Public Health Studies B.A./B.S.

Requirements

Core requirements

In addition to meeting the general University degree requirements all majors in health studies must take the following core coursework plus choose a concentration area:

Core coursework

Community Health Promotion Concentration

In our Community Health Promotion concentration, you will learn the societal, community, and individual-level factors that create risk — or promote good health — in populations. In particular, you will build skills to identify and address health disparities across populations, define health problems, and learn to design and implement strategies to promote health in the larger community.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in community health promotion must complete:

Required coursework (24 credits)

Twenty (20) credits from the following courses:

Healthy Aging Concentration

In our Health Aging concentration, you will learn about the societal, community, and individual-level strategies needed to support our aging population. You will build foundations in gerontology while also acquiring skills in administration and finance, prevention of chronic disease, and health promotion programming, which will position you to enter careers as assisted living or nursing home facilities administrators, long-term care coordinators, health promotion program implementers, or senior health promotion specialists.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in aging services must complete the following:

Required coursework (28 credits)

Choose one of the following:

Choose one of the following:

16 credits from the following courses

Health Services Administration Concentration

In our Health Services Administration concentration, you will learn the policy, organizational, administrative, and financial foundations for health care systems and health services delivery. Our graduates are ready to enter the workforce in hospital or health provider administration, as project managers, and as patient support and health policy advocates.

The program of study includes common core requirements, required courses, and elective course options.  Students pursuing a concentration in health services administration must complete the following:

Required Courses (44 credits)

Elective Courses (8)

Two electives from the following:

Indigenous Health Concentration

In partnership with the Native American community of Portland, Oregon, the Indigenous Nations Studies (INST) Department at Portland State University and beyond, we offer the nation’s only undergraduate concentration that centers learning about health equity and public health from Indigenous peoples.
This concentration is a collaborative model that compliments the Indigenous Nations Studies (INST) major and minor, intersects with STEAM disciplines, and can serve as a post baccalaureate pathway to the health sciences professions (nursing, medicine, dentistry).

Our Indigenous Health concentration offers students (Native and non-Native) the opportunity to learn about the functions and tools of public health within anti-racist, decolonizing and liberatory frameworks. We cultivate a future workforce ready to address the lasting impacts of colonialism for health-justice that is beneficial for all. It prepares students to understand the health issues impacting Indigenous peoples, and uplift community-based and community-driven solutions for health-justice, wellness, and equity.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in Indigenous Health must complete:

16 credits from the following courses:

Required Coursework (36 credits)

Pre-Clinical Health Science Concentration

 Our Pre-Clinical Health Science concentration prepares you for continued clinical study in one of the many licensed health professions, including medicine, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, dentistry, dental hygienics, ophthalmology, and others. Students pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health Studies with a Clinical Health Sciences concentration should verify specific prerequisites required by any professional school(s) to which an application will be submitted. Students must complete specified prerequisites to earn this degree.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in health sciences must select one of the following options: pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-physical therapy, pre-occupational therapy, pre-chiropractic medicine, pre-osteopathy, pre-podiatry, pre-nursing, pre-naturopathic medicine, pre-optometry, pre-pharmacy, and pre-physician assistant and pre-physician assistant or adviser approved option. In choosing courses to complete, students should verify the specific prerequisites required by the professional school(s) to which an application for admission is being submitted. Advising sheets summarizing prerequisites for professional schools in Oregon and selected schools in the Pacific Northwest can be found online at http://www.pdx.edu/clas/prepro.html . Students must complete all prerequisites required by the professional school to which an application is being submitted to receive a Health Science degree. Please consult regularly with your pre-health adviser.

In addition to the previously listed core courses, students must also complete 16 credits from the following upper-division courses:

Required Course:

16 credits from the following upper-division courses:

School Health Educator Concentration

Our School Health Educator concentration is a pre-licensure program, preparing you according to state guidelines for “best practices” in school health education. School health educators teach in middle school and high school settings covering a variety of topics from safety to preventive health behaviors and decision-making. Upon completion of the bachelor degree (BA/BS), you will be eligible to apply to the fifth-year Graduate Teacher Education Program or the Secondary Dual Education Program in the Graduate School of Education at PSU.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in school health education must complete the following:

Required coursework (40 credits)

8 Credits of electives from the following list: