BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PUBLIC HEALTH (BSPH)
Overview of Bachelor of Science in Public Health Program (BSPH)
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health at SMU (BSPH) prepares you to conduct health-related programs with all populations in practice settings. This program consists of 128 semester credits, and you can complete it at your convenience. This major provides the foundation to advance in graduate degree programs such as the Master of Public Health (MPH.), the Master in Health Services Organization (HSO.), and other Allied Health areas.
Program Objectives
This program is aimed at providing you with an understanding of the key issues affecting the health of populations. You will develop skills in obtaining, reviewing and analyzing health information; planning and managing a health program or project; and in improving the health of populations.
Career Prospects:
You will be well-prepared to pursue a broad range of community and public health careers, or postgraduate studies in health-related disciplines:
- public health promoter and educator
- Health care manager and administrator
- Health policy analyst
- Health researcher
- Health program planner
- health consultant
Program Structure
To be awarded a Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH), a student must complete the prescribe courses and earn at least 128 credits.
Core Courses (20 credits)
PBH 210: Introduction to Health Promotion and Education
PBH 215: Fundamental of Community Health
BIO 310: Bioethics
NUS 310: Nutrition and Human Health
MCB 310: General Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
NUS 340: Medical Sociology and Anthropology
Concentration Courses (48 credits)
PBH 310: Consumer Health
PBH 313: Public Health Practicum
PBH 315: Introduction to Environmental Health
PBH 320: Maternal and Child Health
PBH 325: Modifying Health Behaviors
PBH 330: Introduction to Basic Epidemiology and Biostatics
PBH 335: Chronic Disease epidemiology
PBH 340: Substance Use and Abuse
PBH 410: Stress Management
PBH 415: Sexual Education
PBH 420: Health aspect of Aging.
PBH 425: Health Policy & Healthcare Systems
PBH 430: Health Program Planning Implementation and Evaluation
PBH 480: Design Project & Seminar on Public Health
PBH 498: Public Health Research Project
Course Description
PBH 210: Introduction to Health Promotion and Education
This course introduces student to the field of Health Education/Promotion. introduced to the theories, models and frameworks used in both public health and health promotion; explore the evolution of public health and health promotion; examine case studies highlighting responses to public health and health promotion issues; and explore the relationship between health, policy development, and the health care system as well as the ethical principles that guide the profession.
PBH 215: Fundamental of Community Health
This course outlines the history, evolution and status of the practice of health education among groups of people who define themselves as a community. There is a focus on health behaviors, environmental influences, health policy, and economic and health care system issues in health promotion and disease prevention.
NUS 310: Nutrition and Human Health
Introduces the student with the basic principles of nutrition including a study of the nutrients, their functions and sources, the application of nutrition principles to the various stages of the human life cycle, the question of food safety in terms of additives, residues, and natural toxicants, and the area of nutrition quackery. Students will become involved in self-evaluation projects and group discussions that will enable them to apply the basic principles to their daily eating habits and lifestyles.
BIO 310: Bioethics
This course aimed at presenting the basic concepts, principles, and elements of ethics as well as formulating the ethical principles relevant to medical practice, the doctor-patient relationship, and related areas of concern. The course begins with a brief overview of ethics, and them moves to develop and consider the moral values and principles relevant to medical practice and bioethics. The course aims to consider the defense of general views on the moral values involved in bioethics, as well as the complicated issues of applying this general knowledge to particular situations. The course hopes to develop moral wisdom (knowledge about ethics and the ability to think ethically) and moral virtue (a stronger commitment to act morally). Topics to be covered include: the nature of the Doctor-Patient Relationship, principles of Patient Decision-Making, Life-Sustaining Treatments (including CPR, and medical nutrition and hydration), Reproductive Issues (including contraception, artificial reproductive technologies, abortion), arguments for Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide, and Research Ethics (including a consideration of the Stem Cell controversy), etc.
MCB 310: General Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
The overall goal of this course is to introduce students to the field of microbiology and emerging infectious diseases. It will cover a wide range of topics including bacteriology, virology, microbial pathogenicity and epidemiology, body Defense Mechanisms against infection, the pathophysiology and epidemiology of infectious diseases, host-pathogen relationships and the mechanisms behind the emergence of new microbial threats.as well as the pharmacology of antimicrobial and antiviral agents, The intent is to provide an understanding of the medically relevant bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens and the diseases they produce. The emphasis will be on the pathophysiology of these diseases, the nature of host-parasite interactions and the different clinical syndromes caused by these pathogens. It is not the purpose of this course to teach the clinical management and therapy of infectious diseases
PBH 310: Consumer Health
An in-depth study of the factors involved in the selection and evaluation of health services and products. Emphasis includes medical quackery, efficiently using health services, consumer protection, alternative and complementary therapies, food selection, and influences of advertising on consumer choices.
PBH 313: Practicum
Students will be placed in community health agencies or public health facilities for field instruction. Students are supervised and evaluated by the university staff and the cooperating agency staff. A minimum of 40 hours per week for 8 weeks is required.
PBH 315: Introduction to Environmental Health
An analysis of environmental nature of public health and on controlling the factors that are harmful to health. Focus is on current environmental issues including water and air pollution, workplace safety, environmental toxins, food safety, and shelter and how those issue have an impact on the health of individuals.
PBH 320: Maternal and Child Health
This course will develop your knowledge, critical thinking and clinical skills required to respond safely to manage maternal, neonatal and pediatric health within the paramedic practice setting. You will analyze the factors affecting the prevalence and outcome of maternal, neonatal and pediatric health in Australia, and will investigate the role of paramedics in these changing trends. You will develop an understanding of primary health care and broader health systems that optimize patient outcomes in maternal, neonatal and pediatric cases.
