Public Health - BS
St. Kate's offers four concentrations for the public health major to provide students with opportunities to integrate and apply core knowledge in public health to a specific area of study. A major in public health prepares students for employment in public health, strengthens the background of health professionals who are interested in public health practice areas, and provides an excellent foundation for students who are interested in pursuing graduate study in public health, pre-professional degrees (e.g. pre-Med, pre-PA) or related areas. Students will have opportunities for service learning, practicum, capstone projects, structured research and study abroad courses.
Public health majors will get a strong foundation in public health and liberal arts, select a concentration that fits their unique interests, and prepare for a career or graduate study through internship and seminar experiences. St. Kate's was selected to participate in the first joint collaboration of the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AACU) and the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR) to support development of three public health courses into the liberal arts curriculum. The public health major emphasizes working with academic, community and global partners to make a difference. The public health major was developed over several years and in response to student interests. The curriculum will help students develop knowledge and skills to improve health through education, health promotion and research. The strength of the public health major will be built upon the varied interests and backgrounds of students in the major. The design of the major also makes it possible to obtain a double major or a minor in another discipline.
In March 2020, the St. Catherine University Public Health Program was accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. The undergraduate degrees in the College for Women and College for Adults are the first undergraduate public health programs in the State of Minnesota to receive CEPH accreditation.
* The Health Promotion and Education concentration is not currently accepting new students. St. Catherine's will re-evaluate our ability to offer the program's curriculum, in future years. All students who were previously enrolled in this concentration have already finished their degree. Any questions or concerns should be sent to the Program Director or the Dean of the Henrietta Schmoll School of Health Sciences.
Public health at St. Kate's is an interdepartmental major. Students will complete seven core public health courses and a minimum of six additional courses in a specific concentration. St. Kate's offers four concentrations for the public health major: health sciences, public policy, health promotion and education, and community health worker.
Courses for a concentration are selected in consultation with an advisor, with a minimum of half of the major courses numbered at the 3000 level or above. Students may take approved ACTC courses to fulfill some requirements for the concentration. Transfer courses, substitutions, and other ACTC courses require the approval of the department. Recommended courses for each concentration will be published on an annual basis. Students who want a double major or minor must meet with an advisor in both departments. Students must refer to specific planning guides for each concentration, available from the department.
A minimum grade of a C is required for major courses and supporting courses. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required in the major, including supporting courses.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Public Health Courses | ||
| HLTH 2050 | Foundations in Public Health | 4 |
| HLTH 3150 | Epidemiology | 4 |
| HLTH 3250 | Global Health | 4 |
| or HLTH 3210 | Health Communications | |
| HLTH 3350 | Environmental Health | 4 |
| HLTH 4700 | Practicum Preparation | 2 |
| HLTH 4754 | Practicum | 4 |
| HLTH 4800W | Senior Seminar in Public Health | 4 |
| Total Credits | 26 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Supporting Courses | ||
| IPE 1020 | Medical Terminology | 1-2 |
| or IPE 1030 | Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology | |
| Select one of the following statistics courses: | 4 | |
| Biostatistics | ||
| Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences | ||
| Statistical Analysis for Decision Making | ||
| Statistical Methods in Psychology | ||
| Statistical Analysis with Corequisite | ||
| Statistical Analysis | ||
| MGMT 3850 | Healthcare Policy | 4 |
| or ECON 3250 | Healthcare Economics | |
| Total Credits | 9-10 | |
A minimum grade of C is required for supporting courses.
