2021-2022 Undergraduate Course Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Course Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Public Health, BS/MPH


Contact

Maureen Thompson, Undergraduate Program Director, Public Health
444B White Hall
315-443-9815
 
David Larsen, Graduate Director
430C White Hall
315-443-4059

Description

The BS in Public Health/Masters Public Health is a 150-credit hour, 5-year academic program that provides students with an accelerated pathway to an advanced degree in public health. Students gain core knowledge, research, and practice skills necessary for the advancement of evidence- based public health, while eliminating redundancy if the degrees were completed separately. Students complete 2 internships, one in year 4 (undergraduate study) and one in year 5 (graduate study). The bachelor’s degree is awarded at the completion of year 4 and the master’s degree is awarded at the completion of the 5th year of study.

Each degree requires a culminating experience. The bachelor’s degree requires a capstone internship paper. The master’s degree requires an integrative learning experience paper.

Admission

Entry to the accelerated program is a 2-stage process. 1) Undergraduate stage:  Students initiate interest in the program no later than 2nd semester sophomore year.  Interested students meet with the undergraduate program director to determine if the program can be completed within the 5-year time period.  After meeting with the undergraduate director, students confirm their interest by completing ‘An Intent to Pursue’ form. A personal statement, note of support from the academic advisor, and UG GPA of 3.3 is required. 2) Graduate program application stage: Students formally apply to the graduate program during the fall of the senior year. A personal statement, letters of recommendation, and an UG GPA of 3.0 is required for this application. The GRE is not required.

Financial Support

Undergraduate financial aid will be provided as awarded via Syracuse University Financial Aid Office.

Graduate assistantships for year 5 will be provided as are feasible under the Falk College annual budget.

Facilities

Courses will be taught in classrooms across the newly renovated Falk Complex. Public health faculty and administrative offices are housed in 2 suites within the Falk Complex. In addition to administrative and academic program offices and classrooms, the Falk Complex also offers student access to dedicated study/collaborative space, computer labs and comforts like a café and student lounge.

Student Learning Outcomes: BS


At the completion of the BSPH/MPH degrees, students will be able to:

B.S. Public Health Core Outcomes

1. Communicate public health information, in both oral and written forms and through a variety of media, to diverse audiences.
2. Locate, use, evaluate, and synthesize public health information.
3. Apply basic principles of project implementation.
4. Use concepts of population health and models from social and behavioral disciplines to promote health and address health related needs and concerns of groups and communities across the life course.
5. Relate biology, health behavior, social determinants, and environmental contexts to human health, disease, and the expression of health disparities.
6. Outline the organizational structure, function and delivery modalities for U.S. and global healthcare systems.
7. Act according to professional values and ethics in public health practice, research and education.
8. Describe how community forces, economic factors, and research shape health practices and policies.

B.S. Concentration Outcomes

Addiction Studies

  • Explain the basic theories, concepts and applications of behavioral neuroscience.
  • Identify protective factors and risk factors for chemical dependency in individuals and communities.
  • Implement basic principles of addiction prevention education.

Community Health Education

  • Assess community level needs for health education.
  • Propose health education strategies.
  • Identify factors that influence health behavior.

Health and Society

  • Elucidate challenges populations may face in regard to human rights, access to services, financial strain, and social stigma.
  • Explain the basic theories, concepts and applications of behavioral neuroscience.
  • Describe nutrition-related approaches to promote health.

Healthcare Administration

  • Describe concepts of ethics, law, and regulation in the delivery of healthcare.
  • Explain basic principles of continuous improvement processes within healthcare.
  • Discuss challenges to the efficient and effective delivery of U.S healthcare.

Student Learning Outcomes: MPH


At the completion of the BSPH/MPH degrees, students will be able to:

MPH Core Outcomes

1. Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice.
2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.
3. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate.
4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice.
5. Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings.
6. Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels.
7. Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health.
8. Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs.
9. Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention.
10. Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management.
11. Select methods to evaluate public health programs.
12. Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence.
13. Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes.
14. Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations.
15. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity.
16. Apply principles of leadership, governance and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration and guiding decision making.
17. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges.
18. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors.
19. Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation.
20. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.
21. Perform effectively on interprofessional teams.
22. Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue.

Global Health Concentration Outcomes

  1. Evaluate governance approaches and responses within diverse sociocultural and political settings and how these impact health.
  2. Identify the roles, relationships, and resources of entities influencing global health.
  3. Apply principles of sustainable development and accountability to global health program planning.
  4. Propose strategies to address health equity and social justice challenges affecting underserved populations.
  5. Evaluate prevention and control strategies for infectious disease.

Program Requirements


For requirements for the undergraduate and graduate portions of the accelerated program, visit the B.S.  and MPH program pages.  15 credits are shared across both programs as follows:

During the junior and senior years of undergraduate study, the following graduate courses are completed and the corresponding BSPH is not required.

Graduate Course Substitutes for UG courses


PHP 627 substitutes for PHP 306

PHP 661 substitutes for PHP 402

PHP 664 substitutes for PHP 309

PHP 665 substitutes for PHP 403

PHP 668 substitutes for PHP 401

Total Credits Required


B.S. Public Health: 123
Master’s Public Health: 42

[15 credits shared across both programs]

Transfer Credits


The usual Syracuse University rules will apply for the consideration of transfer credit. Transfer credit will be considered for undergraduate level courses (100-499) that are an integral part of the program. Grades of C or better are required for UG courses considered for transfer. A maximum of 66 credits of UG coursework may be transferred. Transfer credit will be considered for graduate level courses (600-799) that are an integral part of the program. Grades of B or better are required for graduate courses considered for transfer. A maximum of 9 credits of GRAD coursework may be transferred.

Part-Time Study


This program cannot be completed part-time.

Satisfactory Progress


Students are required to maintain a CUM GPA of 2.0 or higher to meet degree requirements for the BS degree.



Students are required to maintain a CUM GPA of 3.0 or higher to meet degree requirements for the MS degree.

Notes


BS/MPH program requires completion of the following culminating experiences:

  • Undergraduate Culminating Experience = Senior Capstone Internship Paper
  • Graduate Culminating Experience = Integrative Learning Experience Paper

MPH Degree Milestones
These non-credit bearing experiences are required.

  • Interprofessional Education:  Students enrolled in the MPH degree participate in an Interprofessional Practice (IPP) event.  Students must successfully complete all required assessments and interactive experiences associated with this event.
  • Applied Practice Experience Pre-Planning:  Prior to registering for PHP 667 Graduate Practicum in Public Health, MPH students must complete the planning steps (agency identification, competency mapping and products) required for this course.