Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate degrees in the School of Public Health are offered in Health Studies and in Applied Health & Fitness. The Health Studies curriculum is designed around a common core and five separate tracks: aging services, community health education, health sciences, school health, and health administration. 

The Applied Health & Fitness degree has 3 tracks: fitness & exercise, fitness for special populations, and health coaching. 

Degree Maps and Learning Outcomes

Admission requirements

Applied Health Fitness B.A./B.S.

Certificate in Human Lactation

Health Studies B.A./B.S.

Aging Services Minor

Community Health Minor

Health Studies Secondary Education Program

Community Health Courses

PE Courses

Health Studies B.A./B.S.

Requirements

Core requirements

In addition to meeting the general University degree requirements all majors in health studies must take the following core coursework plus choose a concentration area:

Core coursework

Stat 243Introduction to Probability and Statistics I

4

PHE 250Our Community: Our Health

4

PHE 350Health and Health Systems

4

PHE 363Communicable Diseases and Chronic Health Problems

4

PHE 450Epidemiology

4

PHE 452UGender, Race, Class and Health

4

PHE 404Cooperative Education/Internship

4-8

Aging Services Concentration

The aging services concentration is designed for individuals who wish to develop or enhance a career related to aging services, including such services as senior health promotion and case management, and community- or institutinally-based long-term care.

Students who complete the course work required for the concentration will possess a basic understanding of gerontology with particular skills in administration and finance, chronic disease, and health promotion. This program also will enhance the skills of students planning to enroll in industry-provided training to become administrators of assisted living facilities and residential care facilities or nursing homes.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in aging services must complete the following:

Required coursework (28 credits)

PHE 325UNutrition for Health

4

PHE 354USocial Gerontology

4

PHE 416Families and Aging

4

PHE 423Business and Aging

4

PHE 456Health Aspects of Aging

4

PHE 478Program Planning and Evaluation: Needs Assessment and Interventions

4

PHE 479Program Planning and Evaluation in Health Education: Implementation and Evaluation

4

Choose one of the following:

PHE 328UHealth and Housing Across the Life Course

4

PHE 369Public Health Law, Policy, and Ethics

4

Psy 462Psychology of Adult Development and Aging

4

Soc 469Sociology of Aging

4

Choose one of the following:

BA 306UEssentials of Finance for Non-Business Majors

4

BA 316UEssentials of Marketing for Non-Business Majors

4

BA 326UEssentials of Management for Non-Business Majors

4

16 credits from the following courses

BA 101Introduction to Business and World Affairs

4

BA 306UEssentials of Finance for Non-Business Majors

4

BA 316UEssentials of Marketing for Non-Business Majors

4

BA 326UEssentials of Management for Non-Business Majors

4

BA 336UEssentials of Information Technology for Non-Business Majors

4

BA 346UEssentials of Entrepreneurship for Non-Business Majors

4

Comm 318UFamily Communication

4

Ec 316UIntroduction to Health Care Economics

4

PHE 328UHealth and Housing Across the Life Course

4

PHE 369Public Health Law, Policy, and Ethics

4

PHE 445Men's Health

4

PHE 446UCommunity Health Principles and Practices

4

PHE 451Women and Holistic Health

4

Phl 313ULife and Death Issues

4

Psy 311UHuman Development

4

Psy 462Psychology of Adult Development and Aging

4

Soc 459Sociology of Health and Medicine

4

Soc 469Sociology of Aging

4

SW 301UIntroduction to Social Work

4

Other electives may be taken with advisor approval.

Community Health Education Concentration

The community health education concentration prepares students for a wide variety of careers related to health education. It also provides a foundation for the pursuit of graduate study.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in community health education must complete:

Required coursework (24 credits)

PHE 369Public Health Law, Policy, and Ethics

4

PHE 443UEnvironmental Health

4

PHE 444UGlobal Health

4

PHE 472Marketing Public Health

4

PHE 478Program Planning and Evaluation: Needs Assessment and Interventions

4

PHE 479Program Planning and Evaluation in Health Education: Implementation and Evaluation

4

Twenty (20) credits from the following courses:

PHE 275Stress Management

4

PHE 325UNutrition for Health

4

PHE 326UDrug Education

4

PHE 335UHuman Sexuality

4

PHE 351UFilm and Health

4

PHE 355UConsumer Health Issues

4

PHE 361Care and Prevention of Injuries

4

PHE 365Health Promotion Programs for Children and Youth

4

PHE 445Men's Health

4

PHE 446UCommunity Health Principles and Practices

4

PHE 448Health Education Techniques and Strategies

4

PHE 451Women and Holistic Health

4

PHE 453Women's Reproductive Health

4

PHE 456Health Aspects of Aging

4

PHE 466Mind/Body Health: Disease Prevention

4

PHE 467Mind/Body Health: Human Potential

4

PHE 480Controversial Issues in Community Health

4

Other electives may be taken with advisor approval.

