Public Health

Alice J. Hausman, Ph.D., Chair
1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue

Ritter Annex, 9th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19122
Public Health Main Office Number: 215-204-8726
Public Health Fax: 215-204-1854

publichealth@temple.edu

http://chpsw.temple.edu/publichealth/home

The Department of Public Health's undergraduate curriculum prepares students for diverse careers in the public health field that focus on creating, implementing, and evaluating interventions and programs designed to improve health status and quality of life for all individuals.  The department has a national reputation and all levels of study are accredited by CEPH (Council on Education in Public Health), including the Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Science in Epidemiology (MS-Epi), and Ph.D. programs.  As one of the few accredited undergraduate public health programs in the country, the department offers a Bachelor of Science degree in public health that serves as a national model in which students study the broad range of public health concerns, including individual disease prevention and injury/harm reduction behaviors, distribution and development of disease through epidemiological assessment and community program development, implementation, and evaluation.  Students learn to use educational interventions to provide health information, gain experience in assessing the needs of target populations, clarify program goals and objectives, and develop strategies to motivate and involve their clients/patients in educational interventions. All Public Health majors take a set of common theoretical courses designed to promote an understanding of health, wellness and disease prevention. After completing University-required General Education courses, Public Health students complete courses in the core disciplines of public health within the Department of Public Health as well as courses in other important areas outside the Department of Public Health. Students also participate in over 600 hours of fieldwork experience in public health agencies, organizations or other entities to gain invaluable real-world experience in the field. 

The Public Health major trains entry-level public health workers to provide frontline preventive health information, services, and health behavior interventions at the community level, particularly in communities with high-risk populations.  Graduates typically work in: voluntary health agencies, public health departments, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, corporate work sites, community health organizations, family planning clinics, and managed-care facilities.  They can also apply for graduate public health programs (Master of Public Health or Master of Science in Epidemiology) or other health professions.

Mission of the Department

The Department of Public Health is well-known as a regional and national leader, fostering collaboration among researchers, educators, community practitioners, and private sector leaders. We are dedicated to addressing health needs in the global community to eliminate health disparities and to increase the quality and years of healthy life. The mission of the department emphasizes the principles and practices of all core areas of public health (social-behavioral, biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, health policy) by creating and evaluating applied interventions, programs, curricula, and policies designed to improve the health status and quality of life of individuals and communities. The department strives to contribute to the rapidly-changing knowledge base in the public health field. The department’s strong service mission ensures that faculty and students are available to the communities served by Temple University; thus the department emphasizes scholarly service to regional, state, and national institutions and organizations, including schools, hospitals, and voluntary and government health agencies. Because of the pressing needs for health services in the region, coupled with our urban location, the program emphasizes public health and health education for diverse populations.

The Department of Public Health follows the requirements set forth by Temple University regarding General Education. The department has also established additional core and cognate requirements for all Public Health majors.

Summary of Requirements

1. University Requirements

All students are required to complete the university's General Education (GenEd) curriculum.

All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major. The specific writing-intensive courses required for this major are listed below and are identified by "WI" in the Attribute column.

2. Public Health Program Requirements

Students must complete a set of specific courses in the major, including a Health Related Professions Core course, Cognate Core courses and Public Health Major courses, including two credit-earning internships (Public Health 3185 and Public Health 4185). Also required are two public health electives, one cognate elective and three general electives. The major requires a minimum of 122 total credits.

• Health Related Professions Core (3 s.h.). One (1) course is required:
  Health Related Professions 2103.

• Cognate Core (18 s.h.). Five (5) courses are required:
  Computer & Information Science 1055, Kinesiology 1223, Kinesiology 1224, Strategic Communication 1111, Healthcare Management 3501.

• General Electives (9 s.h.). Three (3) courses are required. These may be the choice of the student.

Students must successfully pass all Health Related Professions and Cognate Core courses, and general electives, with a minimum grade of C- or higher. Students not demonstrating the ability to meet this academic requirement will not be permitted to progress to the Upper-Division Public Health and related electives in the curriculum until the minimum grade of C- is achieved.

• Lower-Division Public Health Coursework (24 s.h.). Eight (8) courses are required:
  Public Health 1101, 1104, 1105, 1106, 2101, 2102, 2216, 2219

• Upper-Division Public Health Coursework (30 s.h.). Eight (8) courses are required:
  a. Public Health 3101, 3102, 3104, 3105, 3496, 3596 (18 s.h.)
  b. Two Internship experiences: Public Health 3185, 4185 (12 s.h.)

