Public Health minor

Office: W393 Thompson Hall

(716) 673-3469

Linda Dorsten, Coordinator

Website: http://www.fredonia.edu/department/interdisciplinary/

Public health incorporates nearly every aspect of health and perhaps is best defined by its mission: "Maximum health for all, via the prevention of disease, disability and unhealthful environmental conditions." The focus of public health is on health conditions of people in social, geographic, economic or other types of communities, both local and global. In contrast, medicine focuses on the health conditions of the individual. Public health emphasizes prevention; in medicine, the emphasis is on treatment.

The Interdisciplinary Studies minor in Public Health offers students the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills in the broad field of public health, incorporating emergent issues (e.g., new public health topics such as bioterrorism and emerging infectious diseases) along with more traditional topics such as: communicable and chronic diseases; maternal and child health; injuries; psychosocial issues and tobacco; mental health, substance abuse and social violence; and air, water and solid hazardous waste. The Public Health minor will facilitate private or public sector careers addressing physical, mental and/or environmental health concerns of communities and populations at risk for disease/injury, and graduate study in public health.

Requirements for the minor in Public Health

The minor requires successful completion of 19 credit hours.

Six (6) credit hours must be from 300-400 level courses.

Only 6 credit hours may be taken in a student’s major.

SOC 215 should be completed early, preferably during the sophomore year, and as soon as possible after declaring the minor. Enrolling in SOC 415 requires completion of 15 credit hours of public health courses, including SOC 215.

Required Courses: (10 credit hours)

SOC 215	Introduction to Public Health	3
BIOL 110	Human Biology	3
	or
BIOL 111	Introduction to Biology	3
	or
BIOL 133	Principles of Biology II	3
BIOL 457	Biostatistics	3
	or
SOC 300	Research Methods	3
SOC 415	Seminar in Public Health	1

BIOL 457: or STAT 250 for Biology majors

SOC 415: 1 credit hour; after completing 15 credit hours public health course work

Electives: (9 credit hours required)

1. Biosciences (at least 3 credit hours required)

BIOL 110	Human Biology	3
BIOL 131	Principles of Biology I	3
BIOL 243	Biodiversity	3
BIOL 236	Human Anatomy and Physiology and Lab
BIOL 251	Basic Concepts in Biology	1-3
BIOL 310	The Human Genome	3
BIOL 336	Mammalian Physiology	3
BIOL 338	Microbiology	3
BIOL 345	Emerging Infectious Diseases	3
	or
BIOL 360	AIDS and STDs	3
	or
BIOL 450	Modern Concepts in Biology	1-3
CHEM 107	Chemistry for Consumers	3
	or
CHEM 113	Chemistry and the Environment	3
	or
CHEM 115	General Chemistry Lecture I	3
ESCI 105	Global Environmental Issues	3
	or
ESCI 410	Environmental Assessment	3

2. Social/Behavioral Sciences (at least 3 credit hours required)

PSY 247	Health Psychology	3
SOC 240	Health and Society	3
SOC 311	Sociology of Addiction	3
SOC 321	Population and Society	3
SOC 345	Women, Health and Society	3
	or
PSY 255	Psychology of Women	3

3. Specialty Groups/Courses (suggested courses)

Biosciences:

BIOL 437	Molecular Genetics Laboratory	2
BIOL 470	Hormone Mechanisms	3
CHEM 116	General Chemistry Lecture II	3
CHEM 125	General Chemistry Laboratory I	1
CHEM 126	General Chemistry Laboratory II	1

Women’s Health:

HLTH 215	Personal and Community Health	3
HLTH 303	Fitness and Nutrition	3
	or
HLTH 386	Wellness and Health Promotion	3
SOC 345	Women, Health and Society	3
	or
PSY 255	Psychology of Women	3
SOC 472	Sociology Internship	1-15

SOC 472: after completing 15 credit hours of public health course work and with permission of Coordinator; includes on-campus internship at Birth Control Information Center

Community Health:

COMM 101	Fundamentals of Communication	3
	or
COMM 105	Public Speaking	3
	or
COMM 460	Organizational Communication	3
CRMJ 320	Crime and Crime Theory	3
	or
SOC 363	Victimology	3
CSIT 104	Introduction to Microcomputer Software	3
HLTH 215	Personal and Community Health	3
HLTH 386	Wellness and Health Promotion	3
POLI 371	Civil Rights and Liberties	3
SOC 337	Sociology of Aging	3
	or
SOC 338	Sociology of Death and Dying	3

Fitness, Nutrition and Wellness:

COMM 101	Fundamentals of Communication	3
	or
COMM 105	Public Speaking	3
	or
COMM 460	Organizational Communication	3
HLTH 115	First Aid Skills and Knowledge	3
HLTH 215	Personal and Community Health	3
HLTH 303	Fitness and Nutrition	3
HLTH 386	Wellness and Health Promotion	3

Specialty Courses:

SOC 350	Special Topics	1-3
SOC 472	Sociology Internship	1-15

SOC 350: permission of Coordinator required

SOC 472: after completing 15 credit hours of public health course work and with permission of Coordinator; includes on-campus internship at Birth Control Information Center