Health Administration Concentration

The health administration concentration is designed for individuals who wish to develop or enhance a career in health systems administration, including such activities as health program management, health policy analysis, patient support, health finance, quality improvement, and other administrative functions.

Students who complete the course work required for the concentration will possess a basic understanding of health systems with particular knowledge and skills in administration and finance, health policy, and health systems. In addition to learning foundations of community and public health, students will gain knowledge in the basic conceptual frameworks of health services delivery; develop insights into the organization, delivery, and financing of health services; and build understanding of various perspectives of those who provide, finance, manage, govern, and access health services.

The program of study includes common core requirements, required courses, and elective course options.  Students pursuing a concentration in health administration must complete the following:

Required Courses (44 credits)

BA 101Introduction to Business and World Affairs

4

BA 306UEssentials of Finance for Non-Business Majors

4

Ec 316UIntroduction to Health Care Economics

4

PA 425Grantwriting for Nonprofit Organizations

4

PHE 321UIntroduction to Health Policy

4

PHE 322UHealth Services Administration

4

PHE 426Advanced Topics in Health Services Administration

4

PHE 427Introduction to Health Informatics

4

PHE 478Program Planning and Evaluation: Needs Assessment and Interventions

4

PHE 479Program Planning and Evaluation in Health Education: Implementation and Evaluation

4

Elective Courses (8)

Two electives from the following:

Comm 329UIntroduction to Health Communication

4

PA 315UManaging People for Change

4

PA 320UIntroduction to Nonprofit Management

4

PA 399Special Studies

1-4

PHE 354USocial Gerontology

4

PHE 423Business and Aging

4

PHE 472Marketing Public Health

4

Other electives may be taken with advisor approval.

Health Sciences Concentration

The health sciences concentration provides students seeking admittance into professional programs such as medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, and occupational therapy the opportunity to earn an undergraduate degree in health studies while completing pre-professional prerequisites.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in health sciences must select one of the following options: pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-physical therapy, pre-occupational therapy, pre-chiropractic medicine, pre-osteopathy, pre-podiatry, pre-nursing, pre-naturopathic medicine, pre-optometry, pre-pharmacy, and pre-physician assistant and pre-physician assistant or adviser approved option. In choosing courses to complete, students should verify the specific prerequisites required by the professional school(s) to which an application for admission is being submitted. Advising sheets summarizing prerequisites for professional schools in Oregon and selected schools in the Pacific Northwest can be found online at http://www.pdx.edu/clas/prepro.html . Students must complete all prerequisites required by the professional school to which an application is being submitted to receive a Health Science degree. Please consult regularly with your pre-health adviser.

In addition to the previously listed core courses, students must also complete 16 credits from the following upper-division courses:

16 credits from the following upper-division courses:

PHE 325UNutrition for Health

4

PHE 351UFilm and Health

4

PHE 354USocial Gerontology

4

PHE 355UConsumer Health Issues

4

PHE 361Care and Prevention of Injuries

4

PHE 365Health Promotion Programs for Children and Youth

4

PHE 370Applied Kinesiology

4

PHE 410Selected Topics

1-8

PHE 444UGlobal Health

4

PHE 445Men's Health

4

PHE 446UCommunity Health Principles and Practices

4

PHE 451Women and Holistic Health

4

PHE 453Women's Reproductive Health

4

PHE 456Health Aspects of Aging

4

PHE 466Mind/Body Health: Disease Prevention

4

PHE 467Mind/Body Health: Human Potential

4

PHE 473Physiology of Exercise

4

PHE 474Exercise Prescription and Training

4

PHE 475Exercise Testing Techniques

4

Other electives may be taken with advisor approval.

School Health Concentration

The school health concentration is designed for students interested in teaching health education within a public or private school setting. Upon completion of a bachelor’s degree, students are eligible to apply to the fifth-year Graduate Teacher Education Program (GTEP) in the Graduate School of Education at PSU. After completion of GTEP, students will be certified to teach in the state of Oregon.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in school health education must complete the following:

Required coursework (36 credits)

PHE 275Stress Management

4

PHE 295Health Promotion/Disease Prevention

4

PHE 325UNutrition for Health

4

PHE 326UDrug Education

4

PHE 335UHuman Sexuality

4

PHE 365Health Promotion Programs for Children and Youth

4

PHE 448Health Education Techniques and Strategies

4

Psy 311UHuman Development

4

Ed 420Introduction to Education and Society

4

It is required that students who intend to apply to the GTEP program complete an anatomy/physiology sequence.

8 Credits of electives from the following list:

CFS 390USex and the Family

4

CI 432Computer Applications for the Classroom

3

Psy 346Learning

4

Soc 337UMinorities

4

SpEd 418Survey of Exceptional Learners

3

PHE Elective Classes as approved by advisor

Women's Studies courses on Violence and Sexuality