Minor Undergraduate Program

Public health is ascending as a critical field of research and practice around the world, including in undergraduate education. The Public Health & Society minor is a well-integrated interdisciplinary minor with enriched and amplified connections between public health and foundational and theoretical issues in humanistic, biological, ecological, sociocultural, and historical perspectives on health and society.  

Students in this program learn to read critically, communicate effectively, and think broadly about the complexities of public health and its social contexts in the past, present, and future. The minor emphasizes ethical training in public health science, highlighting the social determinants of health, particularly the development of a foundational understanding of how issues of equity, inclusion, and diversity influence health outcomes.

A description of the minor in Public Health & Society and a list of sample courses are included below. 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.

Minor Curriculum Requirements

Total credits required: 18 credits

  • All courses must be letter-graded and completed with a grade of C or better. 
  • At least 9 credits must be at the 3000 level or above. 
  • Only one course (3 credits) may be completed through an approved study abroad program.

Required courses: 3 courses (9 credits)

  • PubHlthSoc 1000 Foundations in PH Ethics, Policy and Power (3 credits) (SSC) 
  • PubHlthSoc 2000 Introduction to PH/GH (3 credits) (SSC)
  • PubHlthSoc 3000 PH Theories, Models, Frameworks (3 credits) (SSC)

Electives: 3 courses (9 credits)
Students select elective courses from any one of the five different elective categories as listed below; at least one course must be from the “Social, Cultural and Historical Analysis” category. 

  • Social, Cultural, and Historical Analysis of Health, Illness, and Wellness (SCH)
  • Global Health (GH)
  • Biological Approaches to Health and Physiology (BAP)
  • Environmental Health and Environmental Issues (EH/EI)
  • Health Research Methods & Policy (HRMP)

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

Required Courses

PubHlthSoc 1000 Foundations in Public Health

This course examines the foundations of public health using an equity and social justice approach emphasizing the interconnectedness of population and individual health. The course will cover the history and impact of public health, including the importance of health equity, social justice, and human rights, as well as the essential role of ethics in public health. The course will expose students to various public health professionals working on inter-professional teams to explore careers in public health, we will invite public health and community health experts from the St. Louis region as well as national and international guest speakers.

PubHlthSoc 2000 Introduction to Public and Global Health

This course is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to the multifaceted dimensions of public health both within the United States and internationally. Throughout this course, students will embark on a journey to understand how health has been defined within the global context, exploring the historical evolution of public and global health disciplines as well as contemporary issues within the field. Delving into the ethical landscape of global health research, programming, and policy, students will articulate human rights issues and examine approaches ensuring ethical interventions. The course will shed light on the intricate interplay of social determinants of health, unraveling their impact on well-being and the emergence of health inequities. By examining both successes and failures in global health interventions, students will gain a nuanced understanding of the challenges inherent in the field. Furthermore, the course will foster a comparative analysis of the organization, structure, and function of diverse healthcare systems across international settings. Finally, with a focus on morbidity and mortality, students will explore major causes, trends, and measures of infectious and chronic disease, as well as some underappreciated and emerging issues, providing a holistic perspective on the critical issues shaping the landscape of public and global health today. We will engage with class topics through a range of mediums, including book chapters, scientific papers, media pieces, podcasts, guest lectures from leaders in the field, and TED talks.

PubHlthSoc 3000 Public Health Theories, Models, and Frameworks

This course will provide an overview of social and behavioral science and humanistic theories and frameworks that are currently used to: 1) understand health related behaviors; and 2) guide development of interventions and policies designed to promote positive health behavior including those that prevent, reduce or eliminate major public health problems. We will also explore the history of these theories and frameworks and the cultural and artistic approaches to change health and health related behaviors. We will use an ecological framework to examine theories at multiple levels of the culture and social ecology from individual to policy level, focusing on applications that will impact health at the population level.

A full list of electives can be found here