• Public Health Electives (6 s.h.). Two (2) courses are required:
  Students can choose from Public Health 1103, 1201, 1903, 2201, 2202, 2203, 2204, 2205, 2206, 2207, 2208, 2209, 2211, 2212, 2213, 2214, 2215, 2304, 3103. Additional listings may be obtained from the academic advisor and approved for elective credit.

• Cognate Elective (3 s.h.). One (1) course is required. Choices for this elective must be approved by the academic advisor.

All Public Health course work (those courses with a PBHL designation and courses approved as a cognate elective) must be completed with a grade of C or higher.

Public Health Requirements for New Freshmen

Public Health requirements for new Transfer Students

In addition to Public Health requirements, transfer students will need to complete any remaining General Education (GenEd) requirements.

Minor in Public Health

Certificate in Emergency Management with Special Populations

Temple University’s Department of Public Health, in collaboration with Temple’s Center for Research Preparedness Education and Practice (C-PREP), is offering classes for preparing the public health workforce and emergency managers to address the needs of special populations in a competency-based and practice-oriented framework. In emergency management a special population is any group of people that needs extra support to be prepared for an emergency, as well as those needing community support to respond successfully and recover in disasters or emergency situations. These classes are for practitioners in emergency preparedness and response, public health professionals, undergraduate students, and recent graduates with an interest in emergency preparedness and response. This program consists of a four- or five-course sequence, depending on previous coursework. For current public health majors and minors at Temple University, two of these courses can be used to fulfill elective requirements. The certificate program can be finished in either one or two years part time, and the courses are all offered online so that students from all over the globe and at different stages in their career can take advantage of the program. This certificate will be listed on your transcript upon completion. FEMA Higher Ed calls this program a national first in their April 11, 2008 program report.

PRE-REQUISITE (1): This course may be waived if the student can demonstrate either NIMS certification or similar coursework taken at a college or university with a grade of B or better.

            Public Health 2207: Principals of Emergency Management: A Public Health Perspective

CORE (3): The core courses will address the basic competencies in emergency preparedness, response, and mitigation. Within these core competencies the needs of special populations will be addressed.

            Public Health 2202: Man-Made Disasters: Radiological, Chemical and Biological Terrorism

            Public Health 2208: Natural Disasters: Response and Recovery

            Public Health 2215: Special Populations: Strategic Community Outreach

ELECTIVE (1): The electives will allow the student to customize the certificate program to meet their educational objectives and professional needs within the rubric of emergency preparedness and special populations. This includes the option to take graduate-level electives as appropriate. Recommended electives include:

            Public Health 2201 or Public Health 5105: Health Communication; graduate or undergraduate credits; in-person

            Public Health 2205 or Public Health 5004: Stress and Change; graduate or undergraduate credits; online

  Public Health 5009: Risk Communication; graduate credits; in-person

For more information, contact:

Sylvia Twersky, MPH
Temple University Department of Public Health
Phone: 215-204-9316
E-mail: sylviatb@temple.edu

Certificate in Construction Safety Management

Temple University's Department of Public Health is offering a certificate program in Construction Safety Management. This program is designed for those who intend to seek employment as a safety management professional in the construction industry in order to reduce accidents, injuries and illnesses.

This program will enable the student to:

• Identify and evaluate construction worksite hazards;
• Design and employ successful safety and health measures;
• Plan risk management activities for construction operations, and successfully integrate construction safety into all aspects of a construction project.

The Construction Safety Management Certificate is geared toward recent high school graduates, undergraduate students, the construction professional (e.g., electrician, carpenter, etc.) seeking to increase his or her knowledge of construction safety and health, and the industrial safety professional seeking to expand his or her knowledge of safety in the construction field.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS: High school diploma or GED, OSHA 30-hour Construction Safety and Health course.

REQUIRED COURSES are in the Departments of Public Health and Civil and Environmental Engineering:

     1. Safety Hazards in the Construction Industry

     2. Health Hazards in the Construction Industry

     3. Construction Management for the Safety Professional

     4. Prediction and Prevention of Construction Related Accidents

     5. Construction Methods and Materials

     6. Construction Safety Management Internship

For further information, contact:

Ms. Joyce Hankins

Coordinator of Student Services

Department of Public Health

College of Health Professions and Social Work

Temple University

1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19122

Phone: 215-204-7213

Fax: 215-204-1854

E-mail: jhankins@temple.edu