Program Codes:
BSPH
Bachelor of Science
Introduction
The Public Health Department offers a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and a minor in public health. The Public Health program at Mercyhurst was developed to meet the growing demand for public health studies among college students nationwide and in response to the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation to the US Department of Education that all college campuses offer public health coursework to undergraduate students.
In 2009, the Los Angeles Times reported that the US is facing a “public health workforce shortage” and noted that by 2020 America will be short more than 250,000 public health workers. Students majoring in public health can pursue a wide range of public health careers including: public health practice, health education, infection control, environmental health, epidemiology, biostatistics, health services research or administration, health policy, and international health.
Public health also provides a strong platform for students interested in a wide variety of careers in related fields including medicine, health care, biotechnology and the life sciences. There are also a wide variety of graduate school options for students pursuing a public health major. There are currently more than 50 graduate schools of public health in the US in some of the nation’s best universities offering both master and doctoral degrees.
A Bachelor of Arts degree is recommended for those interested in graduate school for any of the following programs: Master’s in Public Health, Health Care Administration, Public Health Policy, Maternal and Childhood Health, Global Health, Social Work, MBA, etc. A Bachelor of Science degree is recommended for those interested in graduate school for any of the following programs: Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Chronic and Infectious Disease, Medical, Dental, Nursing and Physician Assistant programs. Working with advisors, students in the Bachelor of Arts track may choose an area of focus: Community Health or Global Health. Students in the Bachelor of Science track may choose an area of focus: Pre-Health Professions, Epidemiology, or Environmental Health.
Mission Statement
Consistent with the mission of Mercyhurst University, the Public Health Department at Mercyhurst seeks to educate students to be globally responsible citizens who take intelligent actions to improve the lives and conditions of people around the world. The Department strives to:
Program Student Learning Outcomes
The faculty members of the Public Health Department have identified five major Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for Majors in the Public Health Program. These SLOs are based on the 14 Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH) specific learning outcomes, which have been combined into 5 broader learning outcomes.
Unique Focus
The public health program has a unique focus that provides students with skills that are:
In addition to core public health methods they will learn new and evolving methods that are likely to shape the field over the next decade including crowd sourcing, social network analysis, and agent-based modeling. Students will graduate with a distinct set of skills that are marketable to employers or that will make them strong candidates for further studies.
These skills include strong data analysis, statistical programming, and database development skills. In addition, from the outset, they will be taught “soft skills” related to professionalism, teamwork and advancement that will put them on a path to exceed in their careers.
Unique Experiential Approach
The public health program has a unique approach that defines the program and sets it apart from most other undergraduate programs in public health. Three defining principles provide maximum benefit for career development:
Knowledge acquisition is only one aspect of learning. The public health program focuses on teaching the students skills that are critical for a successful career in public health. This approach focuses not only on what students know when they graduate but also on what they can do and is consistent with professional expectations for public health graduates entering the work force or graduate studies. The curriculum is team based and harnesses that power to improve student outcomes and learning through case studies projects, exercises and simulations.
Public Health Minor
A minor in public health is useful to any student considering a career in medicine, health care or the health sciences. Seven total courses are required for the public health minor including the five required core courses listed below along with 2 additional elective PUBH courses.
PUBH 101 Foundations of Public Health - 3 credits
PUBH 201 Environmental Health - 3 credits
PUBH 211 Global Health - 3 credits
PUBH 260 Principles of Epidemiology I - 3 credits
STAT 137 Biostatistics - 3 credits
Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) majors must maintain a 2.5 GPA 10 core courses and a practicum requirement before graduation (Public Health Field Experience or Public Health Internship or Public Health Senior Research Practicum). BS prepares students for various graduate programs. BS is recommended for those pursing prehealth professions. There are 10 required core courses in the public health curriculum:
Public health is both a discipline and a perspective on human health, with an emphasis on the health of populations and groups rather than on individual patients. This focus on serving the needs of populations and emphasis on prevention over traditional medicine approaches presents economic, political and ethical challenges to public health workers and researchers. Public health requires a unique skill set that pulls from statistics, demography and biology to the social sciences and public policy. This course will focus on the core areas of public health practice including chronic disease prevention, transmission of infectious diseases, health promotion, disease-related research and environmental health.
A critical role of public health is to promote and transform the health of populations. During this course, theories and models that explain health behaviors and outcomes are described, and successes and failures of past and present health promotion initiatives are discussed. Students learn the ethical, philosophical, theoretical and practical reasons for improving the health of people and their communities as well as the key elements of planning and implementing effective health promotion programs. Opportunities for applying health education and promotion methods cross settings and sectors of communities. Careers and educational pathways for health educators are also reviewed.
Environmental Health is an introduction to the role of environmental exposures in human health and disease. Though the focus is on humans, because the human ecological footprint is expanding and has few natural boundaries, the impacts of human activities on the broader environment and non-human systems are equally important to our understanding of the role of environment on health. It is an applied science course that will focus on finding solutions to the many challenges posed by environmental health hazards including chemical, biological and radiation exposures at work, at home and at play-and the choices we must make to minimize personal exposures while participating in an expanding global economy. A major emphasis is on understanding the role of public health in environmental health science while linking these disciplines to broader goals of preserving environmental quality and protecting human health.
