Bachelor of Science, Major in Public Health: 4+1 MPH
The accelerated Bachelor of Science in Public Health: 4+1 Master Public Health degree program option is an innovative program that allows undergraduate students to complete both Baccalaureate and Master’s degrees in five rather than six years. The degree is also market driven with flexible scheduling that prepares students to enter the public health workforce in an expedited manner.
The 4+1 MPH program includes 120 credit hours for the BS degree (108 hours of undergraduate courses + 12 hours of graduate level courses) AND 30 additional hours of graduate level courses to obtain a combined BS and MPH degree. Students need to complete a minimum of 90 hours in their undergraduate program to apply for the 4+1 program. Accepted students can start taking graduate level courses in their Senior year of their undergraduate programs once they have completed 108 hours of undergraduate courses.
The criteria for admission into the accelerated 4+1 MPH degree program are detailed below:
- Successfully have completed a minimum of 90 hours of undergraduate courses in a degree that is complementary to the field of public health.
- Earned a GPA of 3.00 or greater in major courses.
- Complete the application requirements for the MPH program. The Admissions Application is submitted online through Apply Texas.
- Application Fee.
- Three letters of recommendation (from professors and/or employers).
- A written summary (minimum of 500 words) on why you seek an MPH and how you plan to use the degree.
- A resume (to include all professional, employment, and volunteer activities).
- Participate in an interview with the MPH admissions committee.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science, Major in Public Health: 4+1 MPH | ||
| Core Curriculum | ||
| Component Area I (Communication) | 6 | |
| Component Area II (Mathematics) 1 | 3 | |
| Component Area III (Life and Physical Science) 2 | 8 | |
| Component Area IV (Language, Philosophy, and Culture) | 3 | |
| Component Area V (Creative Arts) | 3 | |
| Component Area VI (U.S. History) | 6 | |
| Component Area VII (Political Science/Government) | 6 | |
| Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences) 3 | 3 | |
| Component Area IX (Component Area Option) 4 | 4 | |
| Degree Specific Requirements | ||
| BIOL 2403 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I 2 | 4 |
| BIOL 2404 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II 2 | 4 |
| CHEM 1406 | Introduction to Inorganic and Environmental Chemistry 2 | 4 |
| or CHEM 1411 | General Chemistry I | |
| FSCN 2362 | Nutrition | 3 |
| KINE 2115 | Lifetime Health and Wellness 4 | 1 |
| MATH 1314 | Pre Calculus Algebra 1 | 3 |
| or MATH 1410 | Elementary Functions | |
| or MATH 1420 | Calculus I | |
| MATH 1370 | Introduction to Biomedical Statistics | 3 |
| PSYC 1301 | Introduction To Psychology 3 | 3 |
| Major: Foundation | ||
| HLTH 1360 | The Fundamentals of Population Health and Health Careers | 3 |
| HLTH 2383 | Multicultural Health Issues | 3 |
| HLTH 2391 | Human Diseases | 3 |
| HLTH 3350 | Principles of Public Health | 3 |
| HLTH 3392 | Health Communication and Literacy | 3 |
| HLTH 4360 | Research Methods/Statistics 5 | 3 |
| HLTH 4380 | Global Health | 3 |
| HLTH 4387 | Community Health | 3 |
| HLTH 4393 | Professional Preparation for Health Careers | 3 |
| HLTH 4394 | Internship Program 5 | 3 |
| Major: Prescribed Electives | ||
| Bachelor of Science Prescribed Electives 6 | 26 | |
| 4+1 MPH 7 | ||
| HLTH 5318 | Current Topics in Environmental Health | 3 |
| HLTH 5353 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| HLTH 5360 | Communication Theory and Practice for Health Professionals | 3 |
| HLTH 5361 | Social and Behavioral Determinants of Public Health | 3 |
| HLTH 5363 | Management and Leadership for Health Professionals | 3 |
| HLTH 5376 | Health Statistics | 3 |
| HLTH 6366 | Public Health Policy and Administration | 3 |
| HLTH 6396 | Health Program Planning/ Pre-Capstone | 3 |
| HLTH 6397 | Grad Hlth Capstone / Practicum | 3 |
| Required Concentration Courses | ||
| Choose one of the following Concentrations: 8 | 9 | |
| Social Determinants and Community Health | ||
| HLTH 5331 | Foundations of Community Health | 3 |
| HLTH 5350 | Public Health and Underserved Populations | 3 |
| HLTH 6352 | Health Grant Writing | 3 |
| Health Education and Promotion | ||
| HLTH 5332 | Hlth Determin & Pop Response | 3 |
| HLTH 5374 | Health Research Methods | 3 |
| HLTH 6361 | Population Health | 3 |
| Thesis OR Prescribed Electives | 6 | |
| Thesis | ||
| Thesis I | ||
| Thesis II | ||
| MPH Prescribed Electives | ||
| Master of Public Health Prescribed Electives 9 | ||
| Total Hours | 150 | |
- 1
Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area II (Mathematics).
