Mar 24, 2023  
2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

College of Public Health

Programs

About the College

3010 USF Banyan Circle
Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 974-4633

Location: The College of Public Health is located on the corner of Bruce B. Downs Avenue and Fletcher Avenue in the North-West corner of USF.

With selfless dedication, we promise to use our transformational research and interdisciplinary approach to passionately solve problems and create conditions that allow every person the universal right to health and well-being. Our Practice is Our Passion. Degree programs are offered in multiple platforms to accommodate student needs. On-campus courses are available throughout the day and evening. The College offers almost 100 courses online, including 6 complete degree programs. College of Public Health (COPH) students embrace opportunities to see public health in practice in a variety of global settings. ThroTwo students in the village doing some work in front of the hubugh study abroad courses, international field experiences, and other opportunities, students annually travel to more than 20 countries, including Panama, Belize, Uganda, Malaysia and Ecuador among others.

Mission, Vision, Values

Mission

Our collective mission is to provide excellence in public health education, leadership, advocacy, research and service; to nurture and motivate our students; and to deliver enhanced health and well-being to all humankind through collaborative partnerships with researchers, educators, health professionals and administrators.

Vision

Our vision is to be the exemplary catalyst for public health innovation and advancement of the profession, locally and globally.

COPH Core Values

  • Social responsibility
  • Social justice
  • Multidisciplinary approach
  • Global perspective
  • Altruism
  • Diversity and inclusiveness
  • Leadership
  • Academic excellence

Accreditation

The College of Public Health is accredited by the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) http://ceph.org/. CEPH (800 Eye Street, NW, Suite 202, Washington, D.C. 20001-3710) is an independent agency that is recognized by the US Department of Education to accredit schools of public health. The College has been reaccredited for seven years, through July 1st, 2026; this is the maximum possible number of years attainable in a reaccreditation cycle.

College-Level Requirements

Admission Requirements

Admission to the College of Public Health is open to students who have been accepted into the University of South Florida and have declared a major in the College of Public Health. Please be advised that the Public Health major is offered on the Tampa campus. The Health Sciences major is offered on both the Tampa and St. Petersburg campuses.

Students in the College of Public Health are expected to complete a minimum of 50% of their major and/or minor coursework in residence at USF.

Declaration of Major: Students should meet with an advisor as soon as possible to ensure timely degree progression.  Upon review, the College of Public Health will approve or deny the major declaration.

Declaration of Minor: Students must complete a minimum of 6 credits and two courses exclusive to the minor that will not count toward the student’s major or other minors. These credits/courses must be completed at USF and must be upper level courses.

Graduation Requirements

  • Must successfully complete (C- or higher) a minimum of 120 unduplicated credit hours with a USF and cumulative GPA of a 2.0 or higher.
  • Must meet the Foreign Language Entrance Requirement.
  • Students must satisfy State Communication Requirement and State Computation Requirement. Transfer students who enter the University of South Florida with 60 or more semester hours from an institution accredited by either the Higher Learning Commission, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the New England Commission of Higher Education, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or the WASC Senior College and University Commission are considered to have met the State Communication Requirement (formerly known as Gordon Rule Writing) and State Computation Requirement (formerly known as Gordon Rule Math).
  • Complete the General Education Core and State Communication and Computation Requirement of 36 hours.
  • Complete all major course requirements.
  • None of the coursework taken for the major may be taken as an S/U grade, unless S/U is the only grading option available.
  • The Audit option is available only during the first five (5) days of classes.
  • Complete a minimum of 42 hours of upper-level courses (numbered 3000 or above).
  • Thirty (30) of the last 60 semester hours must be completed at USF to fulfill the residency requirement. 

Baccalaureate-Level Degree Programs

Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences

https://health.usf.edu/publichealth/undergrad/bshs

The Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences is a highly interdisciplinary degree and offers a valuable combination of hard science, social science, and humanities. This high-quality program offers classroom-based & distance instruction to prepare students for many exciting careers in one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries. Courses in the program are offered from 5 different colleges and more than 20 departments at USF. Students can choose to focus their degree based on the health career they plan to pursue after graduation. Students take core foundational courses in Health Science then choose from 5 concentrations (30 credits from one concentration or a combination of 15 credits from two different concentrations) for their advanced studies based on their career goals. 

Depending on the concentrations chosen students can go on to everything from clinical graduate programs to social services, administrative and technology positions. The flexible and interdisciplinary nature of this exciting degree prepares tomorrow’s healthcare leaders with a strong foundation for success.

