Apr 02, 2025

2024-2025 General Catalog

2024-2025 General Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: To search archives, MUST use search box to left. Current catalog: catalog.usu.edu.

Public Health: Environmental Health Emphasis - BS

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College of Science

Department of Biology

About This Degree

A four-year program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Public Health is offered by the Department of Biology with options in environmental health, industrial hygiene, or public health education. The industrial hygiene program is accredited by the Applied Science Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology; 111 Market Place, Suite 1050; Baltimore MD 21202-4012; telephone (410) 347-7700. Individuals completing the environmental health option are qualified to take the Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Sanitarian Examination (REHS/RS). The Public Health degree requires a core of biology courses similar to that required for the biology degrees; additional biology and public health courses; and chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics, and allied science and engineering courses appropriate to each emphasis.

Environmental Health Emphasis: An environmental health and protection professional is primarily concerned with the investigation and prevention of health-related problems within a community. These problems include air and water pollution, solid and hazardous waste disposal, food-borne illnesses in public eating establishments, water and wastewater treatment, and insect and rodent disease. Graduates are eligible for the Utah Environmental Health Scientist-In-Training License and the Registered Environmental Health Specialist/ Sanitarian examination.

For more information about Public Health, see the Department of Biology.
Admitted and current students must meet with their advisor, Carl Farley.
Log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
The highest math requirement for this degree is MATH 1210: Calculus I (QL) or MATH 1100 - Calculus Techniques (QL) and either STAT 2000: Statistical Methods (QI) or STAT 3000: Statistics for Scientists (QI) .

Minimum University Requirements

Total Credits: 120
Credits of C- or better: 100
Total credits taken at USU: 30
Credits of upper-division courses required for the major taken at USU: 10
Minimum Grade Point Average (many majors require a higher GPA): 2.0 GPA
Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above): 40
Upper-division credits taken at USU: 20
General Education Requirements
University Studies Requirements
Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Admission Requirements For This Program

New freshmen: Admitted to USU in Good Standing
Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU: 2.5 GPA

Additional Information

Minimum grades and GPA for graduation: Students must complete the BIOL 1610 , BIOL 1615 , BIOL 1620 , and BIOL 1625 courses with grades of C- or better and attain a minimum GPA of 2.25 in all Biology or Public Health coursework required by the major. Major requirements may not be taken on a pass/fail basis.

PUBH 5500 , along with another course having CI designation (such as ASTE 3050 or NDFS 5110 ) will fulfill the Communications Intensive (CI) requirement.
STAT 2000 orSTAT 3000 will fulfill the Quantitative Intensive (QI) requirement.
Complete at least 2 credits in approved 3000-level or above courses from each of the following two categories: Depth Humanities and Creative Arts (DHA) and Depth Social Sciences (DSS).

For further information contact the Biology Advising Center in the Biology-Natural Resources Building Room 101. The advisor for Public Health majors is Carl Farley, Biology-Natural Resources 131, (435)797-2566, carl.farley@usu.edu.

Public Health Major Requirements (31-36 credits)

BIOL 1610 - Biology I 3 credit(s) (requires a grade of C- or better)
BIOL 1615 - Biology I Laboratory 1 credit(s) (requires a grade of C- or better)
BIOL 1620 - Biology II (BLS) 3 credit(s) (requires a grade of C- or better)
BIOL 1625 - Biology II Laboratory 1 credit(s) (requires a grade of C- or better)
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology 4 credit(s) or
BIOL 4600 - Advanced Human Physiology 5 credit(s)
BIOL 3300 - General Microbiology 4 credit(s)
MATH 1210 - Calculus I (QL) 4 credit(s) or
MATH 1100 - Calculus Techniques (QL) 3 credit(s)
PUBH 4000 - Public Health Internship 3-6 credit(s)
PUBH 4040 - Fundamentals of Epidemiology 3 credit(s)
PUBH 5500 - Public Health Management (CI) 2 credit(s)
STAT 2000 - Statistical Methods (QI) 4 credit(s) or
STAT 3000 - Statistics for Scientists (QI) 3 credit(s)

Public Health Course Requirements (35 credits)

CHEM 1210 - Principles of Chemistry I 4 credit(s)
CHEM 1215 - Chemical Principles Laboratory I 1 credit(s)
CHEM 1220 - Principles of Chemistry II (BPS) 4 credit(s)
CHEM 1225 - Chemical Principles Laboratory II 1 credit(s)
CHEM 2300 - Principles of Organic Chemistry 3 credit(s)
CHEM 2315 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I 1 credit(s)
ASTE 3050 - Technical and Professional Communication Principles (CI) 3 credit(s) or
CMST 1020 - Public Speaking (BHU) 3 credit(s) or
CMST 2120 - Small Group Communication 3 credit(s) or
CMST 3050 - Technical and Professional Communication (DSS) 3 credit(s) or
JCOM 3050 - Technical and Professional Communication Principles (CI) 3 credit(s)
PHYS 2110 - General Physics - Life Sciences I 4 credit(s)
PHYS 2120 - General Physics - Life Sciences II (BPS) 4 credit(s)
PUBH 3310 - Occupational Health and Safety 3 credit(s)
PUBH 3610 - Environmental Management 3 credit(s)
PUBH 4310 - Industrial Hygiene Recognition of Hazards 4 credit(s)

Emphasis Required Courses (13 credits)

BIOL 2220 - General Ecology 3 credit(s)
NDFS 5110 - Food Microbiology (CI) 3 credit(s)
PUBH 4030 - Communicable Disease Control 3 credit(s)
PUBH 4200 - Public Health Seminar 1 credit(s)
PUBH 5730 - Environmental Chemistry of Organic Contaminants 3 credit(s)

Required Electives (10 credits)

Select 10 credits from the following:

BIOL 3085 - Ecology Laboratory (CI) 2 credit(s)
BIOL 4420 - Plant Systematics and Diversity 3 credit(s)
BIOL 5550 - Freshwater Invertebrates 3 credit(s)
CHEM 3700 - Introductory Biochemistry 3 credit(s)
CHEM 3710 - Introductory Biochemistry Laboratory 1 credit(s)
NDFS 1250 - Sanitation and Safety 3 credit(s)
PSC 3000 - Fundamentals of Soil Science 4 credit(s)
PUBH 5400 - Environmental Toxicology 3 credit(s)

Open Electives

Total elective credit is determined by General Education courses taken, degree type selected, additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Please consult your Academic Advisor for details.

Total Credits: 122

Suggested Degree Map - Public Health: Environmental Health Emphasis BS

Public Health: Environmental Health Emphasis BS - 4 Year Degree Map