- 2
Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area III (Life and Physical Science).
- 3
Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences).
- 4
Satisfies one hour of the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area IX (Component Area Option).
- 5
Courses listed under two requirements may only be taken once and may only fulfill one requirement.
- 6
See BS Prescribed Electives course listing below.
- 7
Students need to complete a minimum of 90 hours in their undergraduate program to apply for the 4+1 MPH program.
- 8
All required Concentration courses (9 SCH) must be taken from one concentration -- either Global Health and Social Justice OR Health Education and Promotion.
- 9
See MPH Prescribed Electives course listing below.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate/Graduate Course Crosswalk | ||
| The undergraduate course requirements identified below are satisfied by the corresponding (row) graduate courses identified below. | ||
| Undergraduate Level Courses | ||
| HLTH 3355 | United States Health Care Systems (satisfied by HLTH 6366) | 3 |
| HLTH 3360 | Epidemiology (satisfied by HLTH 5353) | 3 |
| HLTH 3361 | Health Planning & Evaluation (satisfied by HLTH 5361) | 3 |
| HLTH 4390 | Environmental Health (satisfied by HLTH 5318) | 3 |
| Graduate Level Course Replacements | ||
| HLTH 5318 | Current Topics in Environmental Health | 3 |
| HLTH 5353 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| HLTH 5361 | Social and Behavioral Determinants of Public Health | 3 |
| HLTH 6366 | Public Health Policy and Administration | 3 |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BS Prescribed Electives 6 | ||
| Select 26 hours of the following (9 hours must be 3000 or 4000 level): | ||
| BIOL 1401 | Environmental Science | 4 |
| BIOL 2420 | Introduction to Applied Microbiology | 4 |
| ENGL 3330 | Introduction to Technical Writing | 3 |
| FSCN 3339 | Community Nutrition | 3 |
| HLTH 1366 | Lifestyle and Wellness | 3 |
| HLTH 2372 | Health & Medical Terminology | 3 |
| HLTH 3370 | Community Mental Health & Mental Health First Aid | 3 |
| HLTH 3380 | Drug Use and Abuse | 3 |
| HLTH 3385 | Safety Awareness and Prevention | 3 |
| HLTH 3390 | Family Life & Sex Education | 3 |
| HLTH 4117 | Practicum | 1 |
| HLTH 4360 | Research Methods/Statistics 5 | 3 |
| HLTH 4365 | Public Health and Health Care Policy | 3 |
| HLTH 4366 | Health Informatics | 3 |
| HLTH 4367 | Economics for Health Managers | 3 |
| HLTH 4371 | Patient Navigation & Advocacy | 3 |
| HLTH 4375 | Health Laws and Ethics | 3 |
| HLTH 4392 | Independent Study | 3 |
| HLTH 4394 | Internship Program 5 | 3 |
| HLTH 4395 | Special Topics in Health | 3 |
| KINE 2330 | First Aid and CPR | 3 |
| KINE 3362 | Functional Kinesiology | 3 |
| KINE 3373 | Physiology of Exercise | 3 |
| KINE 4365 | Directing Wellness Programs | 3 |
| MATH 1316 | Plane Trigonometry | 3 |
| MCPA 4381 | Social Marketing Campaign | 3 |
| PHYS 1101 | General Physics Laboratory I | 1 |
| PHYS 1301 | General Physics-Mechanics and Heat | 3 |
| POLS 3335 | Political Ethnic Minorities and Gender | 3 |
| POLS 3366 | Public Administration | 3 |
| PSYC 3331 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 3333 | Physiological Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 3374 | Development Psychology | 3 |
| SOCI 1301 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 3365 | Sociology Of Health & Illness | 3 |
| SOCI 4334 | Sociology Of Disaster | 3 |
| SOCI 4338 | Social Gerontology | 3 |
| VCST 4338 | Child Abuse And Neglect | 3 |
| Or other courses approved by Department | ||
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MPH Prescribed Electives 8 | ||
| Choose two courses from the appropriate Concentration Prescribed Electives course lists below: | ||
| Social Determinants and Community Health | ||
| HLTH 5351 | Migrant & Refugee Health | 3 |
| HLTH 5373 | Risk Management in Health Care Organizations | 3 |
| HLTH 5378 | Health Care Informatics | 3 |
