Public Health
This is an archived copy of the 2023-2024 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.mtmercy.edu.
The MMU graduate with a BS in Public Health will be prepared to engage in addressing the world’s most pressing health problems. The multi-disciplinary study of Public Health at Mount Mercy University includes improving and protecting the health of individuals, families, communities and populations both locally and globally. The MMU graduate will acknowledge that public health initiatives improve global health, affect environmental health, reduce the impact of natural disasters and global epidemics, address health disparities and create healthier communities. The MMU graduate may explore employment in public health agencies, health care environments, and human service agencies as well as be prepared for graduate programs, law school, and further medical professional programs. A student majoring in nursing, social work, business, science, or health care may find a minor in Public Health an excellent complement to these majors. The Public Health major or minor will gain skill in critical analysis, strategic communication, advocacy, activism, global and community awareness, and health policy development. The student majoring or minoring in Public Health at Mount Mercy University will be highly encouraged to engage in service learning and community volunteerism while pursuing this degree.
See the Graduate section of this Catalog for more information on Graduate programs offered at Mount Mercy. Juniors and seniors may be eligible to take up to 13 graduate-level credits through the MMU Plus program.
Public Health Major
| Required: | ||
| HS 210 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| HS 215 | Introduction to Epidemiology | 3 |
| HS 450 | Internship in Health Care | 3 |
| MA 135 | Basic Statistics | 3 |
| PS 259 | Health Psychology: Health & Wellness Applied | 3 |
| SO 240 | Medical Sociology | 3 |
| Choose One of the Following: | 3-4.5 | |
| Biology of Human Concern | ||
| Foundations of Biology & Scientific Inquiry I | ||
| Basic Microbiology | ||
| Choose Six of the Following: | 18-19.5 | |
| Global Environmental Issues | ||
| Organization of Health Care Services | ||
| Quality Patient/Resident Care | ||
| Essentials and Practice in Health Care Navigation | ||
| Health Literacy | ||
| Spiritual and Cultural Perspectives in Health Care Management | ||
| Special Topics: Health Care | ||
| Globalization and Human Survival | ||
| Social Inequalities | ||
| Sociology of Mental Health & Illness | ||
| Global Health | ||
| Gender & Health | ||
| Aging In America | ||
| Basic Helping Skills | ||
| Human Behavior and the Social Environment | ||
| Total Hours | 39-42 | |
Academic Requirements
All Public Health majors must achieve a minimum grade of C in all required major HS (Health Services) courses and prerequisite courses. This applies to equivalent courses transferred from other institutions. Additionally, Public Health majors must maintain an overall GPA of 2.0.
Public Health Minor
| Required: | ||
| HS 210 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| SO 240 | Medical Sociology | 3 |
| Choose Three of the Following: 1 | 9 | |
| Organization of Health Care Services | ||
| Quality Patient/Resident Care | ||
| Essentials and Practice in Health Care Navigation | ||
| Introduction to Epidemiology | ||
| Health Literacy | ||
| Spiritual and Cultural Perspectives in Health Care Management | ||
| Special Topics: Health Care | ||
| Internship in Health Care | ||
| Global Environmental Issues | ||
| Globalization and Human Survival | ||
| Health Psychology: Health & Wellness Applied | ||
| Social Inequalities | ||
| Methods of Social Research 2 | ||
| Sociology of Mental Health & Illness | ||
| Global Health | ||
| Gender & Health | ||
| Aging In America | ||
| Basic Helping Skills | ||
| Human Behavior and the Social Environment | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
- 1
Students who complete coursework in Nursing (NU) may use 6 credit hours towards the elective requirement
- 2
or equivalent methods course
Academic Requirements
All Public Health minors must achieve a minimum grade of C in all minor HS (Health Services) courses. This applies to equivalent courses transferred from other institutions.
The following is the typical sequence of courses required for the major*:
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Winter | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| BI 123, 125, or 1501 | 4 | Holistic Health Domain | 3 | CO 101 | 3 |
| Portal | 3 | SO 122 | 3 | ||
| Writing Competency | 4 | Historical Roots Domain | 3 | ||
| PS 101 | 3 | MA 135 | 3 | ||
| AR 101 | 3 | ||||
| 14 | 3 | 15 | |||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Winter | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| HS 200 | 3 | Elective | 3 | SO 235 | 3 |
| HS 201 | 3 | SO 240 or PS 259 | 3 | ||
| PL 269 | 3 | EN 133 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | HS 210 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 3 | 15 | |||
| Junior | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Winter | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Global Awareness Domain | 3 | Elective | 3 | HS 320 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | BI 225, HI 278, or SW 300 | 4.5 | ||
| HS 215 | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| HS 220 | 3 | Elective | 1.5 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 3 | 12 | |||
| Senior | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Winter | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 | HS 399 | 3 |
| Religious Studies Domain | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| Internship | 3 | ME 450 | 1 | ||
| Elective | 3 | HS 415 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||||
| 12 | 3 | 13 | |||
| Total Hours: 123 | |||||
Note: Elective courses could be used for a second major, a minor, a course of interest, internship or study abroad experience.
Note: See the Curriculum section for more information on Portal, Competency, Domain, and Capstone courses.
- 1
Students who choose BI 125 Foundations of Biology & Scientific Inquiry I will also have to complete BI 125L Biostatistics and Scientific Investigation I
*Disclaimer
The course offerings, requirements, and policies of Mount Mercy University are under continual examination and revision. This Catalog presents the offerings, requirements, and policies in effect at the time of publication and in no way guarantees that the offerings, requirements, and policies will not change.
This plan of study represents a typical sequence of courses required for this major. It may not be applicable to every student. Students should contact a department faculty member to be sure of appropriate course sequence.