Public Health - BS

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Public Health program offers students the chance to acquire knowledge and skills in the critical component elements of public health.  The ASPPH defines public health as a force that "protects and improves the health of individuals, families, communities, and populuations, locally and globally."  In this context, the GW SPH undergraduate program is intended to convey technical detail and analytical thinking, but with a liberal arts philosophical base, to create professionals with the skills and commitment to improve the public's health.

The curriculum prepares students for future practice and study, with courses such as Epidemiology, Principles of Health Education & Promotion, Health Policy, and more. Students develop their abilities in critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis of information, applying them to the historical and current trends in public health and health care delivery.

The BS Public Health program hopes to matriculate students who will take their public health voice into diverse fields of professional practice, bringing an informed and evidence-based viewpoint to public health issues affecting society at large.

Please go to Dual Degrees for information on the BS Public Health/MPH Dual Degree program and EOH/MPH Dual Degree program for non-SPH majors.

See the BS Public Health Program Guide and the GWSPH Undergraduate Handbook for more information and program policies.

Join T.E.A.M Milken!  T.E.A.M. Milken is open to all GWSPH undergraduate majors. Our goal is to provide individualized support to students so you will thrive at GW and be prepared to launch your public health career.

Effective immediately, the BSPH major will accept all qualified applicants into the major through the internal transfer process.  Students must have a 2.75 GPA or higher to qualify for the major. 

You may access the internal transfer form here.  Internal transfer forms must be submitted by February 15th (for fall transfer) and October 15th (for spring transfer).  

Prospective high school students may apply directly to the public health program via the Common Application. Prospective GW students should review the undergraduate admissions page for details about the process.

Per GW policy, undergraduate students may not take courses online during the fall or spring semesters.  

University General Education Requirements - all concentrations

University Writing 
One of the following University Writing Courses (4 credits):
UW 1020 | University Writing
HONR 1015 | Origins & Evolution of Modern Thought

Writing in the Disciplines (WID)
Two WID courses, which may also be counted in another category (6 credits)

Humanities 
One course in the Humanities (3 credits). Click here for eligible classes.

Mathematics/Statistics
One course in Mathematics or Statistics (3 credits). BS in Public Health students should AVOID taking:
STAT 1051 | Introduction to Business & Economic Statistics (3 credits)
STAT 1053 | Introduction to Statistics in Social Science (3 credits)
STAT 1111 | Business and Economic Statistics I (3 credits)
STAT 1127 | Statistics for the Biological Sciences (3 credits)

Science 
One Natural or Physical Science Course with Laboratory  (4 credits). Suggested courses are:
BISC 1005 | The Biology of Nutrition & Health (3 credits)
BISC 1006 | The Ecology & Evolution of Organisms (3 credits)
BISC 1007 | Food, Nutrition, & Service (3 credits)
BISC 1008 | Understanding Organisms Through Service Learning (3 credits)
BISC 1111 | Introductory Biology: Cells & Molecules (3 credits)
BISC 1112  | Introductory Biology: The Biology of Organisms (3 credits)
HONR 1033  | Honors Seminar: Scientific Reasoning & Discovery (3 credits)
 
Social Science 
Two courses in the Social Sciences (6 credits). Suggested courses are: 
ECON 1011 | Principles of Economics I (3 credits)
       and one of the following:
AMST 2450 | History & Meaning of Higher Education in the United States (3 credits)
AMST 2620 | Human Mind & Artificial Intelligence (3 credits)
ANTH 1004 | Language in Culture & Society (3 credits)
ANTH 2502 | Anthropology of Science & Technology: Twenty-First Century Brave New Worlds (3 credits)
CHEM 2118W | Practicing Science Communications (3 credits)
COMM 1040 | Public Communication (3 credits)
COMM 1041 | Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)
EAP 1010 | Oral Academic Communication for International Students (3 credits)
ECON 4198W | Proseminar in Economics (3 credits)
ENGL 1365 | Literature & the Environment (3 credits)
ENGL 3918 | Literature & Medicine (3 credits)
GTCH 2003 | Step 1 & 2 Hybrid: Inquiry Approaches to Teaching & Lesson Design (3 credits)
GTCH 3101 | Knowing & Learning in Mathematics & Science (3 credits)
HSSJ 4195 | Senior Capstone (3 credits)
ORSC 2000 | Sophomore Colloquium (3 credits)
PHIL 2124 or PHIL 2124W | Philosophies of Disability (3 credits)
PHIL 2134 | Philosophy of Human Rights (3 credits)
SLHS 1011 | The Art & Science of Effective Public Speaking (3 credits)
SOC 4192 | Advanced Seminar in Criminal Justice (3 credits)
SOC 4195 or SOC 4195W | Senior Research Seminar (3 credits)
SPAN 3022| Advanced Oral Proficiency: Environmental & Social Sustainability in Latin America (3 credits)
SUST 2004 | Introduction to Sustainability Communication (3 credits)
WLP 1020 | Writing, Literature, & Society (3 credits)

GENERAL EDUCATION TOTAL:  22-23 CREDITS

See the University Bulletin for most up-to-date version of GenEd requirements and approved courses here.