| HLTH 5380 | Global Health Partnerships 5 | 3 |
| HLTH 6371 | Advanced Concepts in Health Care Quality | 3 |
| SCST 5335 | Global Perspectives in Homeland Security | 3 |
| SOCI 5338 | Sociology of Disasters | 3 |
| SOCI 5355 | Seminar in Social Inequality | 3 |
| Graduate level courses in related disciplines approved by the Graduate Program Coordinator | 3-6 | |
| Health Education and Promotion | ||
| HLTH 5333 | Colloquium in Current Health Issues | 3 |
| HLTH 5350 | Public Health and Underserved Populations | 3 |
| HLTH 5351 | Migrant & Refugee Health | 3 |
| HLTH 5363 | Management and Leadership for Health Professionals | 3 |
| HLTH 5365 | Aging and Health Promotion | 3 |
| HLTH 5378 | Health Care Informatics | 3 |
| HLTH 5380 | Global Health Partnerships | 3 |
| HLTH 6365 | Health Care Policy | 3 |
| SOCI 5322 | Seminar In Medical Sociology | 3 |
| Graduate level courses in related disciplines approved by the Graduate Program Coordinator | 3-6 | |
Notes
Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 to remain in the 4+1 MPH program.
Students must earn a 2.75 minimum overall GPA in all coursework to complete the BS in Public Health degree.
Students must meet a 2.75 minimum overall major GPA in all major coursework to complete the BS in Public Health degree.
Students must earn a 2.75 minimum SHSU GPA in all coursework to complete the BS in Public Health degree.
Students must meet a 2.75 minimum SHSU major GPA in all major coursework to complete the BS in Public Health degree.
The 4+1 MPH program includes 120 credit hours for the BS degree (108 hours of undergraduate courses + 12 hours of graduate level courses) AND 30 additional hours of graduate level courses to obtain a combined BS and MPH degree.
Students need to complete a minimum of 90 hours in their undergraduate program to apply for the 4+1 program.
Accepted students can start taking graduate level courses in their Senior year of their undergraduate programs.
Students will enroll in HLTH 6396 the first semester of year four and enroll in HLTH 6397 in Spring of year five.
Thesis I and Thesis II replace the Prescribed Electives in the MPH degree plan.
Courses listed under two requirements may only be taken once and may only fulfill one requirement.
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| BIOL 24031 | 4 | Component Area IV | 3 | ||
| CHEM 1406 or 14111 | 4 | ENGL 13022 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 13012 | 3 | HSTY 13015 | 3 | ||
| KINE 21153 | 1 | HLTH 1360 | 3 | ||
| MATH 1314, 1410, or 14204 | 3 | MATH 1370 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| BIOL 24041 | 4 | Component Area IX | 3 | ||
| HSTY 13025 | 3 | BS Prescribed Electives8 | 3 | ||
| HLTH 2391 | 3 | FSCN 2362 | 3 | ||
| POLS 23056 | 3 | HLTH 2383 | 3 | ||
| PSYC 13017 | 3 | POLS 23066 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| Component Area V | 3 | BS Prescribed Electives8 | 12 | BS Prescribed Electives8 | 8 |
| BS Prescribed Electives8 | 3 | HLTH 43609 | 3 | HLTH 43949 | 3 |
| HLTH 3350 | 3 | HLTH 4393 | 3 | ||
| HLTH 3392 | 3 | ||||
| HLTH 4380 | 3 | ||||
| HLTH 4387 | 3 | ||||
| 18 | 18 | 11 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| HLTH 5361 | 3 | HLTH 5318 | 3 | Concentration Course 110 | 3 |
| HLTH 6366 | 3 | HLTH 5353 | 3 | Thesis I or MPH Prescribed Electives11, 12 | 3 |
| HLTH 6396 | 3 | HLTH 5376 | 3 | ||
| 9 | 9 | 6 | |||
| Fifth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| Concentration Course 210 | 3 | Concentration Course 310 | 3 | ||
| HLTH 6352 | 3 | HLTH 5363 | 3 | ||
| Thesis II or MPH Prescribed Electives11, 12 | 3 | HLTH 6397 | 3 | ||
| 9 | 9 | ||||
| Total Hours: 150 | |||||
- 1
Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area III (Life and Physical Science).
- 2
Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area I (Communication).
- 3
Satisfies one hour of the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area IX (Component Area Option).
