• Description of Program
• Admission
• Degree Requirements
• Special Opportunities
• Careers

Description of Program

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health, with a concentration in Environmental Health, is a four year undergraduate degree offered through the Department of Environmental Health at Indiana University-Bloomington. The field of public health is charged with assessing, understanding, and responding to the behavioral and ecological factors that influence the health of communities throughout the world. Public health professionals strive to improve the health of individuals and communities by efforts situated in government agencies, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, schools and universities, and corporations. The proposed structure of the BSPH degree is consistent with the standards required by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the federally recognized accrediting body for public health academic programs. Students who choose the Public Health degree option are required to take courses related to the five core areas in public health: epidemiology, health administration, environmental health, biostatistics, and social and behavioral health. They also take courses that expose them to the basic fundamentals required of a public health professional in the areas of measurement and evaluation, theoretical and practical treatment of the concepts of disease prevention and health promotion, health disparities, research methods, public health program planning, and community health. At the conclusion of their course work, students must complete an internship which allows them to experience the day-to-day operations of a public health agency in addition to participating in the development, implementation, and evaluation of specific public health programs. Students completing this degree will be well positioned to begin employment as an environmental health specialist or pursue an advanced degree.

Admission

Apply online for undergraduate admission to Indiana University at http://admissions.indiana.edu/.

A newly admitted freshman pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree with a major in environmental health will receive an offer of direct freshman admission to the community health program if the new student meets both of the following criteria:

• The applicant must have earned one of the following minimum standardized test scores: A combined critical reading and math score of 1270 on the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or a composite score of 29 on the ACT (American College Test).
• The applicant must have either graduated in the top 12 percent of his or her high school graduating class or earned a minimum high school GPA of 3.5.

Before entering the School of Public Health - Bloomington as an environmental health major, all other students must meet both of the following criteria:

• The student must successfully complete at least 30 credit hours.
• The student must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA) at Indiana University.

Students in the University Division must also declare their intention to major in environmental health to the University Division Records Office. If a student earns less than 2.0 semester GPA for the term before entering the School of Public Health-Bloomington, the student may be admitted on academic probation as long as the student has completed 30 credits and has at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA.

International applicants for admission to a second undergraduate degree program in the School of Public Health - Bloomington, whose primary language is not English, must satisfy one of the following criteria before being considered for admission directly into one the School's degree programs:

• submission of a minimum score on the Test Of English As a Foreign Language (TOEFL), of 550 on the paper-based test, or 213 on the computer-based test, or 80 on the Internet-based test.
• submission of a minimum score of 7 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
• proof of completing at least three full years of secondary school in a predominantly English speaking country.

For students from countries where the TOEFL and the IELTS are not available, other evidence of English proficiency may be considered.

All entering international students whose primary language is not English will be required to take a special examination in English with IU prior to registering. Prepared by IU and designed to test a student’s ability to use English in an academic setting, the exam consists of three parts: an essay on a general topic, a listening comprehension exercise, and a grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension section. There is little that one can do to prepare for this exam other than to continue using written and spoken English at every opportunity. Appropriate remedial English courses may be prescribed on the basis of the results of this test.

International students whose primary language is not English must agree to take any English language courses prescribed from the results of this examination. Fees for special part-time English courses are the same as for other courses; however, credits earned do not meet degree requirements. If the results of the proficiency examination indicate that full-time work in English is required, the student will be assigned to the Intensive English Program (IEP).  

Students enrolled in IEP do not take academic courses until they achieve adequate English proficiency. If a student has serious doubts about English ability and is not financially prepared to undertake the additional time and expense of an intensive English program here, the student should consider completing English study in the student’s home country. In addition, the student may consider delaying admission to a future session.

Degree Requirements

This is a four-year program leading to the degree Bachelor of Science in Public Health with emphasis in community health. There is a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA) entrance requirement. Graduation requirements include:

• completion of general education requirements.
• completion of environmental health major requirements.
• a minimum of 120 successfully completed credit hours which count toward the degree program.
• a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.
• a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in courses with the department code-prefix: SPH-V.
• No Pass/Fail except for free electives.

General Education (20 – 39 credits)

All undergraduate students must complete the IU Bloomington campus-wide general education common ground requirements. Such students must visit the 2015-2016 General Education Bulletin to view these requirements.

