Students requesting admission to the Health Studies Online concentration may apply to the major only after earning a prior degree (A.A., A.S., B.A., B.S., or equivalent; an A.A.S. is not an equivalent option) from an accredited college or university and completion of courses that satisfy General Education requirements.

Criteria for Admission to the Public Health Education Major

Before the registration window opens, students must declare their major as Public Health Education (PUBH) through the University Registrar's Office, and select a concentration, either Community Health Education (COHE) or Health Studies Online (HEST).

Only students who have their major officially declared as PUBH major will be permitted to register in upper level public health education (HEA) courses, typically completed in the junior and senior years. Additionally, only students who have selected either COHE or HEST as their concentration, will be allowed to register for concentration-restricted course sections. 

Note: All HEST concentration prerequisite courses may not be online. Therefore, meeting with an admissions counselor or advisor prior to transferring or changing your major concentration is necessary to understand how to complete concentration program requirements.  

Health Studies Online Admission Requirements 

Minimum Criteria for Admission to the Health Studies Online Concentration

Prior degree

Students requesting admission to the Health Studies Online concentration may declare this concentration only after earning a prior degree (A.A., A.S., B.A., B.S., or equivalent; A.A.S. does not count as an equivalent) from an accredited college or university and completion of courses that satisfy General Education requirements.

Overall Requirements

  • 120 credit hours, to include at least 36 credits at or above the 300 course level.
  • Students must continue to maintain the cumulative GPA requirement of 2.50 to progress and graduate. Students who drop below a 2.50 overall GPA will be dropped from the program.
  • No HEA course or health-related area course for which a grade of C or better is required for the major may be taken more than twice (a C- is not acceptable). Students who receive a grade below C twice in the same HEA course or health related area course required for the major will be dropped from the major.

Degree Program Requirements

University Requirements
General Education Requirements - Minerva's Academic Curriculum (MAC)

Major Requirements

Select one of the concentrations as detailed following the major requirements.

  • Community Health Education
  • Health Studies Online

Electives

Electives sufficient to complete the 120 credit hours required for degree.

Community Health Education Concentration Requirements

Graduation Requirements for the Concentration

  • A grade of C (2.0) or better in all required HEA courses and health related courses.
  • Overall GPA of 2.50
  • Completion of all other requirements as described for degree and major (students may still be required to complete free elective credit hours to meet university degree requirements).
Required57
Introduction to Public Health
Public Health and Healthcare Systems in the US
Public Health Diseases
Epidemiology
Environmental Health
Public Health Data Analysis
Introduction to Public Health Education Practice
Community Observation and Assessment
Community Health Interventions I
Program Planning and Evaluation
Internship Planning
Health Education Internship (Fieldwork IV and Seminar) (Fieldwork IV and Seminar)
Community Health Interventions II
Select 12 credits of the following:
Medical Terminology for Public Health Professionals
Personal Health
Introduction to Peer Health Education
Peer Health Education: Selected Topics
Athlete Health and Sport Performance
Human Sexuality
Global Health
Mental Health and Well-Being
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
Community Health
Race, Ethnicity, and Health
Gender and Health
Income, Social Status, and Health
Current Health Problems
Immigrant and Refugee Health
Independent Study
Related Area Requirements18-19
Human Anatomy & Physiology
Select one option of the following:
Option A:
Human Body Systems: Anatomy and Physiology for the Public Health Professional
Option B:
Human Anatomy
and Human Anatomy Laboratory
Option C:
Human Physiology
and Human Physiology Laboratory
Option D:
Clinical Human Anatomy
and Clinical Human Anatomy Laboratory
Option E:
Clinical Human Physiology
and Clinical Human Physiology Laboratory
Communication Studies
Introduction to Communication Studies
Communication and Workplace Relationships
English
Exploring Writing in College Contexts
Math
College Algebra *
Elementary Introduction to Probability and Statistics
Precalculus I
Nutrition
Introductory Nutrition
Social Science
General Psychology
Introduction to Sociology
*

Or a higher level mathematics course.

Health Studies Online Concentration Requirements

Graduation Requirements for the Concentration

  • A grade of C (2.0) or better in all required HEA courses and health related courses.
  • Overall GPA of 2.50
  • Completion of all other requirements as described for degree and major (students may still be required to complete free elective credit hours to meet university degree requirements).
Required51
Introduction to Public Health
Public Health and Healthcare Systems in the US
Public Health Diseases
Epidemiology
Environmental Health
Public Health Data Analysis
Race, Ethnicity, and Health
Gender and Health
Income, Social Status, and Health
Capstone Experience
Select 18 credits of the following: *
Medical Terminology for Public Health Professionals
Personal Health
Human Sexuality
Global Health
Mental Health and Well-Being
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
Community Health
Community Health Organizations
Current Health Problems
Adolescent Health
Immigrant and Refugee Health
Independent Study
Families and Close Relationships **
Infant and Child Development **
Lifetime Wellness **
Management of Organizations **
Organizational Behavior **
Culture and Health Care **
Introductory Nutrition **
Managing Conflict in Professional Contexts **
Medical Ethics **
Race and Ethnic Relations **
An Introduction to Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies **
Related Area Requirements18-19
Human Anatomy & Physiology
Select one option of the following:
Option A:
Human Body Systems: Anatomy and Physiology for the Public Health Professional
Option B:
Human Anatomy
and Human Anatomy Laboratory (Option b)
Option C:
Human Physiology
and Human Physiology Laboratory
Option D:
Clinical Human Anatomy
and Clinical Human Anatomy Laboratory
Option E:
Clinical Human Physiology
and Clinical Human Physiology Laboratory
Communication Studies
Introduction to Communication Studies
Communication and Workplace Relationships
English
Exploring Writing in College Contexts
Information Systems
Foundations for Analytics using Spreadsheets
Math
College Algebra 1
Elementary Introduction to Probability and Statistics
Precalculus I
Social Science
General Psychology
Introduction to Sociology
*

A minimum of 12 credits must have an HEA prefix.

**

A maximum of 6 credits may be selected from these courses.

1

Or a higher level mathematics course.

Disciplinary Honors in Public Health Education 

Requirements

  • A minimum of 12 credit hours as defined below.
  • UNC Greensboro cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better or, for transfer students, cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better from all prior institutions.
Required3
Senior Honors Project
6 credits of Honors course work in the major6
3 credits of Honors course work in the major or another area3

Recognition

Receive a Certificate of Disciplinary Honors in Public Health Education; have that accomplishment, along with the title of the Senior Honors Project, noted on the official transcript; and be recognized at a banquet held at the end of the spring semester.

Honors Advisor

Contact phe@uncg.edu for further information and guidance about Honors in Public Health Education. To apply: https://honorscollege.uncg.edu/disciplinary-honors/disciplinary-honors-admissions