Health Sciences Concentration
Designed for:
- pre-professional students (e.g., pre-med, pre-pharmacy, pre-PA, pre-DPT)
- students who want a strong background in human and biological science and public health
This major is offered in the College for Women only.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Select five 2000 level or higher courses in the area of human health and biological impacts on human health: | 20 | |
| Introduction to Microbiology with Lab | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab | ||
| Understanding Medical Research: Drugs, Devices and Complementary Therapies | ||
| Introduction to Ecology with Lab | ||
| Human and Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy with Lab | ||
| Human and Comparative Animal Physiology with Lab | ||
| Biology of Microorganisms with Lab | ||
| Cell Biology with Lab | ||
| Histology with Lab | ||
| Biopsychology with Lab | ||
| Immunology with Lab | ||
| Chemical Dependency Counseling: Assessment and Intervention | ||
| Organic Chemistry I with Lab | ||
| Organic Chemistry II with Lab | ||
| Biochemistry with Lab | ||
| Health Behavior Psychology | ||
| Nutrition Foundations | ||
| One 2000 level or higher course related to the social, behavior, legal, ethical or economic dimension of health 1 | 4 | |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
- 1
See course options under Public Policy Concentration below (or departmental approval)
Public Policy Concentration
Designed for:
- students who are interested in health policy, social sciences and population health but not a specific health profession
- pre-professional students (e.g., pre-law, pre-occupational therapy)
- students who want a strong background in the underlying social and political conditions that impact public health and health disparities
This major is offered in the College for Women and the College for Adults (CFA). NOTE: Not all of the courses are available in CFA. Students should consult their academic advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Five courses focused on the underlying social and political factors that shape health and health disparities selected as noted below | ||
| Select two 2000 level or higher courses on social and behavioral impacts on health and health disparities | 8 | |
| Chemical Dependency Counseling: Assessment and Intervention | ||
| Foundations of Critical Studies of Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Women's Issues from Global Perspectives | ||
| Analyzing Social Issues with Data | ||
| Health Behavior Psychology | ||
| Ethics | ||
| Biomedical Ethics | ||
| Lifespan Developmental Psychology | ||
| Understanding Psychological Disorders | ||
| Health Psychology with Lab | ||
| Psychology of Adulthood and Aging | ||
| Challenging Oppressions, Civic Engagement and Change | ||
| Sociology of Health and Medicine | ||
or SOCI 1000 | Principles and Concepts of Sociology | |
| Social Movements-Social Change | ||
| Migration, Citizenship, Community | ||
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Sociology of Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Human Behavior and the Social Environment | ||
| Social Policy for Social Change | ||
| Foundations of Gender and Women's Studies | ||
| The Anatomy of Violence | ||
| Select two courses from COMM 1030 or 2000 level or higher courses on the legal, economic or communication dimensions of health care and public policy | 8 | |
| Speaking to Lead and Influence | ||
| Media, Culture and Society | ||
| Rhetoric, Civic Participation and Social Justice | ||
| Communicating across Cultures, Identities and Differences | ||
| Leadership and the Art of Persuasion | ||
| Telling Stories with Data - Introduction to Data Visualization | ||
| Introduction to Programming: Applied Computing I | ||
| Database Management | ||
| Analyzing Social Issues with Data | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Healthcare Economics | ||
| Haves and Have Nots: Development, Poverty, and Inequality | ||
| Global Financial Issues | ||
| International Economics: Trade and Immigration | ||
| Food is Medicine | ||
| Lifelong Nutrition | ||
| Twentieth Century America | ||
| History of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights in the U.S. | ||
