Public Health Minor

for the Undergraduate Minor in Public Health

The Public Health Minor is directed toward undergraduate students across campus, and within the College of Applied Health Sciences, who seek an introduction to the field and its disciplines, and for those who anticipate knowledge in public health will help them succeed in their careers. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of public health to the successful functioning of society.

The requirements for the Public Health Minor include four required courses that will provide students with foundational knowledge and expose them to the concepts, core functions, and applications of public health in a variety of the specific disciplines including health promotion and education, epidemiology, and environmental health. The requirements represent 13 credit hours of coursework, 7 of which are offered at an advanced level. In addition, students will complete 6 hours from a list of elective courses which will provide students with flexibility in crafting a program that will allow them to gain additional knowledge in a specific area of public health, if so desired. More information about the Public Health Minor can be found here on the Department of Health and Kinesiology minor's page.

for the Undergraduate Minor in Public Health

The requirements for the Minor in Public Health include four required courses that will provide students with foundational knowledge. In addition, students will be exposed to the concepts, core functions, and applications of public health in a variety of the specific disciplines including health promotion and education, epidemiology, and environmental health. The requirements represent 13 credit hours of coursework, 7 of which are offered at an advanced level. In addition, students will complete 6 hours from a list of elective courses. This will allow students the opportunity to develop expertise in a specific area of interest.

Minimum required course work: Students must complete 13 hours of required coursework and a minimum of hours of elective coursework, including at least 6 hours of 300- or 400-level courses that are not used in any other major or minor.

Foundational Courses (Required):13
HK 111Introduction to Public Health3
HK 207Introduction to Epidemiology3
HK 408Environmental Health3
HK 410Public Health Practice4
Elective Courses:6
HK 110Contemporary Health3
HK 206Health Care Systems3
HK 208Introduction to Medical Ethics3
HK 271Health Equity in the United States3
HK 305Community Health Organizations3
HK 412Infectious Disease Epidemiology3
HK 413Chronic Disease Epidemiology3
HK 414International Health3
HK 416Applied Health Data Analysis3
HK 417Health Services Financing3
HK 419Artificial Intelligence in Public Health3
HK 420Community Health Assessment and Planning3
HK 423Social Marketing and Comm in Health Education & Promotion3
HK 424Emergency Preparedness, Planning, and Response3
HK 472Health and Kinesiology Study Abroad3
HK 474Public Health Nutrition3
Total Hours19

for the Undergraduate Minor in Public Health

  1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of public health including basic concepts and core functions of public health, the scope of applications, and the variety of service organizations (both public and private) that shape public health.
  2. Demonstrate a basic understanding of epidemiology, including basic concepts and methods, patterns of disease occurrence, applications of epidemiology to health education, health services administration and planning, health policy, and environmental health.
  3. Demonstrate an ability to apply knowledge of public health. Understand theory and practice of public health promotion as they relate to educational approaches in solving community health problems.
  4. Demonstrate a basic understanding of environmental health that includes concepts and mechanisms used to prevent or control environmental conditions that may lead to infectious or other environmentally induced diseases. In addition, gain understanding of topics from a public health perspective such as air pollution, water supply management, waste management, radiation protection, food hygiene, occupational health and disaster management.

Programs in Health and Kinesiology

Undergraduate Programs

Graduate Programs

for the Undergraduate Minor in Public Health

Health and Kinesiology

Health and Kinesiology website
Health and Kinesiology Faculty

College of Applied Health Sciences

Applied Health Sciences College Catalog page
Applied Health Sciences College website

To declare the minor or ask questions about the requirements, please contact:
Dr. Andiara Schwingel, Dr. Whitney Wolff,  or Staci Baxley; 217-333-2307.