PBH 325: Health Care systems and Advocacy
This course is designed to explore the political structures and social forces that shape health care delivery. In this course, students will examine the role of the masters-prepared nurse as political activist and policy advocate within the U.S. health care delivery systems of care. Policies that influence health care economics, access, safety, quality, or efficacy will be investigated.
PBH 320: Modifying Health Behaviors prerequisite
This course is intended to introduce students to the learning and behavioral science theories that provide a framework for the practice of health education and promotion. Application of the theories to planning and implementing health promotion and education programs for individuals, groups, families, and communities will be emphasized. This course also introduces the students to various approaches to describing, explaining, and predicting health behaviors that have or are perceived to have significant effect on human health.
PBH 325: Introduction to Basic Epidemiology and Biostatics
This unit aims to provide students with an understanding of the main concepts and methods of epidemiology and biostatistics within the context of public health and health promotion. It will assist students to understand, apply and interpret these methods and to critically appraise the health research literature.
PBH 330: Chronic Disease epidemiology
This course will document the fundamental concepts in chronic disease epidemiology, common research methods utilized in chronic disease epidemiology, and unique applications of those methods for key chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.
PBH 340: Substance Use and Abuse
This course will examine the impact of mood-altering substances on the individual, family and society. This includes an exploration of the interrelatedness of personal decisions regarding the use/non-use of mood-altering substances on politics, economics, and the various socio-cultural institutions.
NUS 340: Medical Sociology and Anthropology
The main objective of this course is to enable students to describe the social, political, economic, and cultural forces that influence social behavior by exploring health, illness, and health care from a sociological perspective. Topics to be covered: definition of sociology; Historical background ; Diagnosis of modern society: Conte and Marx; Basic concepts of society, culture and structure in the analysis of social behavior; Basic analytical concepts, social processes, institution, the nature of human groups; Family deviant behavior; Social Theories; Theorists of modern society, Social stratification and social stratification in East Africa; Power Structure; Ideology and Economic institutions in East Africa, Impact of ideology on social and Economic development in East Africa; Religion in Society; Integrative system of society, Impact of Christianity on African traditional beliefs in East Africa; Formal Organization; Bureaucracy in Industrial societies; Social conflict and social change; Social functions of conflict in society, Conflict and social change, Social disorganization (anomia and deviance: Durkeim), Medical sociology. Definition of Anthropology; School of thought in Anthropology; Cultural evaluation, Diffusion of culture, Historical relation, Cultural integration, Functional approaches, Structural approaches; Basic concepts in Anthropology: The study of culture, culture change as an instrument of adaptation, material culture, thought and culture, personality and culture, Social control, Principles of social structure, National identity, Kinship and marriage, Language and culture, Sickness and healing
PBH 410: Stress Management
This course exposes students to a holistic approach to stress management. It treats both cognitive skills and relaxation techniques with the intention of preventing and/or alleviating the physical symptoms of stress. The learning activities of the course are both theoretical and experiential
PBH 415: Sexual Education
This course is designed to be an exploration of topics in sexual health. Students will examine adolescent and sexual identity development sexual health issues such as sexually transmitted disease, reproduction and sexual violence, and community health strategies used to address sexual health such as sexuality education, disease prevention and sexual health promotion efforts, sexual/reproductive health care. Students will also explore the impact of attitudes about sex on sexual health and on community health strategies to address sexual health.
PBH 420: Health aspect of Aging
This course will provide an overview of issues related to public health and aging. We will begin with an overview of the demography and epidemiology of aging, and discuss how aging is viewed in society today, including myths of aging and stereotypes of aging, and briefly review theories of aging. The course will continue to cover the concept of successful aging, the implications of chronic illness and disability for public health, health promotion for older adults, and other topics central to public health in an aging society.
PBH 425: Health Policy & Healthcare Systems
This course will introduce you to concepts, elements, policy analysis processes and outcomes of public policy making in general and health policy making in particular. You will use foundational knowledge on public policy analysis and apply this knowledge to some global health policy issues. As a health care professional, you will be able to use your knowledge of health policy and determine how this knowledge of policy analysis might apply in your health care workplace. This course will not only help you develop your critical thinking, literature search, and critiquing skills but also help you develop knowledge of evolving health care system in response to economic, cultural, technological, political, ideological, and globalization factors and forces. More specifically, the course will help you experience the whole public policy process as you apply the foundational knowledge on public policy making to a current major health policy issue in your province or territory. You will also get the opportunity to participate in a simulated policy community as you apply your policy analysis knowledge to a major current health care policy issue in your country.
PBH 430: Health Program Planning Implementation and Evaluation
This course introduces the skills and techniques required to research and develop health programs at the community, state, and national levels. Students will be presented with the concepts, processes and techniques used in health program planning, implementation, and evaluation. The students will engage in planning, implementation and evaluation exercises. The course will emphasize the importance of teams and partnerships in successful health promotion programs
PBH 480: Design Project & Seminar on Public Health
The research design project involves an individual student or a small group of students working as a team to put the knowledge acquired in previous courses into concrete praxis to design and present a nominated project in any chosen area. The tasks include the study of the available processes, process selection, calculation of material and energy balances, preparation of flow sheets, preparation of a design report and drawing of the plant layout.
PBH 498: Public Health Research Project
A program of study on an approved research topic in nursing will be followed up by a supervisor. This supervised individual study provides an opportunity for in-depth reading and research on a topic selected by the student and supervisor. Students in this program of study may carry out a pilot project in preparation for a thesis or dissertation. Students are expected to select a researchable problem in theology and carry out a study on it. This project should follow the American Psychological Association (APA) format.