| Healthcare Teams: Opportunities and Challenges in Aging | ||
| Healthcare Teams - Evidence-Based Practice | ||
| Introduction to World Politics | ||
| Public Policy | ||
| Select one additional 2000 level or higher course from any course listed above or departmental approval | 4 | |
| Select one 2000 level or higher course on the science of human health and the biological impacts on human health 1 | 4 | |
| Introduction to Microbiology with Lab | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab | ||
| Immunology with Lab | ||
| Organic Chemistry I with Lab | ||
| Organic Chemistry II with Lab | ||
| Biochemistry with Lab | ||
| Nutrition Foundations | ||
| Total Credits | 24 | |
- 1
Students in the College for Adults may fulfill this requirement with BIOL 1120 Biology of Women with Lab
Health Promotion and Education Concentration1
*The Health Promotion and Education concentration is currently on hold for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Designed for:
- students who are interested in becoming a health educator in a health or community setting
- students who want to obtain a credential in community health education and have a background in public health
This major is offered in the College for Women only.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Six courses in health education | 24 | |
| Biology of Women with Lab | ||
| Health Behavior Psychology | ||
| Nutrition Foundations | ||
| Health Promotion Competencies | ||
| Health Promotion Planning and Management | ||
| Critical Issues in Health Promotion | ||
| Total Credits | 24 | |
Community Health Worker Concentration
Designed for:
- students with linguistic and cultural competency in a community and interest in serving as advocates in health and community systems
- students who want to obtain a credential as a community health worker and have a background in public health
This major is offered in the College for Women and the College for Adults.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| BIOL 1120 | Biology of Women with Lab | 4 |
| HLTH 1964 | Community Health Worker Role, Advocacy, Outreach and Resources | 3 |
| HLTH 1966 | Health Communication and Cultural Competence, Teaching and Capacity Building | 3 |
| HLTH 1968 | Documentation, Legal and Ethical Issues in Community Health Work | 3 |
| HLTH 1974 | Health Promotion Competencies I | 3 |
| HLTH 1975 | Health Promotion Competencies II | 2 |
| One elective course 2000 level or higher. See recommended list of courses under the Public Policy Concentration | 4 | |
| Total Credits | 22 | |
Public health majors satisfy the Writing Requirement for Majors by completing HLTH 4800W Senior Seminar in Public Health. They complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Writing Requirement with three other writing-intensive courses (CORE 1000W The Reflective Woman, CORE 3990W Global Search for Justice, and any other writing-intensive course in another department).
This major is offered in the College for Women only.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Term | ||
| IPE 1030 | Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology | 1-2 |
| or IPE 1020 | Medical Terminology | |
| Fall Term | ||
| HLTH 2050 | Foundations in Public Health | 4 |
| Select one from: | 4 | |
| Biostatistics | ||
| Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences | ||
| Statistical Analysis for Decision Making | ||
| Statistical Methods in Psychology | ||
| Statistical Analysis with Corequisite | ||
| Statistical Analysis | ||
| Spring Term | ||
| HLTH 3150 | Epidemiology | 4 |
| Course for concentration | 4 | |
| Fall Term | ||
| HLTH 3250 | Global Health | 4 |
| Two courses for concentration | 8 | |
| Spring Term | ||
| HLTH 3350 | Environmental Health | 4 |
| ECON 3250 | Healthcare Economics | 4 |
| or MGMT 3850 | Healthcare Policy | |
| Course for concentration | 4 | |
| Fall Term | ||
| HLTH 4700 | Practicum Preparation | 2 |
| Two courses for concentration | 8 | |
| Spring Term | ||
| HLTH 4754 | Practicum | 4 |
| HLTH 4800W | Senior Seminar in Public Health | 4 |
| Total Credits | 59-60 | |
This major is offered in the College for Women and the College for Adults.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Term | ||