- 4
Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area II (Mathematics).
- 5
Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VI (U.S. History).
- 6
Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VII (Political Science/Government).
- 7
Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Science).
- 8
See BS Prescribed Electives course listing below.
- 9
Courses listed under two requirements may only be taken once and may only fulfill one requirement.
- 10
See Concentration course listing below.
- 11
See MPH Prescribed Electives course listing below.
- 12
HLTH 6098 (Thesis I) and HLTH 6099 (Thesis II) replace the MPH Prescribed Electives in the MPH degree plan.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate/Graduate Course Crosswalk | ||
| The undergraduate courses identified below are being replaced by the corresponding (row) graduate courses identified below. | ||
| Undergraduate Level Courses | ||
| HLTH 3355 | United States Health Care Systems (satisfied by HLTH 6366) | 3 |
| HLTH 3360 | Epidemiology (satisfied by HLTH 5333) | 3 |
| HLTH 3361 | Health Planning & Evaluation (satisfied by HLTH 5361) | 3 |
| HLTH 4390 | Environmental Health (satisfied by HLTH 6366) | 3 |
| Graduate Level Course Replacements | ||
| HLTH 5318 | Current Topics in Environmental Health | 3 |
| HLTH 5353 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| HLTH 5361 | Social and Behavioral Determinants of Public Health | 3 |
| HLTH 6366 | Public Health Policy and Administration | 3 |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BS Prescribed Electives 8 | ||
| Select 26 hours of the following (9 hours must be 3000 or 4000 level): | ||
| BIOL 1401 | Environmental Science | 4 |
| BIOL 2420 | Introduction to Applied Microbiology | 4 |
| ENGL 3330 | Introduction to Technical Writing | 3 |
| FSCN 3339 | Community Nutrition | 3 |
| HLTH 1366 | Lifestyle and Wellness | 3 |
| HLTH 2372 | Health & Medical Terminology | 3 |
| HLTH 3370 | Community Mental Health & Mental Health First Aid | 3 |
| HLTH 3380 | Drug Use and Abuse | 3 |
| HLTH 3385 | Safety Awareness and Prevention | 3 |
| HLTH 3390 | Family Life & Sex Education | 3 |
| HLTH 4117 | Practicum | 1 |
| HLTH 4360 | Research Methods/Statistics 9 | 3 |
| HLTH 4365 | Public Health and Health Care Policy | 3 |
| HLTH 4366 | Health Informatics | 3 |
| HLTH 4367 | Economics for Health Managers | 3 |
| HLTH 4371 | Patient Navigation & Advocacy | 3 |
| HLTH 4375 | Health Laws and Ethics | 3 |
| HLTH 4392 | Independent Study | 3 |
| HLTH 4394 | Internship Program 9 | 3 |
| HLTH 4395 | Special Topics in Health | 3 |
| KINE 2330 | First Aid and CPR | 3 |
| KINE 3362 | Functional Kinesiology | 3 |
| KINE 3373 | Physiology of Exercise | 3 |
| KINE 4365 | Directing Wellness Programs | 3 |
| MATH 1316 | Plane Trigonometry | 3 |
| MCPA 4381 | Social Marketing Campaign | 3 |
| PHYS 1101 | General Physics Laboratory I | 1 |
| PHYS 1301 | General Physics-Mechanics and Heat | 3 |
| POLS 3335 | Political Ethnic Minorities and Gender | 3 |
| POLS 3336 | The Presidency and Executives | 3 |
| PSYC 3331 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 3333 | Physiological Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 3374 | Development Psychology | 3 |
| SOCI 1301 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 3365 | Sociology Of Health & Illness | 3 |
| SOCI 4334 | Sociology Of Disaster | 3 |
| SOCI 4338 | Social Gerontology | 3 |
| VCST 4338 | Child Abuse And Neglect | 3 |
| Or other courses approved by Department | ||
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Concentration Courses: Social Determinants and Community Health 10 | ||
| HLTH 5331 | Foundations of Community Health | 3 |
| HLTH 5350 | Public Health and Underserved Populations | 3 |
| HLTH 5380 | Global Health Partnerships 9 | 3 |
| HLTH 6365 | Health Care Policy | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Concentration Courses: Health Education and Promotion 10 | ||
| HLTH 5332 | Hlth Determin & Pop Response | 3 |
| HLTH 5360 | Communication Theory and Practice for Health Professionals | 3 |
| HLTH 5374 | Health Research Methods | 3 |
| HLTH 6361 | Population Health | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MPH Prescribed Electives 11 | ||
| Choose two courses from the appropriate Concentration Prescribed Electives course lists below: | ||
| Social Determinants and Community Health | ||
| HLTH 5351 | Migrant & Refugee Health | 3 |
| HLTH 5373 | Risk Management in Health Care Organizations | 3 |
| HLTH 5378 | Health Care Informatics | 3 |
| HLTH 5380 | Global Health Partnerships 9 | 3 |
| HLTH 6371 | Advanced Concepts in Health Care Quality | 3 |
| SCST 5335 | Global Perspectives in Homeland Security | 3 |
| SOCI 5338 | Sociology of Disasters | 3 |
| SOCI 5355 | Seminar in Social Inequality | 3 |
