The Public Health Minor

The Public Health Minor has been designed for students who are looking for an introduction to the field and its disciplines.  This minor offers a complementary curriculum for students who are on a pre-medical track or those majoring in fields, such as environmental sciences or policy, which may incorporate a health focus.  The coursework for the minor offers exposure to the concepts and applications of public health in a variety of the specific disciplines which make up the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Lani Mendelson is a Jewish Studies sophomore (Class of 2011):   “I decided to do a Public Health minor because I have always been intrigued by the diversity in the field of public health.  While our colleagues will be treating diseases and genetic defects, we will be preventing them and promoting a healthier lifestyle.      My community service hours have been dedicated to children afflicted with cancer and other life threatening diseases. I encourage my peers to join me in studying public health and civic engagement in New Orleans.”

The Public Health Minor requires a minimum of 18 hours in undergraduate public health credits. See below, or check out the Minor requirements checklist, for details.

Students are required to take the following courses for a total of 9 credits:

• SPHU 101 Introduction to Public Health
• SPHU 102 The Cell, The Individual, and The Community
• SPHU 201 Disease Ecology and Public Health Concepts

Students are required to take any one of the following courses for 3 credits:

• SPHU 301 Public Health Systems Design and Decision Analysis
• SPHU 302 Knowledge and Information in the Practice of Public Health
• SPHU 401 Foundation and Formulation of Public Health Policy

Students must also take any two additional public health courses.  Students may choose from either undergraduate public health courses or graduate core coures, for an 6 additional credits. 

Possible courses include: SPHU 291, 301, 302, 311, 312, 315, 322, 401, 420, 427 430, 431, 432, 456; BIOS 603, ENHS 603, HSMG 603, EPID 603, SPHL 603.   

Please note the following before applying to the Public Health Minor:

• Applicants must be in good academic standing with an overall GPA of 2.0 or better.
• All minor courses must be taken for a letter grade.
• Completion of the minor requires a GPA of 2.0 or better in all classes taken for credit towards the minor.