BS in Public Health

Degree Requirements

To earn the Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree from UIC, students need to complete the university and school degree requirements. University and school degree requirements for all Bachelor of Science in Public Health students are outlined below. Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog for more information on completing the General Education requirements.

Summary of Requirements
Pre-Public Health (includes 11 semester hours of PUBH prerequisites and 19-24 hours of free electives)60
Major Course Requirements in Public Health35
Selectives15
Electives: Preapproved by advisor as relevant to plan of study3
Additional Free Electives7
Total Hours120

Pre-Public Health

Required Courses
ENGL 160Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts3
ENGL 161Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research3
Quantitative Reasoning Course a4-5
Select one of the following:
Introduction to Statistics
Introduction to Statistics for the Life Sciences
Precalculus Mathematics
Calculus for the Life Sciences
Calculus I
PUBH 100Health and the Public b,c3
PUBH 105Foundations for Public Health d2
PUBH 110Public Health and Global Societies b,e3
PUBH 120Public Health and the Study of Disease and Epidemics f3
Analyzing the Natural World - Life Science course with a lab. Select one of the following:4
Biology of Cells and Organisms
Biology of Populations and Communities
Exploring World Cultures course g,i3
Understanding U.S. Society course h,i3
Understanding the Individual and Society course g,h,i3
Understanding the Past course i3
Understanding the Creative Arts course i3
Additional General Education course(s) from any category, as necessary, to total 24 hours of General Education0-2
Free electives to total 60 hours j19-24
Total Hours60
a

See Quantitative Reasoning in the School of Public Health section. STAT 101 or STAT 130 is recommended to fulfill this requirement. 

b

This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society General Education category. 

c

This course is approved for the Understanding U.S. Society General Education category. 

d

Required for first year students in the School of Public Health as well as transfer students who enter the School of Public Health with less than 24 semester hours. Other students may enroll with permission of the instructor if space permits. 

e

This course is approved for the Exploring World Cultures General Education category. 

f

This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category (non laboratory course). 

g

Students must take a course approved for this General Education category if not fulfilled by PUBH 110.

h

Students must take a course approved for this General Education category if not fulfilled by PUBH 100.

i

Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog for a list of approved courses in this category. All students must complete a minimum of 24 semester hours of General Education coursework with at least one course from each of the six General Education categories. Courses approved for more than one General Education category may only be applied to one General Education category.

j

If any future selective courses have prerequisites that are not already satisfied by the University and General Education requirements, students are advised to choose free electives that work towards satisfying these requirements.

Major Course Requirements in Public Health

Required Courses
PUBH 300Critical Thinking in Public Health4
PUBH 301Critical Thinking in Public Health II2
PUBH 310Public Health and Global Citizenship3
PUBH 320Ecologies of Health and Modern Life3
PUBH 330Health Equity and Health Disparities3
PUBH 340Health Literacy3
PUBH 350Health Systems, Health Policy3
PUBH 360Local Citizenship and Community Health Initiatives4
PUBH 370Using the Public Health Toolbox3
PUBH 395Professional Topics Seminar0
PUBH 397Baccalaureate Project in Public Health3
PUBH 410Historical and Contemporary Public Health Challenges I2
PUBH 411Historical and Contemporary Public Health Challenges II2
Total Hours35

Selectives and Electives

Select from a list of courses within the School of Public Health and across campus representing an array of bench, lab, and applied sciences. Students are highly encouraged to consider PUBH 393 for one of their selective options. PUBH 420 is among the selective options and may be a prerequisite requirement for some other public health courses on the list. 15
Select elective courses preapproved by the advisor as relevant to the student's plan of study.3
Additional free electives a7
Total Hours25
a

If any of the selective courses have prerequisites that are not already satisfied with the University and General Education Requirements, students are advised to choose free electives that work toward satisfying these prerequisites requirements. 

Sample Major Course Schedule 

Plan of Study Grid
Junior Year
Fall SemesterHours
PUBH 300 Critical Thinking in Public Health 4
PUBH 330 Health Equity and Health Disparities 3
PUBH 350 Health Systems, Health Policy 3
PUBH 395 Professional Topics Seminar 0
Free electives 6
 Hours16
Spring Semester
PUBH 301 Critical Thinking in Public Health II 2
PUBH 320 Ecologies of Health and Modern Life 3
PUBH 340 Health Literacy 3
PUBH 360 Local Citizenship and Community Health Initiatives 4
PUBH 395 Professional Topics Seminar 0
Public Health elective 3
 Hours15
Senior Year
Fall Semester
PUBH 370 Using the Public Health Toolbox 3
PUBH 410 Historical and Contemporary Public Health Challenges I 2
Public Health selective a 3
Public Health selective a 3
Public Health selective a 3
Free elective 1
 Hours15
Spring Semester
PUBH 310 Public Health and Global Citizenship 3
PUBH 397 Baccalaureate Project in Public Health 3
PUBH 411 Historical and Contemporary Public Health Challenges II 2
Public Health selective a 3
Public Health selective a 3
 Hours14
 Total Hours60
a

PUBH 393 is strongly recommended as one of the selective options.