| Graduate level courses in related disciplines approved by the Graduate Program Coordinator | 3-6 | |
| Health Education and Promotion | ||
| HLTH 5333 | Colloquium in Current Health Issues | 3 |
| HLTH 5350 | Public Health and Underserved Populations | 3 |
| HLTH 5351 | Migrant & Refugee Health | 3 |
| HLTH 5363 | Management and Leadership for Health Professionals | 3 |
| HLTH 5365 | Aging and Health Promotion | 3 |
| HLTH 5378 | Health Care Informatics | 3 |
| HLTH 5380 | Global Health Partnerships | 3 |
| HLTH 6365 | Health Care Policy | 3 |
| SOCI 5322 | Seminar In Medical Sociology | 3 |
| Graduate level courses in related disciplines approved by the Graduate Program Coordinator | 3-6 | |
Notes
Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 to remain in the 4+1 MPH program.
Students must earn a 2.75 minimum overall GPA in all coursework to complete the BS in Public Health degree.
Students must meet a 2.75 minimum overall major GPA in all major coursework to complete the BS in Public Health degree.
Students must earn a 2.75 minimum SHSU GPA in all coursework to complete the BS in Public Health degree.
Students must meet a 2.75 minimum SHSU major GPA in all major coursework to complete the BS in Public Health degree.
The 4+1 MPH program includes 120 credit hours for the BS degree (108 hours of undergraduate courses + 12 hours of graduate level courses) AND 30 additional hours of graduate level courses to obtain a combined BS and MPH degree.
Students need to complete a minimum of 90 hours in their undergraduate program to apply for the 4+1 program.
Accepted students can start taking graduate level courses in their Senior year of their undergraduate programs.
Students will enroll in HLTH 6396 the first semester of year four and enroll in HLTH 6397 in Spring of year five.
Thesis I and Thesis II replace the Prescribed Electives in the MPH degree plan.
Courses listed under two requirements may only be taken once and may only fulfill one requirement.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers. Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.
The BS in Public Health: 4+1 MPH is designed to provide graduates with the following marketable skills:
Social Determinants and Community Health Concentration
Research & Assessment Skills
- Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) design and implementation
- Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) planning and execution
- Data collection and analysis in diverse community settings
- Stakeholder engagement and partnership development
- Qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
Program Development & Evaluation
- Evidence-based intervention design for underserved populations
- Program planning and implementation in resource-limited settings
- Outcome evaluation and impact measurement
- Grant writing and funding acquisition
- Policy analysis and advocacy
Community Engagement & Cultural Competency
- Rural health service delivery and outreach strategies
- Cross-cultural communication and relationship building
- Health equity promotion and social justice advocacy
- Community mobilization and coalition building
- Culturally appropriate health promotion strategies
Health Education and Promotion Concentration
Program Management & Leadership
- Health education program development and implementation
- Multi-site program coordination and management
- Budget development and resource allocation
- Team leadership and staff supervision
- Strategic planning and organizational development
Communication & Education Skills
- Health communication strategy development
- Multi-audience messaging and materials creation
- Public speaking and presentation delivery
- Digital media and social marketing expertise
- Behavior change theory application
Workplace & Institutional Health
- Corporate wellness program design and management
- Occupational health and safety program development
- School-based health education curriculum development
- Clinical patient education program creation
- Policy development and implementation
Universal Marketable Skills (Both Concentrations)
Data & Technology Proficiency
- Statistical software proficiency (SPSS, R, SAS)
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping
- Electronic health record systems navigation
- Database management and reporting
- Survey design and administration platforms
Professional Development & Compliance
- Project management and timeline coordination
- Regulatory compliance and accreditation standards
- Professional networking and partnership building
- Continuing education and professional development planning
- Quality improvement and performance monitoring
Communication & Advocacy
- Technical report writing and documentation
- Grant proposal development and submission
- Media relations and public communication
