Major Undergraduate Program

The Public Health & Society major offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to understanding health. This major combines insights from humanistic, biological, ecological, sociocultural, and historical perspectives on health and society. 

As a collaboration between experts in Public Health and Arts & Sciences, the program explores the connections between humanistic and scientific issues related to health. It addresses questions about how health intersects with history, economics, politics, and culture, as well as biology, environment, and ecology. Students tackle contemporary health issues such as: 

  • What are the major threats to human health today? 
  • How do societies identify, monitor, and respond to these threats? 
  • How do biological factors interact with social, cultural, economic, environmental, and political factors to influence health? 
  • Why do some people experience poorer health than others? 
  • Why do public health interventions sometimes face resistance? 

In this program, students develop critical reading, effective communication, and a broad understanding of public health and its social contexts, both historically and in the present day. The major also emphasizes ethical training, focusing on how equity, inclusion, and diversity impact health outcomes. 

A key feature of this major is the APEX capstone course (Advanced Practical Experience in Public Health), which is exclusive to Public Health & Society majors. This capstone provides practical, community-based or research-focused experience, supported by a seminar that encourages peer learning. To participate in the APEX capstone course, students must first complete the 3000-level course, Research Methods in Understanding Health and Society. 

All program courses are co-taught by Arts & Sciences faculty alongside public health practitioners. Students gain access to and experience from people working across diverse communities, blending theory and research with relevant practice.

Major Curriculum Requirements

Total credits required: 34 credits

Required courses: 5 courses (16 credits)

  • PubHlthSoc 1000 Foundations in Public Health: Ethics, Policy ad Power (3 credits)
  • PubHlthSoc 2000 Introduction to Public and Global Health (3 credits)
  • PubHlthSoc 3000 Public Health Theories, Models, and Frameworks (3 credits)
  • PubHlthSoc 3100 Research Methods in Understanding Health and Society (3 credits)
  • APEX: Advanced Practical Experience in Public Health -PubHlthSoc 4000 APEX: Advanced Practical Experience in Public Health Seminar (1 credit) -PubHlthSoc 4001 APEX: Advanced Practical Experience in Public Health Practicum (3 credits) or -PubHlthSoc 4002 APEX: Advanced Practical Experience in Public Health Practicum—Study Abroad (1 credit)

Electives: 6 courses (18 units)

  • Students select 6 elective courses (18 credits) from the following five different knowledge cluster categories. 2 of the 6 electives must come from the Social, Cultural, and Historical Analysis category.
    • Social, Cultural, Historical Analysis of Health, Illness, and Wellness (SCH) (2 courses required)
    • Global Health (GH)
    • Biological Approaches to Health and Physiology (BAP)
    • Environmental Health and Environmental Issues (EH/EI)
    • Health Research Methods & Policy (HRMP)
  • 15 elective credits must be at the advanced level (3000, 4000), 6 of which must be at the 4000 level.
  • New electives will be added to the electives list as they become available and are approved. Students may petition to have an elective added.

Additional information:

  • All courses must be letter-graded and completed with a grade of C or better
  • Two courses (6 credits) may be completed through an approved study abroad program.
  • PubHlthSoc 1000, 2000, and 3000 have no prerequisites and need not be taken sequentially.
  • PubHlthSoc 3100 - Prerequisite: PubHlthSoc 2000 or concurrent enrollment in PubHlthSoc 2000 
  • PubHlthSoc APEX courses are restricted to PH&S majors. It is strongly recommended that PubHlthSoc 3100 be completed prior to enrolling in PubHlthSoc 4000, 4001, 4002.
  • PubHlthSoc 4000 and 4001 must be taken together.
  • Students choosing to complete an approved study abroad program for the practicum portion of their APEX course will enroll in a supervised research course at the home institution or through SIT or equivalent; 3 credits from that supervised course will be transferred back as the practicum portion of the APEX course and counted as equivalent to LPHS 4001. Study abroad students will enroll in the 1-credit seminar portion of the APEX course (LPHS 4002) following their practicum.

A full list of electives can be found here

Study Abroad

The Program in Public Health & Society highly encourages students to participate in study abroad opportunities. We invite you to explore our programs and wish you success as you embark on your international experience! 

Learn more about study abroad