Career Options: This program prepares students for clinical graduate programs such physical and occupational therapy, physician assistant programs and athletic training, as well as healthcare administration graduate programs, social and behavioral programs, public health or employment in a wide range of health related areas including community agencies, hospitals, or pharmaceutical companies.

Students can focus their studies in one concentration (30 credits) or a combination of 2 concentrations (15 credits in each) depending on career goals.

Concentrations include:

  • Aging Health Studies and Health Information Technology Concentration
  • Aging Health Studies and Health Care Administration Concentration
  • Aging Health Studies Concentration
  • Biological Health Sciences and Aging Health Studies Concentration
  • Biological Health Sciences and Health Information Technology Concentration
  • Biological Health Sciences and Health Care Administration Concentration
  • Biological Health Sciences and Social and Behavioral Health Sciences Concentration
  • Biological Health Sciences Concentration
  • Health Information Technology Concentration
  • Health Care Administration and Health Information Technology Concentration
  • Health Care Administration Concentration
  • Social and Behavioral Health Sciences and Aging Health Studies Concentration
  • Social and Behavioral Health Sciences and Health Information Technology Concentration
  • Social and Behavioral Health Sciences and Health Care Administration Concentration
  • Social and Behavioral Health Sciences Concentration

Global Pathways
https://www.usf.edu/gcp/students/index.aspx

A Global Pathway is an undergraduate major or degree program that has significant global content. Global Pathways provide students with the opportunity to practice and apply global competencies through the major or degree program. 

Bachelor of Science

Bachelor of Science in Public Health
https://health.usf.edu/publichealth/undergrad/bshs

USF offers the first Bachelor of Science in Public Health housed in an accredited College of Public Health in Florida. The Bachelor of Science in Public Health at the University of South Florida provides students with a flexible degree emphasizing skill development to promote future academic and career success within public health and clinical health professions. Students majoring in public health can pursue specialized coursework in pre-health, epidemiology, biostatistics, food safety, infection control, nutrition, global health, environmental and occupational health, and health coaching, among others. This innovative curriculum can be completed either fully online or through a mix of online and classroom-based courses.The B.S. in Public Health provides student-centered courses required for entry-level public health jobs found in government agencies, health corporations, community non-profit organizations and health care facilities. 

Accelerated Programs

The College offers a several programs the Fast Track from BSPH to MPH/MSPH for USF Honors Students. 

Minors

The College of Public Health offers the following minors. For more information, see https://health.usf.edu/publichealth/undergrad/minors

  • General Public Health
    The goal of the general Public Health minor is to develop in a broad range of students an understanding and appreciation of the field of Public Health.

  • Community Engaged Home Land Security & Emergency Management
    The Community Engaged Homeland Security and Emergency Management minor provides a broad foundation of homeland security and emergency management coursework for individuals interested in pursuit pursuingof  a career in local, state or national government and military careers.

  • Environmental Health
    The Environmental Health minor provides students with a broad range of courses necessary to pursue an advanced degree in the field of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety or to seek entry-level employment in a related field and is preparatory for careers in: environmental science, industrial hygiene, toxicology, risk assessment, and related health sciences careers.

  • Infection Control
    The Infection Control minor is based on the competencies in the National Board Certification Exam for infection control. The minor provides a foundation of infection prevention and control principles for individuals interested in pursuing a career in infection prevention and control at a healthcare facility or alternate setting; or those who need this knowledge base to pursue opportunities at a local, state or national public health department; a governmental agency; an academic and/or research institution; or any other applicable arena. 

  • Nutrition
    The Nutrition science minor is both personally and professionally relevant, emphasizing emphasizes health promotion, optimal human performance, disease prevention, quality of life and longevity. Career opportunities that are complemented by a nutrition minor include public health, health sciences, food technology, psychology, gerontology, social work, health promotion and communication, with potential employment in the public and/or private sector.

Undergraduate Advising Information

Undergraduate Advising
College of Public Health
3010 USF Banyan Circle
Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 974-4633
UG-PublicHealthAdvising@health.usf.edu
 

http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/undergrad/advising

The advising team at the USF College of Public Health provides guidance on academic policies, requirements, and processes. Just as each College of Public Health student is unique, so is each degree plan. Advising is determined to working alongside students to design individualized plans while providing compassionate guidance in their educational journey.

Undergraduate Students can schedule an appointment with an advisor via Archivum.

To schedule an advising appointment:

Programs

Major

Minor