Americans eat more, work more, and exercise less than the citizens of all other developed nations. As a result, the prevalence of chronic disease is higher in the U.S. than all European countries and U.S. health care costs are the highest in the world. The U.S. doesn't have a health care problem-it has a public health problem. "Health care" and "public health" have developed in silos despite the fact that both fields are fundamentally tied to one another. This course provides students with a framework to think systematically about the determinants of health, the problems linking public health and physician and hospital-based health care, and the strategies available to governments and policymakers for addressing these matters. The course emphasizes contemporary topics that are important in the health policy debates of virtually all nations and provides cross-national comparisons of public health and health care systems.
A person born in Japan can expect to live to 83 while a person born in Eswatini is unlikely to see their 32nd birthday. There are dramatic differences in the health and well being of populations around the world. What explains these disparities and what can be done about them? These questions and more are fundamental to the core of global health. This course will use case studies, interactive exercises and simulations to teach students the core principles of global health while encouraging them to think globally and act locally. Students will learn about cutting-edge methodologies in global health including the use of mobile phones to monitor health, the use of Gapminder software to study population health trends, and modeling techniques to simulate the impact of proposed public health policy interventions.
This course enables students to build the skills necessary to become a productive career professional through practical development of skills and resources needed to build lifelong habits and experiences. Deliverables include resume and cover letter development, social media presence through Linked in and the development of skills necessary for spontaneous communication with peers, professionals and organizations. Performance through exercises and interaction with others will result in confidence with public speaking, networking, interviewing, professional appearance and the management of projects.Open to freshmen and sophomores or instructor’s approval.
Social and economic conditions are currently the best predictors of health outcomes in the United States, and improvements in living conditions better explain gains in human life expectancy than improvements in medicine alone. The links between social structures (risk conditions) and lifestyles (risk factors) are explored. The impact of risk conditions, such as income and education, on health outcomes are reviewed and compared across communities and cultures. Students are introduced to emerging theories and research on the social determinants of health. The benefits and costs of decreasing inequity and injustice as well as increasing equity and justice are critically analyzed.
This course will provide an introduction to statistical methods used in research with an emphasis on describing, organizing, applying and interpreting a variety of basic statistical techniques. Topics include measurement scales, elements of experimental design, probability, hypothesis testing, descriptive statistics, correlation, t-tests, analysis of variance, chi-square tests, regression techniques, and non-parametric statistical methods. Students will gain experience in basic data management using a data entry platform, such as Excel.
All students in the BSPH track must also complete a field experience, internship, or research practicum prior to graduation.
Experiential learning is a critical for students to develop the competencies in public health that will enable them to have successful careers. The public health field experience is an intensive field work experience that allows students to gain real experience working on a community-based public health project or with a public health agency or an organization that has a public health mission.
Internships are a combination of classroom and on the job experiences in public health. Internship are a great way to stand out to potential employers and to start building a professional network.
Courses that meet the University’s Core requirements as well as the major core are: PUBH 101 Foundations of Public Health and STAT 137 Biostatistics.
Students in the BSPH program are also required to take a total of 7 electives (21 credits). Five of those electives (15 credits) should be in math and science (biology, chemistry, physics, sociology, psychology) from a list of pre-approved multidisciplinary courses. The other two courses should be PUBH electives (six credits). Students work with their public health faculty advisor to choose among the preapproved elective courses below.
Introduction to the biology of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including the structure and function of membranes and organelles, especially mitochondria and chloroplasts. Also included are studies of the molecular structure and function of DNA, with emphasis on the organization of the eukaryotic genome, transcription and translation.
BIO 143
BIO 147
This course is designed to examine classical embryology as well as organismal, cellular and genetic changes that accompany major transitions in development throughout the entire life cycle of animals, including aging. As a seminar course we will examine the evolutionary basis of developmental patterns, and we will explore the most current developments in science and medicine that interface with these phases of development.
BIO 142
As a study focusing on the ideas of physics, this course is aimed at students with non-science majors. Very few math skills are necessary as the emphases are the historical development of physics, the main concepts and ideas of physics, and the current state of the discipline. A central theme in the course will be using physics to explain everyday phenomena.
PHYS 110
This course is an algebra-based physics course designed both for students with science majors and as a laboratory science course in the core curriculum. A working knowledge of algebra and the basics of trigonometry are required. The major topics that will be covered include: Newtonian mechanics, circular motion, energy, momentum, rotational motion and Fluid mechanics. Though concepts of physics will be discussed in detail, the focus of the course will be problem-solving techniques.