| IPE 1030 | Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology | 1-2 |
| or IPE 1020 | Medical Terminology | |
| Fall Term | ||
| HLTH 2050 | Foundations in Public Health | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences | ||
| Statistical Analysis for Decision Making | ||
| Biostatistics | ||
| Statistical Methods in Psychology | ||
| Statistical Analysis | ||
or STAT 1089 | Statistical Analysis with Corequisite | |
| Spring Term | ||
| HLTH 3150 | Epidemiology | 4 |
| Course for concentration | 4 | |
| Fall Term | ||
| HLTH 3250 | Global Health | 4 |
| Two courses from concentration | 8 | |
| Spring Term | ||
| HLTH 3350 | Environmental Health | 4 |
| ECON 3250 | Healthcare Economics | 4 |
| or MGMT 3850 | Healthcare Policy | |
| Course for concentration | 4 | |
| Fall Term | ||
| HLTH 4700 | Practicum Preparation | 2 |
| Two courses for concentration | 8 | |
| Spring Term | ||
| HLTH 4754 | Practicum | 4 |
| HLTH 4800W | Senior Seminar in Public Health | 4 |
| Total Credits | 59-60 | |
This major is offered in the College for Women and the College for Adults.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Term | ||
| HLTH 2050 | Foundations in Public Health | 4 |
| Select one from: | 4 | |
| Biostatistics | ||
| Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences | ||
| Statistical Analysis for Decision Making | ||
| Statistical Methods in Psychology | ||
| Statistical Analysis with Corequisite | ||
| Statistical Analysis | ||
| Spring Term | ||
| HLTH 3150 | Epidemiology | 4 |
| HLTH 3250 | Global Health | 4 |
| IPE 1030 | Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology | 1-2 |
| or IPE 1020 | Medical Terminology | |
| Fall Term | ||
| BIOL 1120 | Biology of Women with Lab | 4 |
| HLTH 1964 | Community Health Worker Role, Advocacy, Outreach and Resources | 3 |
| HLTH 1966 | Health Communication and Cultural Competence, Teaching and Capacity Building | 3 |
| HLTH 1968 | Documentation, Legal and Ethical Issues in Community Health Work | 3 |
| Spring Term | ||
| ECON 3250 | Healthcare Economics | 4 |
| or MGMT 3850 | Healthcare Policy | |
| HLTH 1974 | Health Promotion Competencies I | 3 |
| HLTH 1975 | Health Promotion Competencies II | 2 |
| One elective course 2000 level or higher. See recommended list of courses under the Public Policy concentration. | 4 | |
| Fall Term | ||
| HLTH 3350 | Environmental Health | 4 |
| HLTH 4700 | Practicum Preparation | 2 |
| Spring Term | ||
| HLTH 4754 | Practicum | 4 |
| HLTH 4800W | Senior Seminar in Public Health | 4 |
| Total Credits | 57-58 | |
*The Health Promotion and Education concentration is not currently accepting new students. St. Catherine's will re-evaluate our ability to offer the program's curriculum, in future years. All students who were previously enrolled in this concentration have already finished their degree. Any questions or concerns should be sent to the Program Director or the Dean of the Henrietta Schmoll School of Health Sciences.
This major is offered in the College for Women only.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Term | ||
| IPE 1030 | Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology | 1-2 |
| or IPE 1020 | Medical Terminology | |
| BIOL 1120 | Biology of Women with Lab | 4 |
| Fall Term | ||
| HLTH 2050 | Foundations in Public Health | 4 |
| Select one from: | 4 | |
| Biostatistics | ||
| Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences | ||
| Statistical Analysis for Decision Making | ||
| Statistical Methods in Psychology | ||
| Statistical Analysis with Corequisite | ||
| Statistical Analysis | ||
| Spring Term | ||
| EXSS 3200 | Health Behavior Psychology | 4 |
| HLTH 2045 | Health Promotion Competencies | 4 |
| HLTH 3150 | Epidemiology | 4 |
| Fall Term | ||
| HLTH 3250 | Global Health | 4 |
| HLTH 3400 | Health Promotion Planning and Management | 4 |
| Spring Term | ||
| HLTH 3350 | Environmental Health | 4 |
| HLTH 3450 | Critical Issues in Health Promotion | 4 |
| ECON 3250 | Healthcare Economics | 4 |
| or MGMT 3850 | Healthcare Policy | |
| Fall Term | ||
| FSNU 2300 | Nutrition Foundations | 4 |
| HLTH 4700 | Practicum Preparation | 2 |
| Spring Term | ||
| HLTH 4754 | Practicum | 4 |
| HLTH 4800W | Senior Seminar in Public Health | 4 |
| Total Credits | 59-60 | |