Global Public Health BA

Major: Global Public Health
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 180.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 51.2201
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 21-1091

About the Program

The Bachelor of Arts in Global Public Health is an innovative undergraduate major that utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to expose students to global public health. Students will take a myriad of required courses within the Dornsife School of Public Health as well as courses in Global Studies and Modern Languages to fulfill degree requirements. The Global Public Health degree is a four-year, one co-op cycle program. Students are encouraged to explore global experiences for added breadth and depth.

Upon completion of the major, students can choose to use this degree program as a precursor to an MPH or an MS in a related topic area or as an active candidate for medical school or other schools of health-related professions. If students look to enter the workforce post BA, a variety of settings are applicable to this degree ranging from positions in public service (local, city, and state government), to NGO (local and international), and to healthcare settings.

Commonly found job titles for students seeking employment with the BA in Global Public Health are public health analysts, health educators, health coordinators, education specialists, health promotion assistant, behavioral health workers, site prevention specialists, and site community health workers.

Additional Information

For more information about this program, please contact:

DSPH Academic Advising Team
Office of Education
dsphadvising@drexel.edu

Additional information can be found on the Dornsife School of Public Health website, including admissions criteria and how to apply.

Degree Requirements

General Education Requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COM 230Techniques of Speaking3.0
COM 320 [WI] Science Writing3.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development *1.0
ECON 240Economics of Health Care Systems4.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
GST 100Introduction to Cultural Diversity3.0
UNIV PH101The Drexel Experience1.0
PSY 101General Psychology I3.0
SOC 101Introduction to Sociology3.0
Two mathematics courses (MATH) or PBHL 210 and one mathematics (MATH) course 8.0
Two science courses (BIO, CHEM, ENVS, GEO, NFS, PHEV, PHYS)8.0
Global Studies Electives (GST)24.0
Language or Regional Minor **24.0
Public Health Core Course Requirements
PBHL 101Public Health 1013.0
PBHL 301Epidemiology in Public Health3.0
PBHL 302Introduction to the History of Public Health3.0
PBHL 303Overview of Issues in Global Health3.0
PBHL 304Introduction to Health & Human Rights3.0
PBHL 308The U.S. Public Health System3.0
PBHL 314Environmental and Occupational Health3.0
PBHL 497Capstone Experience I2.0
PBHL 498 [WI] Capstone Experience II3.0
PBHL 499 [WI] Capstone Experience III3.0
Public Health Electives ***12.0
Free Electives44.0
Total Credits180.0
*

Global Public Health students follow the spring/summer co-op cycle.

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

French, Japanese, Spanish, Asian Studies or Middle East and North Africa Studies minor. Additional introductory-level courses may be needed to complete language minors, which will count towards free electives.

***

Students choose any four PBHL courses from the 102-494 level outside of the PBHL core courses required for the degree.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

4 year, 1 co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 101 or 1113.0CIVC 1011.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0VACATION
GST 1003.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0GST Course3.0-4.0 
PBHL 1013.0PSY 1013.0Language or Regional Minor Course3.0-4.0 
UNIV PH1011.0SOC 1013.0Free Electives6.0 
Language or Regional Minor Course3.0-4.0Language or Regional Minor Course3.0-4.0  
Math Course4.0Math Course4.0  
 17-18 17-18 15-17 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
PBHL 3033.0PBHL 3013.0COM 2303.0COOP 101*1.0
PBHL 3043.0PBHL 3023.0PBHL 3143.0Public Health Elective3.0
GST Course3.0-4.0Language or Regional Minor Course3.0-4.0Language or Regional Minor Course3.0-4.0Free Electives9.0
Language or Regional Minor Course3.0-4.0Public Health Elective3.0Public Health Elective3.0 
Science Course4.0Science Course4.0Free Electives3.0 
 16-18 16-17 15-16 13
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
COM 3203.0GST Course6.0-8.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
ECON 2404.0Language or Regional Minor Course3.0-4.0  
PBHL 3083.0Public Health Elective3.0  
GST Course3.0-4.0Free Electives3.0  
Language or Regional Minor Course3.0-4.0   
 16-18 15-18 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
PBHL 4972.0PBHL 4983.0PBHL 4993.0 
GST Course3.0-4.0GST Course3.0-4.0GST Course3.0-4.0 
Free Electives8.0Free Electives7.0Free Electives8.0 
 13-14 13-14 14-15 
Total Credits 180-196
*

Global Public Health students follow the spring/summer co-op cycle.

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Program Level Outcomes

Public Health Foundational Domains

  • The concepts and applications of basic statistics
  • The foundations of biological and life sciences
  • The history and philosophy of public health as well as its core values, concepts, and functions across the globe and in society
  • The basic concepts, methods, and tools of public health data collection, use, and analysis and why evidence-based approaches are an essential part of public health practice
  • The concepts of population health, and the basic processes, approaches and interventions that identify and address the major health-related needs and concerns of populations
  • The underlying science of human health and disease, including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the life course
  • The cultural, socioeconomic, behavioral, biological, environmental , and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities
  • The fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment, and evaluation
  • The fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the U.S. health system as well as the differences between systems in other countries
  • Basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory dimensions of health care and public health policy and the roles, influences, and responsibilities of the different agencies and branches of government
  • Basic concepts of public health-specific communication, including technical and professional writing and the use of mass media and electronic technology