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Minor Undergraduate Program

Public Health & Society Minor

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.

Curriculum Requirements

Total credits required: 18 credits

Required courses: 3 courses (9 credits)

  • PUBHLTHSOC 1000 - Foundations in Public Health  (3 credits)
  • PUBHLTHSOC 2000 - Introduction to Public and Global Health (3 credits)
  • PUBHLTHSOC 3000 - Public Health Theories, Models, Frameworks (3 credits)

Electives: 3 courses (9 credits)

Students pursuing a Public Health & Society minor must complete three elective courses, totaling nine credits. At least one course must be from the “Social, Cultural, and Historical Analysis” category. At least six elective credits must be at the 3000 level or above.

New electives will be added to the electives list as they become available and are approved. Students may petition to have an elective added.

A full list of electives can be found here

View electives organized by topic

Additional Information:

  • All courses must be letter-graded and completed with a grade of C or better.
  • Only one course (three credits) may be completed through an approved study abroad program.
  • PUBHLTHSOC 1000, 2000, and 3000 have no prerequisites and need not be taken sequentially.
  • Students with more than one major/minor may count only introductory (100/1000- and 200/2000-level) courses, where relevant, toward the requirements for the programs. Advanced (300/3000-level and greater) courses may not count for more than one of the programs. If more than one program requires the same course, a departmentally-sanctioned elective must be chosen to replace the course in the other program(s).

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

View electives organized by topic

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