Public Health Minor

Sociocultural and Justice Sciences
Office: W395 Thompson Hall

(716) 673-3469

Randolph Hohle, Coordinator

Website: http://home.fredonia.edu/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 the 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.

Minor Requirements

The minor requires successful completion of 19 credit hours.

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

Only six (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.

Some courses require prerequisites. Click on any hyperlinked course for additional information.

Required Courses

SOC 215	Introduction to Public Health	3

BIOL 110	Human Biology	3
	or
BIOL 111	Foundations of Biology	3
	or
BIOL 133	Introductory Cell and Molecular Biology	3

SOC 300	Research Methods	3
	or
ESCI 310	Methods in Environmental Analysis	4
	or
PSY 315	Research Methods	3
	or
COMM 323	Research Methods	3

SOC 415	Seminar in Public Health	1
Total Credit Hours:		10

Biosciences

CHEM 105	Food Chemistry	3
ESCI 105	Global Environmental Issues	3
ESCI 410	Environmental Assessment	3
GIS 201	Geographic Information Systems I	3
GIS 301	Geographic Information Systems II	3
BIOL 131	Introductory Ecology and Evolution	3
BIOL 220	Principles of Human Nutrition	3
BIOL 243	Organismal Biology	3
BIOL 245	Human Anatomy and Physiology I	4
BIOL 246	Human Anatomy and Physiology II	4
BIOL 336	Mammalian Physiology	3
BIOL 338	Microbiology	4
BIOL 438	Molecules and Medicine	3
BIOL 450	Modern Concepts in Biology	1-4
Total Credit Hours:		3

Social and Behavioral Sciences

ANTH 301	Plagues And Peoples	3
SOC 230	Our Populated Planet	3
SOC 345	Women, Health and Society	3
SOC 324	City and Community	3
SOC 340	Medical Sociology	3
SOC 350	Special Topics	1-3
PSY 247	Health Psychology	3
POLI 311	Fundamentals of Public Administration	3
POLI 382	Social Welfare Policy	3
POLI 387	Environmental Policy	3
HLTH 215	Personal and Community Health	3
HLTH 217	Fitness & Wellness for Life: A MultidisciplinaryPerspective	3
HLTH 303	Fitness and Wellness	3
HLTH 386	Wellness and Health Promotion	3
COMM 303	Health Communication	3
COMM 460	Organizational Communication	3
Total Credit Hours:		3

Note: SOC 350 Special Topics must be approved by program coordinator.

Elective

	Any course listed for the minor	3
Total Credit Hours:		3

Total Credit Hours: 19