School of Public Health

Degree Offered

  • Bachelor of Science

Nature of Program

The School of Public Health offers a Bachelor of Science degree with a Public Health major, within which students select one of three Areas of Emphasis:  1) Community and Population Health, 2) Public Health Sciences, or 3) Patient Navigation.

This degree and its Areas of Emphasis prepare students for entry level jobs and certain graduate and professional programs, typically over four years whit the Area of Emphasis typically completed during the last two years. 

Students in the Community and Population Health Area of Emphasis will be prepared for entry into social science-based and public health graduate programs. 

Students in the Public Health Sciences Area of Emphasis will be prepared for entry into graduate programs in public health sciences or clinical professional degree programs.

Students in the Patient Navigation Area of Emphasis will be prepared for positions in clinical and health insurance  settings, as well as entry into graduate and professional programs.

In general, Public Health Program graduates will be eligible for entry-level public health positions in a wide array of agencies involved in public and private health, including local, regional and state health departments, consulting and advocacy organizations, healthcare organizations and government agencies. 

The program delivers an undergraduate education that:

  1. Provides a strong foundation of knowledge about public health history, principles and current issues;
  2. Ensures a broad liberal education that incorporates multiple disciplines and develops both intellectual and civic capabilities;
  3. Instills a strong sense of values and ethics; and
  4. Builds capacity to adapt and apply acquired knowledge and abilities to address new challenges. 

SPH Admissions for BS in Public Health

The WVU School of Public Health (SPH) will admit students for fall and spring semesters. 

Direct admissions relates to students applying upon graduation from high school and those with no previous undergraduate credits. Applicants who meet the minimum standards (see below) will be accepted directly into the program by WVU Admissions. 

Students who do not meet direct admit minimum standards, but who are interested in pursuing a degree in public health, have two options:

1) Apply to transfer into the program via a WVU Academic Status Update form once a college GPA of 2.5 is established.

2) Apply for pre-public health status by meeting those guidelines listed below.  Students in Pre-Public Health can take the same courses and can request access to the same academic advising as majors do.  However, these students will have to meet internal transfer requirements of a 2.5 college GPA within 2 semesters of entering this program.  

External transfer students (those who have completed undergraduate credits at another institution) who meet the transfer admission guidelines (see below) should apply to WVU as transfer students and will be accepted directly into the program by WVU Admissions.

Admission Guidelines

● Students are eligible for direct freshman admission if they meet these minimum guidelines:  

  • 3.0 Cumulative High School GPA

OR

  • ACT of 21 (superscored) and 2.75 Cumulative High School GPA

OR

  • SAT of 990 (superscored) and 2.75 Cumulative High School GPA

● Students are eligible for admission into pre-public health if they meet these minimum guidelines:  

  • 2.75 Cumulative High School GPA

OR

  • ACT of 19 (superscored) and 2.5 Cumulative High School GPA

OR

  • SAT of 910 (superscored) and 2.5 Cumulative High School GPA
     

● External transfer students who have completed undergraduate coursework at WVU or another institution of higher education prior to applying to the Public Health major are eligible if they meet the following minimum guidelines:

  • 2.5 Cumulative Undergraduate GPA 

Please note, the School of Public Health reserves the right to limit student enrollment in the program but cutting off admissions based on school-wide capacity for new students.   

Degree Designation Learning Outcomes

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health program provides an undergraduate education that provides a strong foundation of knowledge about public health history, principles and current issues; requires a broad liberal education with exposure to multiple disciplines and develops intellectual and civic capabilities; instills a strong sense of values and ethics; and builds capacity to adapt and apply acquired knowledge and abilities to address new challenges.

Bachelor of Science (BS)

At the conclusion of the program students will be able to:

  • Discuss the historic milestones, core disciplines and core functions of public health.
  • Appreciate human cultures and social determinants of health as they relate to individual and population health.
  • Explain the impact of natural processes and systems on health and patterns of disease and injury among diverse populations.
  • Apply critical and creative thinking, and analysis and synthesis of information processes to inform, assist and promote public health.
  • Disseminate knowledge and information to address current public health issues effectively through both oral and written communications.
  • Engage in public health-related activities with local, regional, national and/or global organizations.

Public Health Practice Area of Emphasis

  • Recognize how environmental and occupational factors impact the health status of individuals and populations.
  • Apply skills in biostatistical and epidemiologic methods in public health practice and research. 