Major (79 cr.)

Public Health Course Requirement (15 cr.)
A minimum grade of C– is required in each course.
Complete each of the following courses:

• SPH-B 366 Community Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-E 311 (Formerly SPH-H 311) Human Disease and Epidemiology (3 cr.)
• SPH-P 309 Public Health Administration (3 cr.)
• SPH-Q 381 (Formerly SPH-H 381) Introduction to Biostatistics (3 cr.)
• SPH-V 351 Foundations of Environmental Health (3 cr.)

Environmental Health Course Requirement (23 cr.)
A minimum grade of C– is required in each course.
Complete each of the following courses:

• SPH-V 201 Introduction to Occupational Safety and Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-V 214 Environmental Regulations and Code Compliance (3 cr.)
• SPH-V 215 Food Safety and Sanitation (3 cr.)
• SPH-V 341 Environmental Health Management (3 cr.)
• SPH-V 442 Introductory Toxicology (3 cr.)
• SPH-V 443 Environmental Sampling and Analysis (3 cr.)
• SPH-V 496 Field Experience in Public Health (5 cr.)

Additional Required Courses (41 cr.)
Complete each of the following courses:

• ANAT-A 215 Basic Human Anatomy (5 cr.) +N&M
• BIOL-L 112 Foundations of Biology: Biologic Mechanisms (3 cr.) +N&M
• BIOL-L 113 Biology Laboratory (3 cr.)
• BIOL-M 200 Microorganisms in Nature and Disease (3 cr.)
• CHEM-C 117 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I (3 cr.) +N&M
• CHEM-C 127 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I Laboratory (2 cr.) +N&M
• PHSL-P 215 Basic Human Physiology (5 cr.) +N&M
• PHYS-P 201 General Physics I (5 cr.) +N&M
• PSY-P 101 Introduction to Psychology I (3 cr.) +N&M
• SPEA-E 431 Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment (3 cr.)
• SPEA-E 451 Air Pollution and Control (3 cr.)
• SPEA-E 452 Solid and Hazardous Waste Management (3 cr.)

+ Courses with a A&H notation may apply toward both major requirements and the general education, arts and humanities requirement.

+ Courses with a N&M notation may apply toward both major requirements and the general education, natural and mathematical sciences requirement.

+ Courses with a S&H notation may apply toward both major requirements and the general education, social and historical studies requirement.

Suggested Environmental Health Courses for the First-Year Student
Fall Semester
ENG-W 131 Elementary Composition 1 (3 cr.) or equivalent
MATH-M 118 Finite Mathematics (3 cr.)
Arts and Humanities Elective (3 cr.)
Social and Historical Studies Elective (3 cr.)
CHEM-C 117 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I (3 cr.)
CHEM-C 127 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I Laboratory (3 cr.)

Spring Semester
BIOL-L 112 Foundations of Biology: Biologic Mechanisms (3 cr.)
BIOL-L 113 Biology Laboratory (3 cr.)
PSY-P 101 Introduction to Psychology I (3 cr.)
Arts and Humanities Elective (3 cr.)
Social and Historical Studies Elective (3 cr.)

Special Opportunities

Degree programs in public health balance theoretical knowledge with professional experience through internships and opportunities to work with faculty on research, teaching, and service projects.

Careers

The work of a public health professional is diverse and includes activities such as documenting the spread of disease and illness, developing and managing programs designed to change health-related behaviors, implementing regulatory initiatives and working with policy makers to facilitate societal changes that promote well-being. Public interest in a healthy lifestyle is increasing the demand for public health professionals. Public health careers can be found in local, state, and federal government; nonprofit organizations; businesses and corporations; hospitals; county health departments; universities; and with health foundations and health-based grant projects. A public health degree can lead to career positions such as the following:

• Biostatistician
• Disease Prevention Manager
• Environmental Health Specialist
• Health Data Analyst
• Health Promotion Specialist
• Maternal and Child Health Specialist
• Public Health Educator
• Public Health Epidemiologist
• Public Health Researcher
• Sexual Health Educator
• Technical Advisor for HIV/AIDS Programs
• Vaccine Advisor and Program Manager
• Youth Tobacco Prevention Coordinator