MATH 112 OR MATH 118 OR MATH 170
PHYS 103
This course is a continuation of Principles of Physics I; thus similar mathematical skill level requirements apply. Additionally, this course in the series continues to emphasize the application of physics to other fields. Topics include vibrations, wave motion, light and optics, and electricity & magnetism.
PHYS 101
PHYS 106
A general introduction to the science of behavior and mental processes. Topics considered include learning, memory, perception, motivation, personality, psychopathology and social interaction.
An introduction to the principles and problems involved in the assessment of human behavior. This course highlights the skills involved in collecting, interpreting, and integrating data from a variety of sources, such as interviews, observations, and formal psychological testing. It will emphasize how this information is presented through psychological report writing.
PSYC 211 or PSYC 221
This course focuses on the relationship and interaction of the mind and body. That is, how psychological functioning relates to illness and disease; treatment and outcome; and recovery and cure. In addition, the student will be introduced to the impact of age, gender and ethnicity on the availability of, use of, and access to health care. The relationship of stress and lifestyle on the immune system, wellness and disease will be discussed. The psychological and physical interaction of some of today's major health issues such as eating, smoking, drinking, cancer and heart disease are presented with a discussion of treatment and outcome. Also, lifetime accommodation to chronic illness/disease based on psychological adjustment is reviewed. Other topics include: response to terminal illness, adjustment to trauma and the current industrialization of health care.
This course examines the social foundations of human thoughts, feelings, and behavior by addressing the following aspects of social life: (a) social influence; (b) social roles and public behavior; (c) inferences about other people; and (d) interpersonal relations and groups. Among the topics to be considered are: the influence of public behavior on social norms, persuasion, impression management, social emotions, judgment of responsibility and character, interpersonal attraction, aggression, altruism, group dynamics, and inter-group conflict. The course will concentrate on the level of analysis of the individual, but will include sociological and evolutionary perspectives where appropriate.
This course explores the biological basis of behavior and experience, including the role of the brain in emotions, learning, memory, motivation, sleep, perception, consciousness, and psychological disorders. The course also considers how the brain recovers from damage.
This course covers basic principles of psychopharmacology, including the effects of stimulants, depressants, opioids, psychedelics, cannabis, as well as alcohol, caffeine and tobacco. Also considered is the nature of addiction and modalities of treatment and prevention of drug abuse.
PSYC 101
This course introduces the major themes underpinning the behavioral approach to constructing healthy behavior repertoires. In addition to considering methods of behavioral assessment, the course surveys a variety of treatment modalities, including contingency management, token economies, exposure therapies, modeling, cognitive behavioral therapies, and acceptance and mindfulness-based interventions. Ethical principles as well as applications to medical disorders and to community problems are also considered.
This course provides an introduction to the basic principles of behavior, according to both operant and respondent conditioning paradigms. It covers the key dimensions of human behavior, the environmental factors involved in operant conditioning, and the tools and techniques developed to measure, record, and analyze resulting data. The functional relevance of behavior is explored so that ethical behavior change procedures may promote lasting change in a variety of clinical, organizational, and social contexts.
PSYC 281
An introduction to the statistical, experimental and descriptive research methods in psychology. Topics include how to conduct literature searches, the American Psychological Association (APA) style of writing, the research process, ethics and bias in research and experimental/non-experimental research design. Statstical topics include measurement scales, hypothesis testing, descriptive statistics, and concepts and procedures in statistical inference.
A continuation of RDSA I, this course further explores statistical, experimental, and descriptive research techniques in Psychology. Students learn statistical tests such as t-tests, analysis of variance, and correlation, and explore in more detail the structural components of experimental designs. Students apply course material by replicating a study and presenting their results in both a full written APA-style research report and in an oral (poster or presentation) format.
PSYC 291
This course fosters an understanding of the roots, development and impact of contemporary worldwide terrorism, especially in the United States, while using a simulated operational environment.
A course designed for students considering a science major or interested in environmental issues, providing a survey of topics in environmental science including the ecosystem concept, risks and economics of pollution, and specific environmental pollution, air pollution, toxic wastes, pesticides and energy resources.
ENVS_101
This course introduces students to the discipline of sociology-the scientific study of human behavior as shaped by collective forces and self-reflections. The primary aim of this course is to enhance students' ability to interpret and evaluate the social and cultural influences around us. To achieve this aim, the course compares and contrasts sociological theoretical paradigms, as well as discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
This course is focused on learning the basics of conducting social science research as well as critiquing and utlizing existing research. Students are exposed to key aspects of the research process including: choosing a research topic; identifying the population of interest; conducting a literature review; selecting a research design; collecting data; and descriptive analysis.
A minor in public health is useful to any student considering a career in medicine, health care or the health sciences. Seven total courses are required for the public health minor including the five required core courses listed below along with 2 additional elective PUBH courses.
PUBH 101 Foundations of Public Health (3 credits)
PUBH 201 Environmental Health (3 credits)
PUBH 211 Global Health (3 credits)
PUBH 260 Principles of Epidemiology I (3 credits)
STAT 137 Biostatistics (3 credits)