Community and Population Health Area of Emphasis

  • Recognize how social and behavioral factors impact the health status of individuals and populations.
  • Identify appropriate theories, methods, strategies and policies to address the public health needs of communities and populations.

PATIENT NAVIGATION AREA OF EMPHASIS

  • Attain productive and effective communication skills with all members of the patient care team, including those that may not traditionally be included in this team (e.g., social workers, food pantries, transportation, childcare)
  • Recognize how to improve patient quality of life and care via multiple systems and processes.
  • Apply chronic disease management techniques and constructs.    

PUBH 101. Introduction to Public and Community Health. 3 Hours.

This course will provide students with an overview of the principles and practice of public and community health. Students will learn about the history, core function and essential services of public health, as well as engage in discussions about current public health events and issues.

PUBH 191. First-Year Seminar. 1-3 Hours.

Engages students in active learning strategies that enable effective transition to college life at WVU. Students will explore school, college and university programs, policies and services relevant to academic success. Provides active learning activities that enable effective transition to the academic environment. Students examine school, college and university programs, policies and services.

PUBH 199. Orientation to Public Health. 1,2 Hour.

Orientation to degree programs and requirements, departmental resources, curriculum options, student responsibilities, and opportunities.

PUBH 201. Global Perspectives of Public Health. 3 Hours.

This introduction to global public health will strengthen students' perspectives and understanding of disease prevention and treatment issues in westernized and developing/underdeveloped countries. Topics include health disparities, economic/political structures/systems impacting health, maternal and child health (including family planning), socio-cultural factors affecting health care delivery and the global burden of infectious and chronic diseases, injuries and disasters.

PUBH 202. Social Determinants of Health. 3 Hours.

The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the social factors/determinants that influence health. Theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of social determinants will be discussed from a social ecological perspective. The course is designed to help students develop basic literacy regarding social concepts and processes that influence health status and health disparities.

PUBH 211. Biostatistics for Population Health. 3 Hours.

PR: MATH 121 or higher and PUBH 101. This course provides students with an introduction to statistical concepts that are important for solving real-world public health problems. This course will present statistical principles and associated scientific reasoning underlying public health practice and health policy decision-making. Topics include data visualization, summary statistics, statistical inference, and strategies for articulating and evaluating claims using statistical constructs.

PUBH 222. Epidemiology for Public Health. 3 Hours.

PR or CONC: PUBH 211 or STAT 211. This introductory course explores the historical roots of the practice of epidemiology. The course will provide students with a foundation in the study of the distributions of health-related states or events (including injury and disease) in human populations and the control of these health-related problems.

PUBH 241. Biological Basis of Public Health. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 101 and ((BIOL 101 and BIOL 103) or (BIOL 102 and BIOL 104) or higher). Provides a basic understanding of human changes associated with or resulting from those chronic or infectious diseases or injuries that are of public health importance in the US and globally. Students will: 1) understand core concepts of health and disease, 2) recognize common infectious diseases and their influence on public health, and 3) identify chronic disease burden.

PUBH 243. Issues in Environmental Health. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 101. Provides an overview of environmental and occupational issues relating to air, water, and solid waste as they relate to human health. Basic environmental health concepts, technologies and underlying data will be examined to better understand local, national and global solutions to environmental health problems.

PUBH 293. . 1-6 Hours.

Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

PUBH 311. Health Research Data Management and Reporting. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 211. This course will provide an introduction to data management and reporting principles, and the associated tools that are instrumental in public health research. Topics include data documentation, data structure, relational database theory, data manipulation, basic logic for programming, literate programming, and reporting.

PUBH 331. Introduction to Health Policy. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 101. This course provides an overview of the inner workings of health care policy making, from the legislative process to socioeconomic impacts, with both historical and modern perspectives. Students will explore factors that shape the United States health care system and policy, such as values, models, and stakeholders, and compare them to other countries for international context.

PUBH 333. Comparative Health Systems and Policy. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 331. In this course, students will examine the structure of healthcare systems in selected countries worldwide. Specific attention is paid to the developmental history of the national healthcare systems, financing, and delivery infrastructure. The impact of international relations is also examined.

PUBH 334. Emergency Preparedness for Public Health. 3 Hours.

This course provides an overview of the dimensions of disasters and emergencies through the lens of Public Health professionals with special focus on the rural environment and uses the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) model for the final exercise. Students completing this course will also complete several FEMA certifications during the course.