Public Health Core - all concentrations

PUBH 1010 | First-Year Experience in Public Health (1 credit)
PUBH 1101 | Introduction to Public Health & Health Services (3 credits)
PUBH 2110 | Public Health Biology (3 credits)
PUBH 2112 | Principles of Health Education & Health Promotion (3 credits)
PUBH 2140 | Research Methods Foundations (3 credits)
PUBH 2142 | Introduction to Biostatistics for Public Health (3 credits)
PUBH 3130 | Health Services Management & Economics (3 credits)
PUBH 3131 | Epidemiology (3 credits)
PUBH 3132 | Health & Environment (3 credits)
PUBH 3133 | Global Health & Development (3 credits)
PUBH 3135W | Health Policy (3 credits)
PUBH 4140W | Senior Seminar (3 credits)

All SPH programs require students to earn a C– or above in the core curriculum applicable to their major, including required and elective courses and prerequisites for core courses.

PUBLIC HEALTH CORE TOTAL: 34 CREDITS

Course Descriptions

Public Health Guided Electives - all concentrations

The courses provided on the Guided Electives list have been identified as highly relevant to the BS in Public Health. Each concentration indicates a minimum number of credits that must be selected from this approved list of 'guided elective' courses. Students may also petition to have a course approved if it is not on the list of approved electives by sending an email request and syllabus to the Program Director.  The list of approved electives that may be transferred from study abroad programs may be found here. See Concentration tab and program guide for more information.

For the most up to date list of program courses and program requirements, please reference the program guide or click the button below for course descriptions.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Approved Abroad and Domestic Courses

Many courses have been approved for public health elective credit and may be found through the CATS system by searching under PUBH 3199. If you would like to transfer credits for any approved course, please submit the appropriate petition as soon as possible to the Program Director for pre-approval. There is no guarantee that a course will be approved.  If you would like a new Study Abroad course approved, please use the CATS System in advance of registration. If you would like a new non-GW domestic course approved, please send an email request and syllabus to the Program Director in advance of registration.  

 ELECTIVES TOTAL: 12-13 CREDITS

Non-Academic Requirements

Professional Enhancement

Students in SPH programs must participate in eight hours of Professional Enhancement. These activities may be Public Health-related lectures, seminars, or symposia related to your field of study.

Professional Enhancement activities supplement the rigorous academic curriculum of the SPH degree programs and help prepare students to participate actively in the professional community. You can learn more about opportunities for Professional Enhancement via the Milken Institute School of Public Health Listserv, through departmental communications, or by speaking with your advisor.

Students submit a completed Professional Enhancement Form to the Office of Student Records which is required documentation to be cleared for graduation.

Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Training

All students are required to complete the Basic CITI training module in Social and Behavioral Research.  This online training module for Social and Behavioral Researchers will help new students demonstrate and maintain sufficient knowledge of the ethical principles and regulatory requirements for protecting human subjects - key for any public health research.

Academic Integrity Quiz

All Milken Institute School of Public Health students are required to review the University’s Code of Academic Integrity and complete the GW Academic Integrity Activity.  This activity must be completed within 2 weeks of matriculation. Information on GWSPH Academic Integrity requirements can be found here.

Past Program Guides

Students in the BS in Public Health program should refer to the guide from the year in which they matriculated into the program. For the current program guide, click the "PROGRAM GUIDE" button.

• Program Guide, 2024-2025
• Program Guide, 2023-2024
• Program Guide, 2022-2023
• Program Guide, 2021-2022
• Program Guide, 2020-2021
• Program Guide, 2019-2020
• Program Guide, 2018-2019
• Program Guide, 2017-2018
• Program Guide, 2016-2017
• Program Guide, 2015-2016
• Program Guide, 2014-2015

NOTE: Please reach out to your current advisor for any questions.

See the BS Public Health Program Guide and the GWSPH Undergraduate Handbook for more information and program policies.

• Students should meet with their Undergraduate Advisor to review their program of study. More information on advising can be found here.
• It is the student’s responsibility to understand the degree requirements and follow them for on-time graduation.