PUBH 352. Introduction to Social and Behavioral Science and Practice. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 101 and PUBH 202. Introduces the historical and philosophical background of the social and behavioral sciences, covering theories of behavioral science applied to health behaviors; socio-cultural factors of disease etiology, prevention and population health; individual, group, community, and technology-based strategies for health behavior change; and current issues in behavioral sciences for health promotion including its application to achieving the Healthy People 2020 goals.

PUBH 400. Field Placement and Capstone Preparation Seminar. 1 Hour.

Students will coordinate plans for their field placement assignments by completing all on-boarding requirements, developing an up-to-date resume and preparing materials for field practice agencies, job searches and/or graduate school application.

PUBH 423. Introduction to Modern Epidemiologic Research. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 222. This intermediate course will provide students with a foundation in the research tools utilized to explore the determinants of health-related states or events (including injury and disease) in human populations.

PUBH 442. Public Health in the Workplace. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 222 and PUBH 243. Overview of workplace health issues as they affect human health, including exposure to chemical, physical, biological and mechanical hazards. Basic occupational safety and health concepts, technologies and underlying data will be examined to better understand the potential solutions for workplace safety and human health issues.

PUBH 454. Introduction to Public Health Research Methods. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 222 and PUBH 352. This course provides an overview of public and community health research methods. Content includes the purpose and foundations of research, identifying and framing topic of interest and formulating research questions, ethical standards and reviews, study populations and samples, study designs, question construction and questionnaire development, data collection and analyses approaches, and the reporting and dissemination of findings.

PUBH 460. The US Healthcare System: Structures and Incentives. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 360 and PUBH 361. Exploration of the multifaceted US healthcare system, including its structure, delivery, and financing. Students will learn about key stakeholders within the healthcare system and how they interact with each other. Further, they will gain insight into how these interactions can inform health policy, within the state of WV and beyond.

PUBH 461. Legal and Ethical Issues for Patient Navigators. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 360 and PUBH 361. Covers the rights, responsibilities and concerns of patient navigators in the context of their roles with healthcare consumers and healthcare providers. Focuses on the social, legal, and ethical issues when interacting with patients and how to promote patient-healthcare team partnerships via improved communication and problem solving techniques. Prepares students for Patient Navigator Experiential Agency Rotations.

PUBH 481. Public Health Field Experience and Capstone. 6 Hours.

PR: PUBH 480. Students complete a 75 hour group project with a local agency, supervised by a community partner. The capstone portion includes reflective journal essays, meetings to discuss observations and connections to program skills and knowledge, and a poster presentation to stakeholders.

PUBH 491. Professional Field Experience. 1-18 Hours.

PR: Consent. (May be repeated up to a miximum of 18 hours.) Prearranged experiential learning program to be planned, supervised, and evaluated for credit by faculty and field supervisors. Involves temporary placement with public or private enterprise for professional competence development.

PUBH 495. Independent Study. 1-6 Hours.

Faculty supervised study of topics not available through regular course offerings.

PUBH 496. Senior Thesis. 1-3 Hours.

PR: Consent.

The baccalaureate program within the School of Public Health has specialized accreditation through the Council on Education in Public Health.

Administration

Dean

  • Jeff Coben - MD (University of Pittsburgh)
    Professor, Department of Health Policy, Management and Leadership

Senior Associate Dean for Academic, Student, and Faculty Affairs

  • Linda Alexander - EdD (University of Virginia)
    Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Senior Associate Dean for Administration

  • Sarah Woodrum - DrPH (University of Illinois, Chicago)
    Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy, Management, and Leadership

Associate Dean for Operations

  • Robert Duval - PhD (Florida State University)
    Chair and Professor, Department of Health Policy, Management and Leadership

Assistant Dean for Public Health Practice and Service

  • Michael Brumage - MD (West Virginia University)
    Adjunct Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies

  • Janet B. Hunt - MPH (University of Tennessee)
    Teaching Assistant Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Director of MPH Programs

  • Michael Mann - PhD (University of Florida)
    Associate Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Director of Practice-based Learning

  • Roberta Sykes - MS (West Virginia University)
    Teaching Assistant Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Chairs

  • Robert Duval - PhD (Florida State University)
    Associate Professor, Department of Health Policy, Management and Leadership
  • Thomas Hulsey - ScD (Johns Hopkins University)
    Professor, Department of Epidemiology, and Interim Chair for Biostatistics
  • Snehalata Huzurbazar - PhD (Colorado State University, Fort Collins)
    Professor, Department of Biostatistics
  • Michael McCawley - PhD (New York University)
    Associate Professor, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences
  • Keith Zullig - PhD (University of South Carolina)
    Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences